Introduction To Ecology

Front 1

Ecology

Back 1

The study of how organisms interact with their environment

Front 2

Main goals of ecology

Back 2

-understand distribution and abundance of organisms
-identify factors that dictate why certain species live where they do
-how many individuals can live there

Front 3

Environmentalism

Back 3

-Believe that human actions are leading to degradation of planet
-Object on aesthetic, moral & pragmatic grounds
-Often use ecological information for guidance on important environmental issues

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Rachel Carson

Back 4

-Wrote "Silent Spring"
-DDT killing birds
- near extinction of bald eagles
Human’s damaging effect on the environment

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Variation in abundance

Back 5

-The farther a species is from its habitat, the harder it is for it to survive
-So farther away, they become extinct
-Ex: cardinals are common in St. Louis but rare in Minnesota

Front 6

Distribution pattern

Back 6

-the manner in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged
-Ex: Flycatchers live where there is more precipitation

Front 7

Levels of Ecological inquiry

Back 7

1. Organismal Ecology
2. Population Ecology
3. Community Ecology
4. Ecosystem Ecology

Front 8

Ecology

Back 8

The study of how organisms interact with their environment

Front 9

Main goals of ecology

Back 9

-understand distribution and abundance of organisms
-identify factors that dictate why certain species live where they do
-how many individuals can live there

Front 10

Environmentalism

Back 10

-Believe that human actions are leading to degradation of planet
-Object on aesthetic, moral & pragmatic grounds
-Often use ecological information for guidance on important environmental issues

Front 11

Rachel Carson

Back 11

-Wrote "Silent Spring"
-DDT killing birds
- near extinction of bald eagles
Human’s damaging effect on the environment

Front 12

Variation in abundance

Back 12

-The farther a species is from its habitat, the harder it is for it to survive
-So farther away, they become extinct
-Ex: cardinals are common in St. Louis but rare in Minnesota

Front 13

Distribution pattern

Back 13

-the manner in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged
-Ex: Flycatchers live where there is more precipitation

Front 14

Levels of Ecological inquiry

Back 14

1. Organismal Ecology 2. Population Ecology 3. Community Ecology 4. Ecosystem Ecology 5. Conservation Ecology

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fitness

Back 15

ability o survive and reproduce

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Organismal Ecology

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-morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that allow individuals to live successfully in a particular area
-study of behavior focuses on how organisms respond to particular stimuli from their environment
-Ex: How do individuals interact with each other and their physical environment?
-Salmon migrate from saltwater to freshwater environments to breed

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Population Ecology

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-focus on how the numbers of individuals in a population change over time
-Ex: How and why does population size change over time?
-Each female salmon produces thousands of eggs but only a few will survive to adulthood

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Community Ecology

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-a biological community has species that interact with each other within a particular area
-predation, parasitism, and competition
-disturbances: fires, floods, and volcanoes
-Ex: How do species interact, and what are the consequences?
-Salmon are prey as well as predators

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Ecosystem Ecology

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-study how nutrients and energy move among organisms and between organisms and the surrounding atmosphere and soil or water
-Ex: How do energy and nutrients cycle through the environment?
-Salmon die and then decompose, releasing nutrients that are used by bacteria, archaea, plants, protists, young salmon, and other organisms

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Conservation Ecology

Back 20

-the effort to study, preserve, and restore threatened populations, communities, and ecosystems
-how interactions between organisms and their environments result in a particular species being found in a particular area at a particular population size; apply theses data to preserve species and restore environments
- Why are the populations of many species declining?
- What can be done to minimize the extinction of species?

