Ecology

1. Ecology

2. Day 1

3. What is ecology? • The study of the interactions between organisms and the living and non-living parts of their environment

4. The sum of all the organisms living within its boundaries(biotic factors) and all the abiotic factors with which they interact. Involves two unique processes: energy flow and chemical cycling Ecosystems

5. Interdependence • The survival of all organisms depends on their interactions with living and non-living components • Example – we depend on plants for O2 and plants depend on us for CO2

6. Levels of Organization • Think back to the levels or organization • Try now… what are the levels of organization (of life) going from smallest to largest? • Hint: it starts with atom..

8. Ecological Organization • Define each level of ecological organization by looking at the picture and listening to your teacher • Individual organism • Population • Community • Ecosystem • Biosphere

9. Biotic Factors Living things that affect the environment, such as plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, etc.

10. Abiotic Factors • Nonliving things that affect the environment, such as water, wind, sunlight, soil, salinity, climate (temperature/rainfall

11. Ecosystem Components • Biotic Factors – living parts of the environment • Plants • Animals • Bacteria • Protists • Fungi • Abiotic Factors – non-living parts of the environment • Sunlight • Soil • Water • Nutrients • Climate (rainfall and temperature)

12. Pick out the biotic and abiotic factors in this picture

13. Niche vs. Habitat • Niche – an organisms specific role in it’s habitat • Habitat – the place where an organism lives

14. Warbler niches

15. Generalist vs. Specialist • Generalist – species with very broad niches (can exist in many conditions) • Think of examples of generalists • Specialist – species with very narrow niches (can exist only in certain conditions) • Think of examples of specialists

16. STOP POWERPOINT – WATCH PLANET EARTH!!

17. Day 2: Community

18. What is a community? • All the populations in a given area interacting with each other and their surrounding environment.

19. Energy Transfer • Producers – called AUTOTROPHS – make their own food • Plants • Some protists • Some bacteria • Consumers – called HETEROTROPHS – must obtain food • Animals • Most protists • Fungi • Many bacteria

20. Types of Consumers • Herbivore – eat producers • Carnivore – eat other consumers • Omnivore – eat both producers and consumers • Detrivore (scavengers) – eat “garbage” or detritus of ecosystem • Decomposer – break down dead organisms into small molecules that can be used by autotrophs again

21. Your turn • Think of an example for each… • Herbivore • Carnivore • Omnivore • Detrivore • Detritus • Decomposer

22. Species interactions • The way species interact with each other is categorized by whether they cause each other benefit or harm

23. Interspecific Interactions: may be positive (+) for one species, negative (-), or neutral (0): competition between two different species • Intraspecific Interations: competition within same species • Interactions between species: • Competition • Symbiosis • Predation

24. Predation • Predator – organism that kills/eat another organism • Prey – organism that is killed/eaten

25. Competition • Competition - two or more species use/need the same limited resource

26. Competition • Food, space, mates From http://www.milosphotos.com/wildlife1/dallrams.jpg

27. Symbiotic relationships • Parasitism – one organism benefits, the other is harmed • Mutualism – both organisms benefit • Commensalism – one organism benefits the other is neither helped nor harmed Two organisms living together in a relationship

28. Symbiosis • Symbiosis is a close, long-term relationship between two species of organisms • Parasitism/Predation – one organism benefits, the other is harmed • Mutualism – both organisms benefit • Commensalism – one organism benefits the other is neither helped nor harmed

29. Predation/parasitism-“Good for me - Hurts you” • One organism feeds (predator) on another (prey)for food • One is benefited, one is harmed (+/-) • Defense for predators include: From http://www.funkstownvet.com/HEARTWORM.jpg

30. Commensalism -“Good for me -Doesn’t bother you” • Two organisms live together, and one is helped while the other is not affected (+/0) • Ex. hermit crabs From http://www.ukdivers.net/life/uk/hermit.jpg

31. Mutualism - “Good for me - Good for you” • Two organisms benefit from living together (+/+) • Ex.: ladybugs eat aphids on rosebushes, ants make “sap”, aphids eat “sap” From http://www.broward.org/naturescape/images/lady-bug-eating-aphids.gif

32. Herbivory • Type of predation done by herbivores • Herbivores preying on plants (+/-) From http://oneidaswcd.org/grazing%20cow%203.jpg

33. Parasitism, Mutualism, or Commensalism???

34. Parasitism, Mutualism, or Commensalism???

35. Parasitism, Mutualism, or Commensalism???

36. Ways to avoid predation Animals have adaptations to avoid being eaten.

37. Secondary Compounds in Plants • Plants can’t run away, so they produce toxins to deter herbivores • Ex. aspirin, clove oil From http://www.worldfood.com/images/spices/cloves.jpg

38. Mimicry Some organisms mimic others in order to protect themselves

39. Batesian Mimicry • A harmless or palatable species mimics one that is neither harmless nor palatable • Example: When disturbed, the hawkmoth larva looks like a snake.

40. Mullerian Mimicry • Two unpalatable species mimic each other Viceroy butterflies taste foul to birds and will make birds regurgitate them when eaten. Monarch butterflies taste bad too so birds try to avoid them as well.

41. Example: Honey Bee and Yellowjacket Both species share similar coloring and have poisonous venom From http://www.forestry.caf.wvu.edu/buttonsGood/pics/honeyBee.gif From http://www.eatonvillenews.net/images/Bob/TONY%20YELLOW%20JACKET%201%20SEPT.%2025,%2005%20135F1366b.jpg

42. Stop! Do notecardsonrelationships

43. Day 3

44. Energy flow • When one organism eats another molecules are metabolized and energy is transferred. • As a result energy flows through an ecosystem • Notice that energy is lost as it is transferred up levels… WHY??

45. Producers • Every organism at this level is an autotroph (self-feeders) doing photosynthesis. • All plants, photosynthetic protists and blue-green bacteria are producers.

46. Consumers/Heterotrophs: Organisms that cannot make their own food. First-level consumers are HERBIVOROUS, meaning they eat only plants. Secondary consumers- eat primary consumers.

47. Tertiary consumers Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers These are fewer in number in an ecosystem Many are omnivores

48. Detritivores or Decomposers • Detrivore (scavengers) – eat “garbage” or detritus of ecosystem • Decomposer – break down dead organisms into small molecules that can be used by autotrophs again Consumers that get their energy from detritus, which is nonliving organic material : remains of dead organisms, feces, dead leaves, and wood

49. MATTER- recycles and is reused over and over ENERGY- moves one direction and is used up~ it escapes as HEAT http://mff.dsisd.net/Environment/Cycles.htm http://www.nelsonlakesshuttles.co.nz/One%20Way%20Arrow.jpg

50. Food chains Remember these? Food chains show a single pathway for feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem