Ecology

1. Ecology The study of interactions

2. Ecology: the study of interactions between organisms and their environment. Ecology

3. Some examples: • How the brightness of rose color affect the number of pollinators who visit the flower. • How atmospheric pressure affects the growth rate of chickweed. • The change in population size of aphids in an area where ladybugs have been introduced.

4. Look at the picture and namethe biotic factors. Now name the abiotic factors Biotic Factor:the living part of the environmentAbiotic Factor:the non-living parts of the environment

5. The lowest level in the organization is the organism. Organism: any living thing. Examples: Fungus Dragonfly Dandelion Bacteria Prairie Dog Toad Levels of Organization in the Environment

6. Population – organisms living together and interbreeding A population of prairie dogs

7. Community – collection of populations that interact.                                                    It

8. Ecosystem-all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area Prairie (grassland) ecosystem: dominated by grasses and other non-woody plants called forbs. Result from interactions between precipitation, temperature, landforms, soil drainage, fire, plants, and animals

9. Biosphere – all ecosystems on the planet.

10. Habitat: where an organism lives What is the habitat for: • A bird? • A polar bear? • A salamander? • A raccoon?

11. What is the niche for an earthworm? Eats organic matter in soil Fertilizes soil as it burrows and defecates Is eaten by centipedes, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals Niche: how an organism affects and uses its environment

12. What is the niche for: • A bird? • An earthworm? • A polar bear? • A salamander? • A raccoon?

13. Wings Ecolocation Fur Nursery colonies Adaptation: any characteristic which helps an organism survive in its environment. Four adaptations of a bat:

15. Survival What helps species to survive? • Relationships with other species • Adaptations to that environment • Behaviors

16. Relationships Which Help Survival • Sometimes relationships between species help the survival of one or both species involved. • Examples of relationships: • Predator-prey relationships • Symbiotic relationships • Mutualism • Parasitism • Commensalism

17. Predator eats prey. Both species benefit. The predator gets energy from the prey The prey populations are controlled by the predator. Example: cheetah (predator) & gazelle (prey) Predator-Prey Relationships

18. Sybiotic Relationships • Symbiotic relationships: close permanent associations between species. • Three kinds: • Mutualism: Both species benefit • Parasitism: One species benefits, the other is harmed • Commensalism: One species benefits, the other isn’t helped or harmed.

19. Both species will benefit from the relationship The acacia tree and the ant The ant defends the tree against predators and clears out competition The tree provides home and nectar to the ant Mutualism

20. Mutualism • Gardenia thunbergia, a south African shrub, has fruits which never fall from the tree. • They are eaten by antelope and then the seeds are dispersed in the antelope dung. • Both the antelope and the shrub benefit.

21. Gardenia thunbergia also has a mutualist relationship with the hawk moth, who moves from plant to plant, lapping nectar and pollinating the plant with its long tongue.

22. One species benefits (the parasite) and the other is harmed (the host). Parasitism is common in flowering plants. Mistletoe is a parasite. This dwarf mistletoe is growing on a Jeffery Pine. Parasitism

23. Parasitism Dodder, a relative of mistletoe, steals moisture and nutrients from laurel sumac in California.

24. (Above) A huge cowbird chick shares the nest with a smaller sparrow chick. (Top right) A Vireo feeds her baby and a cowbird nestling. (Bottom right) Cowbird eggs in a thrush nest. • Cowbirds are nesting parasites • They lay eggs in the nests of other birds. • The larger cowbird babies outcompete the other nestlings for food, often causing the host babies to die.

25. One species benefits, the other isn’t affected at all. The clownfish is protected from predators by the stinging tentacles of the anenome. It secretes a mucus which keeps it from being harmed by the poison itself. The anenome isn’t affected one way or another by the clownfish. Commensalism

26. Commensalism • Barnacles are crustaceans which attach to a stationary surface to live and feed. • Barnacles often attach to mollusks. • The barnacle gains a stable foothold, and the mollusk isn’t affected.

27. Commensalism • The cattle egret perches on grazers, eating the insects disturbed during the grazing process. • The larger animal isn’t affected, but the egret benefits from an increased food supply.

