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What is Ecology ? Population Population = Group of same species living in same area Individuals in a population have a high likelihood of interacting and breeding with one another Population Growth Exponential Logistic w/ Carrying Capacity Factors the Affect Population Growth: Density Dept vs Indept Density Independent - Climate Density Dept the buildup of toxic wastes Limited food supply increased disease predation Community Community: all populations in a given area Community: Niche & Competition A population's niche = role in the community The sum total of its use of the biotic and abiotic resources of its habitat Community: Competitive Exclusion Principle Populations of two species cannot coexist in a community if their niches are nearly identical Leads to either: Competition & death of one Natural Selection & resource partitioning Community: Competition & Resource Partitioning Community: Symbiosis Symbiosis: interaction between two or more species that live together in direct contact Three types: Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Community: Mutualism Symbiosis Both benefit Ex. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes Community: Commensalism Symbiosis Commensalism = one benefits , the other is unaffected Not as common Ex Algae that grow on the shells of sea turtles Barnacles that attach to whales Birds that feed on insects flushed out of the grass by grazing cattle Community: Commensalism Parasitism One benefits while other harmed Community: Predator / Prey Predator: consumer Prey: food species Community: Predator / Prey Coevolution Coevolution: as predators adapt to prey, sometimes natural selection also shapes the prey's defenses Community: Prey Defenses Mechanical Defenses (quill of porcupine) Chemical Defenses (poison frog) Camouflage Community: Prey Defenses Mimicry Batesian – harmless mimicking harmful Mullerian – both harmful Community: Ecological Succession Ecological Succession: transition in the species composition of a community following a disturbance Primary vs Secondary Primary succession: gradual colonization of barren rocks by living organisms, starting with Pioneer organisms Community: Ecological Succession Primary Secondary: after disturbance Ecosystem: Energy Flow & Chemical Cycles Ecosystem = Community + abiotic factors in habitat Two things needed in ecosystem: ENERGY: flows from the sun, through plants, animals, and decomposers, and is lost as heat CHEMICALS: recycled between air, water, soil, and organisms Ecosystem: Energy Flow & Chemical Cycle Ecosystem: Energy, Food Chain Food chain = flow of energy and nutrients from plants (producers) to herbivores (primary consumers) to carnivores (secondary and higherlevel consumers) Ecosystem: Food Chain, Decomposers Detritivores decompose waste matter – detritus (break down organic molecules) and recycle nutrients (into inorganic) Examples: animal scavengers, fungi, and prokaryotes Ecosystem: Energy Food Web Ecosystem: Energy Pyramid Only ~10% of energy in food of each trophic level is available to the next level - rest used or lost as heat Ecosystem: Biomass Pyramid Biomass = amount of living organic material in an ecosystem Based on Primary production = rate at which producers convert sunlight to chemical energy Ecosystem: Chemical / Nutrient Cycles Water Cycle Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Ecosystem: Water Cycle Ecosystem: Carbon Cycle Carbon needed to make organic molecules Carbon fixation (photosynthesis) : inorganic carbon (CO2) into organic compound (sugar) Ecosystem: Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen plentiful in atmosphere as N2 But plants cannot use N2 Bacteria in soil (and legume root nodules) convert N2 to nitrogen compounds that plants can use Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3–) Ecosystem: Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen Fixation (Nitrogen fixing bacteria): convert N2 gas into Ammonium NH4 Nitrification (Nitrifying bacteria): convert NH4 into Nitrates NO3 Denitrification (Denitrifying bacteria): convert NO3 into N2 gas Ecosystem: Nitrogen Cycle Terrestrial Biomes Biomes: Tundra Treeless artic tundra, permafrost (soil) Cold, wind, lichen Biomes: Tiaga Cold, coniferous forest Largest terrestrial biome (land-wise) Long winter, short wet summer Biomes: Temperate Deciduous Forest sufficient moisture to support the growth of large trees Biomes: Savanna Drier, tropical areas and some nontropical Biomes: Temperate Grasslands Temperate grasslands are found in the interiors of the continents, where winters are cold Drought, fires, and grazing animals prevent trees from growing Biomes: Desert Deserts are the driest of all terrestrial biomes Characterized by low and unpredictable rainfall Biomes: Tropical Rain Forest Tropical rain forest = most diverse Biomes: Marine Aquatic Oceans cover about 75% of the Earth's surface Biomes: Marine Aquatics Estuaries = productive areas where rivers meet the ocean They provide nursery areas for oysters, crabs, and many fishes They are often bordered by extensive coastal wetlands