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Population

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- a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area at the same time

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Ecosystem

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- all the organisms in a particular region along with nonliving components

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Abiotic

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- physical, not-living components include air, water, and soil

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Biotic

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-living (species interactions)

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Fundamental niche

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– abiotic range of conditions favorable to a species

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Realized niche

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– Fundamental niche modified by biotic interactions (competition and predation)

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Abiotic and Biotic factors affect species persistence

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-Temperature and Precipitation are two main abiotic factors that affect terrestrial species’ distribution and abundance
-Species differ in their adaptations (tolerance) to heat/cold and wet/dry conditions

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Biome

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-an ecosystem characterized by unique types of vegetation
-Variation in climate on the earth create different combinations of temperature and precipitation that produce different types of Biomes.

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Types of Terrestrial Ecosystems

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-The nature of the biome that develops in a particular region is governed by the average annual temperature and precipitation, and the annual variation in temperature and precipitation.
-Each biome contains species that are adapted to a particular temperature and moisture regime.
-On land, photosynthesis and plant growth are maximized when temperatures are warm and conditions are wet; conversely, photosynthesis cannot occur efficiently at low temperatures or under drought stress.

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Net Primary productivity (NPP)

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-the total amount of carbon that is fixed per year minus the amount of fixed carbon oxidized during cellular respiration.
-NPP represents the organic matter that is available as food for other organisms.

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above ground biomass

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-NPP is often estimated by measuring aboveground biomass, the total mass of living plants, excluding roots.

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Physical Factors Play a Key Role 
in Aquatic Environments

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-Water depth and the rate of water movement are the key physical factors that shape the environments in aquatic ecosystems.
-Water depth dictates how much light reaches the organisms that live in a particular region. The amount and types of wavelengths available to organisms change dramatically as water depth increases.
-Light has a major influence on productivity—the total amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis per unit area per year.
-The type and amount of water flow also have a major influence in aquatic environments.

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Freshwater Environments: Wetlands

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- Wetlands are shallow-water habitats where the soil is saturated with water for at least part of the year.
-Wetland types are distinguished by water flow and vegetation. Water flow in bogs is low or non-existent. Freshwater marshes and swamps are characterized by a slow but steady flow of water.
-Wetlands have emergent vegetation —plants that grow above the surface of the water. Bogs are not productive, unlike marshes and swamps; marshes lack trees and typically feature grasses, while swamps are dominated by trees and shrubs.

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Freshwater Environments: Streams

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-Streams are bodies of water that move constantly in one direction. Creeks are small streams, rivers are large.
-Most streams are shallow enough that sunlight reaches the bottom.
-The structure of a typical stream varies along its length. Where it originates, it tends to be cold, narrow, and fast; at the end, it tends to be warmer, wider, and slower.
-As a result, streams tend to have fewer types of organisms near their source (mostly animals) and more varied types near their end (algae, plants, and animals).

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Freshwater/Marine Environments: Estuaries

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-An estuary forms where a river meets the ocean and freshwater mixes with salt water.
-Most estuaries are relatively shallow, but water depth may vary dramatically.
-Water flow fluctuates daily and seasonally due to tides, storms, and floods. This fluctuation alters salinity.
-Species that live in estuaries have adaptations that allow them to cope with variations in salinity. Estuaries are among the most productive environments.

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Marine Environments: The Oceans

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-The world’s oceans form a continuous body of salt water. Regions within an ocean can vary markedly in their physical characteristics, however.
-In terms of water depth, the ocean has six regions:
(1) The Intertidal zone consists of a beach that is exposed to the air at low tide but submerged at high tide.
(2) The neritic zone extends from the intertidal zone to depths of about 200 m. Its outermost edge is defined by the end of the continental shelf —the gently sloping, submerged portion of a continental plate.(3) The oceanic zone is the open ocean―the deepwater region beyond the continental shelf.
(4) The bottom of the ocean is the benthic zone.
(5) The intertidal and sunlit regions of the neritic, oceanic, and benthic zones make up a photic zone.
(6)Areas that do not receive sunlight are in an aphotic zone

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The Role of Climate and the Consequences of Climate Change

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-Each type of aquatic environment and terrestrial biome hosts species that are adapted to the abiotic conditions present at the location. -Climate change is having a profound impact on these abiotic factors.