28. Match: (a) predator-prey (b) mutualism (c) Parasitism (d) commensalism (e) adaptation __ A student selects the same food as the student in front of them because the first student knows what is good to eat. __ A large brain allows students to learn biology __ One student cheats off of another student __ One student steals from another student __ Two students study together and help each other with difficult concepts __ A car drafts off of a truck on the interstate __ Students go fishing and have a fish fry

29. Characteristics Which Help Survival • Adaptation: Characteristics that species develop over time which help them to survive in their environment. • Important adaptations: opposable thumb, prehensile tail, jointed appendages, four chambered heart… • Special types of adaptation: • Camouflage • Mimicry

30. Adaptations Opposable thumb: thumb that allows grasping and holding

31. Adaptations Prehensile tail: tail that can function as a fifth limb and allows animals to hang from branches

32. Adaptations Jointed appendages: • Arms and legs which can bend • Function in walking, feeding, fighting and mating. • First developed in arthropods.

33. Adaptations Four chambered heart: • Separates oxygenated and deoxygenated blood • Allows more oxygen to reach tissues.

34. Any body structure or color which allows an animal to blend with its environment. Camouflage helps animals hide from both predator and prey. A canyon frog camouflaged against a canyon wall Camouflage

35. A rock ptarmigan camouflaged against the landscape A desert horned lizard in a sandy riverbed. Camouflage

36. Walking stick Praying mantis

37. (R) Katydids; (below R) Geometrid moth; (below) Red Diamondback Rattlesnake

38. (R) Crab spider; (Below R) Pipefish in eelgrass; (Below) Ambush Bug

39. Camouflage Top left: Flatfish; Above left: Stone fish; Above right: Leafy Seadragon.

40. An animal mimics (copies) the appearance or behavior of a more dangerous or toxic species. Predators are fooled, and avoid both the venemous species and the mimic. A bluejay eats a monarch butterfly and then vomits. The monarch is toxic to the bluejay. The bluejay will avoid eating the monarch now. Mimicry

41. Monarch or Viceroy? In addition to avoiding the monarch, the blue jay will avoid eating the viceroy because it resembles the monarch. The jay can’t tell the difference.

42. Behaviors Which Help Survival Two kinds of behaviors: • Innate Behavior: instinctive behavior animals are born with • Learned Behavior: behaviors animals develop after birth through experience

43. Innate Behavior • Fight-or-flight: when confronted by danger, your heart speeds up, skin becomes sweaty and breath rate increases. • Territorial Behavior: Animals become aggressive defending their nest/territory. • Courtship/mating behavior: rituals in attracting a mate • Reflex: responses to environmental cues • Instinct: natural behaviors for particular situations (mothering, nursing)

44. Fight-or-Flight

45. Territorial Behavior • Dogs/wolves define their territory by marking trees in their area through urination • Three-spined stickleback fish present their red belly to other animals in their territory. The other males respond by attacking or leaving.

46. Courtship/mating • Male turkeys display a plume for the female to see • The male spider captures a bug and wraps it into a silk web to present to the female as a gift

47. Knee-jerk reflex Pulling your hand away from a hot object Gag reflex: gagging when something touches the back of the throat Frogs have insect detector cells in the retina of their eyes. When fly moves across their line of vision, their tongue jumps out and catches the insect. Reflex

48. Grey-lag goose: when egg falls from the nest, the mother will automatically roll it back into the nest. Rabbits pull hair to line the nest before having a litter of babies. Robins eat worms and then regurgitate into their offspring’s mouths to feed them. Instinct

49. Quiz Match: a) fight-or-flight b) Territorial behavior c) Courtship behavior d) Instinct e) Reflex __ A female rabbit tries to bite when people put their hand in the rabbit’s cage __ Cats arch their back and hiss when confronted by a dog __ Alligators dig a hole to lay their eggs in, and then cover up the eggs with sand __ Your eyes will blink when something moves quickly towards them __ Male frogs give a particular call when trying to find a mate __ Your arms will cover your face when something is thrown at your head __ Cats rub against objects and people to place their scent on things in their surroundings

50. Learned Behaviors • Habituation – getting used to a stimulus • Conditioned response: learning by association. • Imprinting: animals, at a certain critical time in their life, forms a social attachment with another object/animal • Learning by trial and error