Ecology and Our Ecosystem

1. Ecology and Our Ecosystem

2. Ecology is the study of organisms and their interactions with the environment. (eco-home) The biosphere is the life-supporting region of the earth. It includes all the land, air and water in which organisms live. Characteristics of the Biosphere

3. Abiotic factors- non-living parts of the environment. A-without, bio-life Ex: water, soil, light , temperature, wind, and physical space. Biotic factors- living parts of the environment. Ex: plants, animals and other organisms. Parts of the environment 1.43 Understand that and describe how organisms are influenced by a particular combination of living and non-living components in the environment.

4. Every species in a habitat has characteristics that enable it to function in the unique abiotic and biotic factors. It provides the members of a species with food, shelter, water, and whatever else they need to survive. Habitats

5. Species are a group of organisms so similar to one another, they can breed and produce fertile offspring. Populations are all of the members of a single species that live in one area. Populations of different organisms share a living space and interact with one another. All of the populations that live and interact in one environment make up the community. Can you give an example of a species, population and community where you live? Species, Populations and Communities

6. All of the populations and abiotic factors in an area make up the ecosystem. It can be a large (forest, ocean, desert) or small area (garden, pond.) Healthy ecosystems are very diverse. The Ecosystem

7. From smallest to biggest Organisms- ecologists study behaviors. Populations- ecologists study the effects of them on the environment and growth rates. Communities- study the effects on a community when new species are added or removed. Ecosystem- ecologists are concerned with the stability of the ecosystem. Biosphere- ecologists are concerned with all interactions. Let’s Review the Organization of Life in Ecology

8. A niche is the full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organisms lives and the way in which the organisms uses those conditions. An organism’s role in the environment. What organism eats how it eats, where lives how reproduces temperatures needed to survive where in food chain, Can two species share a niche in the same habitat? Note: different tree elevations may be different habitats. Niches

9. Competitionoccurs when organisms of the same or different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at same time. Resourceis any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food or space. Competition exclusion principle states that no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time. Community Interactions

10. Resource Partitioning • Some organisms use the same resource as others: fruit, nuts, fish, light, water, minerals, etc. • However, they may share if they use them at different times or in different ways. • Resource partitioning is a subdividing of some category of similar resources that lets competing species coexist. • Ex. Roots of plants in field. All use same resources, but have different roots systems so they all can share. Pg. 709

11. Interdependence • Organisms rely on their changing environment to survive. How? Even a small change to one type of organism can have a major impact on all of the other organisms in an environment. • Predator-prey relationships. (Co-evolution) • Symbiosis- different species rely on each other. 3 kinds. • Mutualism- both partners benefit. • Commensalism- one partner benefits and the other is unaffected. • Parasitism- One benefits the other is harmed. Which benefits? (40.6) • Give examples of each.

12. Parasite-Host Interactions • Only 2 types of interactions kill a host • Attacks a host with no coevolved defense against it. • Host all ready has too many parasites on it. Parasitoids- 15% of all insects. They develop inside another species of insects, and devours from the inside as they mature. They don’t always kill their host. Larra Wasp, Ormia flies

13. Social Parasites • Animals that take advantage of the social behavior of a host species in order to carry out their life cycle. • Cowbirds lay eggs in another nest and the bird feed them.

14. Adaptations of Prey • What are some adaptations prey have to survive? • Camouflaging, warning coloration, mimicry

15. Adaptive Responses of Predators What are some ways that predators counter prey defenses with their own adaptations? Stealth (out run), camouflage (wait on them), ‘ingenious” ways Ex: Grasshopper mouse takes the edible beetle that sprays chemicals at their predators through its end, and puts the beetles end into the ground so it can’t spray the mouse.

16. Ecosystems can be reasonable stable over hundreds of years. If a disaster such as a flood or fire occurs, the damaged ecosystem is likely to recover in stages that eventually result in a system similar to the original one. Changes in an Ecosystem 1.39

17. Ecosystems are always changing, sometimes quickly and dramatically with a fire or flood or sometime slowly. Damaged ecosystems from a flood or fire are likely to recover in stages that eventually results in a system similar to the original one. Ecosystems can be relatively stable over hundreds or thousands of years. Changing conditions affect the communities of organisms that live in the ecosystem Changing with the Environment 1.39

18. Orderly, natural changes that take place in communities of an ecosystem is a succession. What is a pioneer species? Primary succession is the colonization of new sites by communities of organisms after a change in the ecosystem. (Volcanoes) 1000’s of years After time, primary succession slows down, and the community becomes fairly stable. Succession: Changes over Time

19. A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no succession, is a climax community. Describe a place around you where you have seen succession occurring. Secondary succession is the sequence of community changes when a community is disrupted by natural disasters or human actions. Fewer than 100 years Secondary Succession 1.39

20. Note: Succession can happen in any ecosystem. The following the succession of a whale-fall community. Large whale dies and sinks to ocean floor and attracts scavengers and decomposers. Tissues are eaten by smaller org. Decomposition enriches sediments, for other species. Heterotrophic bacteria decompose oil in bones and serve as energy sources for chemosynthetic autotrophs that support other org. Pg. 96 Successionin a Marine Ecosystem

21. Cowbird Chutzpah • Cowbirds originally evolved as commenaslists with bison (ate insects as kicked up) and as social parasites of other bird species in the North Amercian Great Plains. When conditions changed, the expanded their ranged and now hold “power” in woodlands as well as grasslands of much of the US. They parasitize 15 species of native N. A. birds today.

