Chapter 4

1. Chapter 4 Ecosystems: How they change

2. Yellowstone fires 1988 • Started Naturally - burned like crazy • Burned from May/June till September • Recovery was quicker than expected.

8. Population growth Curves

9. Exponential Growth • Constant percent rate of growth • Increasing numbers of growth • Doubling time stays steady

10. Population change • Most Populations approximate a S-curve • Some become J-curves • 1) repeated • 2) stabilize into S curve

11. Biotic Potential v. Env. Resistanc

12. Carrying Capacity • The maximum in a particular population that can be sustained in an environment • A realized S-curve tends to fluctuate around the carrying capacity

13. Density Dependent • These are limiting factors that increase their resistance the higher the density gets • Water • Food • Territory • disease

14. Density Independent • Do not depend on the density of a population • Floods • Fires • Temperature extremes

15. Critical Number • Below a certain # some populations experience an extreme change in survival • Flocks, packs, etc…. • Threatened: rapid population decline • Endangered: near or below critical number

16. Two problems • Pop grow too fast • J-curve boom and bust • Population decreases • Approaches critical number and is threatened or endangered

17. Top-Down v. Bottom-up • Top-Down population regulation • Control of a prey species by its predator: Lions eat zebras • Bottom-up • Control of a species by a limiting factor or resource - often a food supply, especially with primary consumers

18. Isle Royale

19. How come all of the Moose did not get eaten? • Wolves cannot take down the large and healthy moose • As we’ll see, herd thinning can be good for the moose, as well.

20. Parasites • “A parasite can work in conjunction with a predator to control a given herbivore population: Parasitic infection breaks out in a dense population of herbivores; individuals weakened by infection are more easily removed by predators, leaving a smaller, but healthier, population (p 87).”

21. Plant-Herbivore dynamic • Overgrazing: St. Matthew Island • 29 Islands introduced in 1944 with no predators

22. Keystone species • A species with a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem biotic structure • Ex. Seastars eat mussels, when removed in a study the mussels were able to decrease the diversity by eating everything.

23. Competition • 2 kinds • Interspecifc: between two different species • Intraspecific between members of the same species

24. Intraspecific competition Territoriality For food, mates, limits mating, but can encourage dispersal Self Thinning causes growth to be spread out. Can happen to animals too Effects Population regulation, natural selection

25. Interspecific Competition Consider Plant Distribution in riparian woodlands Sycamore and red maple along riverbanks Oaks and pines and higher elevations OR - Plants might get nutrients from different depths Bottom line is:drives diversity in communities

26. Interspecific Animals • Competitive Exclusion principle • Consider: Paramecia in flasks • Resource partitioning • Barnacle ranges in tidal regions • Bottom line: elimination of competitive species and driving of natural selection

27. Introduced Species • Rabbits: • Introduced to Australia in 1859. • No Natural enemies led to overgrazing • Controll has been attempted with a virus, but adaptation occurred.

28. Introduced Species • American Chestnut • Chestnut blight accidentally introduced with some chinese chestnut trees • American chestnut almost decimated • Ecologically oak filled the niche, but much economic damage

29. Introduced Species • Pests • Agricultural - japanese beetles, fire ants, gypsy moths • Cats can help with rodents, but also remove songbirds • Bottom line - Globalization is increasing introduction

30. Evolution • Selective pressure - includes all factors of environmental resistance • Reminder (p84): • Lack of food, water, habitat, • Adverse weather • Predators, disease, parasites, competition

31. Adaptations to the environment • Dealing with the climate • Obtaining food or water • Avoiding becoming food • Finding or attracting mates • Migration/dispersal

32. Limits of change • When the environment changes • Adapt - Different than human response of the same name • Migration • Extinction (can be local) • MAD • Move, adapt, or die

33. Keys to Survival • 1) Geographic distribution: more widespread=more likely to survive (as a species) • 2) Specialization: Koala v. Crow • 3) Genetic variation in the gene pool: affects ability to respond to change • 4) Reproductive rate Mammals v. insects

34. Evolution of Species • New Species results from • Mutation - the “raw material” of natural selection • Reproductive Isolation • Natural Selection/Genetic Drift

35. Drifting Continents

36. Ecosystems Disturbed • Ecological Succession • Primary: On bare rock - Lichen, moss, bigger, bigger • Secondary: after a disturbance such as fire, humans, flooding, hurricane - Already has a nutrient layer and usually seeds and nearby animals

37. Landscapes and disturbance • Disturbance encourages diversity • Disturbance is often localized and uneven

38. Fire Climax Ecosystems • Fire now recognized as a natural part of many ecosystems cycle of disturbance and renewal • Thins underbrush • Results in less damaging fires • Renews soil • Germinates seeds (Like lodgepole pine)

39. Humans in this context • Ecosystem Management • Integrated ecosystem view • Revised as new research is available • Incorporates human element • Has goal of sustainibility

40. Human stress on ecosystems • Big list on page 110 • We all depend on nature • Humans cause change - may improve human lives at expense of ecosystems: soil, air, water, biodiversity, food supply • Pressures likely to increase • Technology may be part of the solution