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Ecology The study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment Ecology Focus ? How do organisms contribute to the functioning of the environment as a system? How is energy captured, stored, and transferred in an ecosystem? What specific impacts do humans have on the environment? Abiotic – Nonliving factors of an ecosystem Climate, land conditions, etc. Biotic Living factors of an ecosystem Plants, animals, fungi, etc Hierarchy of Life Complexity & levels of organization: Species / Organism Population Community Ecosystem / Biome Biosphere Energy Transfer through an Ecosystem All organisms need energy to carry out their life functions: growth, movement, reproduction, etc. Energy flows through the TROPHIC Levels of a Food Chain Sun - primary source of energy to the Producer (autotrophs)– capture sunlight & convert it to a usable form (plant material) to the heterotrophs Primary Consumers – feed on producers to the to the Secondary Consumers – feed on primary consumers Energy Flows through each Trophic Level or Step of the Food Chain Food Web- a more accurate model of the complex network of feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem Pyramid Models Energy Transfer through Trophic Levels is NOT 100% efficient Pyramid of Energy Transfer 10% Efficient transfer at each level Biomass organic matter in an ecosystem Gross Primary Productivity Rate at which producers capture energy Net Primary Productivity Rate of biomass accumulation into plant material photosynthesis – respiration in plants Varies by light, temperature, precipitation, availability of nutrients Pyramid of Biomass Approximate dry weight of biomass at each level Pyramid of Numbers Approximate number of organisms supported at each level Ecosystem Recycling Water, Carbon,and Nitrogen Travel Through a Biogeochemical Cycle to be recycled and reused The Law of Conservation of Matter & Energy Matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed but only change in form The Water Cycle New terms you should know… Precipitation –water vapor converting to liquid. Ex: Rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog Evaporation – liquid water converting to water vapor in the atmosphere Transpiration – releasing of water by plants into the atmosphere The Carbon Cycle New terms you should know… Decomposition—the release of CO2 from the breakdown of dead matter Fossil Fuels—decaying remains of living things containing carbon that after years of heat and pressure that release CO2 when burned The Nitrogen Cycle New terms you should know… Nitrogen fixation—conversion of atmospheric nitrogen by bacteria into a nitrogen containing compound that can be used by plants and animals Excretion—nitrogen containing animal waste that is absorbed by soil Decomposition—breakdown of dead organisms which add nitrogen to the soil Denitrification—conversion of nitrogen trapped in the soil and dead animals back into atmospheric nitrogen The Dynamics of Communities What is a Community? A collection of interacting populations A groups of various species living in the same area at the same time Communities Need Homeostasis State of equilibrium Stable communities require: constant source of usable energy organic and inorganic materials must be recycled constantly Symbiosis A close relationship between two organisms Examples: Mutualism Commensalisms Parasitism Mutualism Both organisms benefit Examples: Butterflies & flowers food pollination Commensalisms One organism benefits Other organism is relatively unaffected Examples: barnacles attached to whales Parasitism One organism benefits Other organism is harmed Examples: fleas and mammals viruses pathogenic bacteria round worm Predator & Prey One member kills and eats another One benefits while the other is harmed (in the short term!!!) But one may adapt to the pressure of predation Predator & Prey Pattern Preventing Predation Camouflage Warning color Mimicry Succession: natural changes in a community over time Examples: increase in: --population --biomass --productivity Pioneer Species First species in new community: Reproduce Rapidly Small Survive harsh conditions Example: Lichen Pioneer Forest Changes Continue Until Homeostasis is reached: Called Climax Community: Stable and mature At equilibrium Climax Community 2 Types of Succession Type 1: Primary Creating a NEW Community Example / Causes: Volcanic eruptions Clearing of Glaciers Primary Succession Type 2: Secondary Regrowth of a Previous Existing Community Examples / Causes: Natural Disasters hurricanes forest fires Human Activities Abandoned farmland Construction / real estate Example: Forest Fire Yellowstone National Park Secondary Succession 1998 1988: Bunson Peak and the area around it was scorched by the North Fork fire, but has recovered nicely. Secondary Succession Secondary Succession Population Patterns Limiting Factors in a Community Any biotic or abiotic factor that limits growth of a population Restrictions on populations: Coexistence of other populations Size / Numbers Reproduction Distribution Examples of Limiting Factors depletion of resources like food, water & shelter appearance of predators, parasites, & disease natural disasters such as fire, flood, and drought Carrying Capacity stabilizing of population growth due to limiting factors Density-Dependent Factor Limiting factors that depend on or response to an increase or decrease in population size Examples: Food Water Shelter predators Density-Independent Factor Not affected by population size Have the same affect on the population with many or few members Examples: Fire Drought Distribution Patterns Patterns of organisms in a population Location of each organism in a populations Types of Distribution Random Clumped Uniform Random Organisms are located in NO order / pattern Habitat has abundant resources throughout Clumped Organisms are grouped together in various locations Habitat resources are located only is certain areas Uniformed Organisms are found at roughly equal distance from each other Resources equally spread throughout the habitat (typically man-made) 3 Age Structure Diagrams of population patterns over time Population drastically increases over time Examples: Population do NOT increase or decreases Examples: Population drastically decreases over time Examples: Organisms and their Environment Habitat the environment in which an organism lives or grows Niche The functional ROLE a species plays in its community depends on: WHERE an organism lives AND WHAT it does & need for survival Competition two organisms striving for the same resource no one obtains 100% of the resources, so they are all negatively affected 2 Results of Competition and Niche Overlap One species will NOT survive OR Species must change to reduce overlap Competitive Exclusion Principle Competition for the same limiting resource will eliminate the weaker species Therefore…. No two organisms can have 100% identical niches use the same resource, at the same time, in the same place So, fundamental niche is reduced to realized niche Fundamental vs. Realized ??? Fundamental Niche the potential ability of a species to receive all possible resources Realized Niche the resources that the species actually uses Example: Warbler Birds Warbler Bird Example: Fundamental niche – Realized niche – each warbler bird is capable of inhabiting the whole tree each bird limits their habitat to a portion of the tree to: reduce niche overlap reduce competition Fundamental niche is reduced to realized niche to ensure coexist survival