22. Community Instability • Keystone species- dominant species that can dictate community structure. Geographic dispersal 1. slowly expanding into hospitable regions around home 2. Be transported (ships) 3. population moves out from its home range over geological time.

23. In 1988, small freshwater zebra mussels were introduced to Lake Erie from Europe. They spread to all great lakes in less than 10 years. They compete with other species for food. They clog up water-intake pipes and farm-irrigation pipes. One benefit- filter-feeding action h as made water cleaner. Gypsy moths Invasive Species 1.38

24. Non-invasive • Some species introduced are beneficial: soybeans, rice, wheat, corn and potatoes

25. Plants That Ate Georgia! • 1876 Kudzu was introduced from Japan to the U.S. • In Asia it was well behaved. • Kudzu grows up to 60 meters a year. • Asians use a starch found in the Kudzu for drinks, herbal medicines, and candy. • 90% of wallpaper in Asia is made from Kudzu. • Goats and herbicides help to maintain it. Sarah, Alli, Hillary

26. Alga! • Was used in salt-water aquariums. • Imported from Germany. • Has covered more than 30,000 hectares of sea floor along the Mediterranean Coast. • It is now illegal to import alga. • Some come into the U.S. with aquatic trade.

27. Attack of the Bunnies! • In the 1800’s, British settlers couldn’t bond with Australia’s natural critters so they brought some bunnies. • It first happened in 1859. • 6 yrs later a landowner killed 20,000 bunnies. • There are 200-300 million bunnies in Australia now.

28. Cont…. • In 1952, the government introduced the myxoma virus that effect the South American rabbits. • The European rabbits were also effected. • In 1991 researchers released rabbits that had been injected with calicivirus. • The rabbits died from clots in their lungs, heart, and kidneys.

29. In 1995 the virus spread killing 80-95 % of adult bunnies in Australia. • In 1996 it spread to other places.

30. Biodiversity The sum of all species occupying a specified area during a specified interval, past as well as present

31. Biodiversity A given area is an outcome of the evolutionary history of each member species and its resource requirements, its physiology, and its capacity for dispersal. Affected By Rates of Births, Death, Immigration, and Emigration Which is affected by Habitat conditions and Interactions among species

32. Summary: The patterns: Patterns have been discovered in biodiversity. They correspond to differences in the habitat

33. Mainland and Marine Patterns

34. The number of species is greater in the tropics and lessens systematically towards the Poles Than here More here

35. Because: Tropical latitudes get more sunlight, rainfall, and have a longer growing season. All of which makes resource availability greater. Tropical communities have been evolving longer than temperate ones Species diversity might be self reinforcing Meaning More trees can exist at the lower altitude. More plant species compete and coexist. This means more herbivores can C and C because a greater diversity of food is available. (i.e. herbivores that survive on different plants can now live there) More predators can then C and C because a greater diversity of food is available. Etc.

36. Summary Tropical, equator places have more species than we would. We have more than the North Pole.

37. Island Patterns

38. Islands are good land masses to study in biodiversity. But the number of species will not increase forever.

39. The Distance Effect The further an island from a source of colonizing species, the less species diversity. The Area Effect The larger the area for species to live, the more diversity. Why?

40. Extinction Happens more on smaller islands. The small populations are more vulnerable to severe storms, droughts, disease, and genetic drift.

41. Summary Larger islands equals more species

42. Threats to Biodiversity • 300 mammals on extinction list • Habitat loss due to physical reduction of suitable places to live and chemical pollution • Equilibrium model of island biogeography says that 50% loss of habitat will drive about 10 % of its endemic (specific to region, not introduced) species to extinction. • Indicator species • Overharvesting, overfishing- bad.

43. Sustaining Biodiversity • Hot spots- habitats with the greatest number of species found nowhere else are in danger of extinction. • Ecoregion- Broad land or ocean defined by climate, geography and producer species. Reservoirs of biodiversity. • Protecting biodiversity • Strip logging- tropical slopes. Cleared in strips (fig. 40.30) • Riparian zones (along rivers or streams). Provide vegitation and line of defense against flooding. Restrict or rotate cattle to prevent ruining the vegitation(fig. 40.31)

44. Autotrophs- use energy from the sun or stored energy to make their own food. They are also called producers. All organisms rely on autotrophs for food. Ex: plants. Heterotrophs- depend on autotrophs and their source of nutrients and energy. They are also known as consumers. They include animals. How Organisms Interact: Feeding Relationships

45. Photosynthesis- uses light to make food 6CO2 + 6H20  C6H12O6 + 6O2 Chemosynthesis Hydrogen sulfide and oxygen combine to form sulfur compounds. Using chemical energy, cells make carbohydrates using CO2 from sea water. Where are these bacteria found? Photosynthesis vs. Chemosynthesis

46. Get their energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Use light energy to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and sugar. 6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2 Chemosynthesis is when organisms use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates when there is no light present. Bacteria- vents at bottom of ocean is an example. Autotrophs

47. Photosynthesis Captures energy Chloroplasts 6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2 Cellular Respiration Releases energy Mitochondria C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O Photosynthesis vs. Cellular Respiration 1.3, 1.4, 1.9, 1.43

48. Carnivores eat only “meat”. What are some examples of carnivores? Scavengers eat animals that are already dead, they don’t kill for food. What are some examples? Why are they important? Heterotrophs:Carnivores and Scavengers

49. Herbivores • Eat Plants

50. Omnivores eat both plants and animals. What are some examples? Decomposers are organisms that break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms. Ex: bacteria, some protozoans, fungi. Why are they important? Omnivores and Decomposers