The document discusses key concepts in ecology including: 1. Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their physical environment. 2. Organisms are organized into different levels including organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere. 3. Key ecological principles include the range of tolerance, habitat and niche, competitive exclusion, carrying capacity, population growth, and biological succession.

1. interactions of organisms with one another (biological environment) Includes the study of the ecosystem structure and function Patterns and causes of abundance and distribution of organisms in nature Ecology: Study of relationships between organisms and their physical environment, including:

2. Interactions

3. Interactions

4. Vegetation protects the soil from washing away with the rains. Interactions

5. Patterns & abundance

6. Pure stands of creosote Patterns & abundance

7. Ecologist vs. Environmentalist Is an ecologist an environmentalist? No, not necessarily An ecologist is a person (scientist, farmer, rancher) who studies how ecosystems work and the relationship between organisms and their environment An environmentalist is an individual interested in the environment (and may or may not be a scientist) Ecology is now considered a scientific discipline

8. History of Ecology Roots of ecology go back to prehistory times when people’s health & survival depended on the ability to understand the ecology of plants and animals with great accuracy

9. History of Ecology Ecology as a Western science Began with Greeks in 4 th & 5 th centuries B.C.E. Continued as modern science in 18 th & 19 th centuries as natural history (describing & cataloging organisms) In 1866 a German biologist coined the term “oecologist” formed from Greek words: Eco=“oikos”=house, environment Logy-”logos”=study of The Ecological Society of America formed in the early 20 th century

10. Ecology is an interdisciplinary science Ecology is considered a branch of biology but is in reality an interdisciplinary science which includes some of the following sciences Geology, geography, climatology, soil science, evolutionary biology, systematics, behavior, systematics, statistics, molecular biology & biochemistry Ecology is a “synthetic” science which looks at the whole rather than “reductionist” which looks at the parts

11. Levels of organization in the living world: large scale to small scale

12. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism The sum total of living things on Earth and the areas they inhabit A functional system consisting of a community, its nonliving environment, and the interactions between them A set of populations of different species living together in a particular area A group of individuals of the same species that live in a particular area at the same time An individual living thing

13. Levels of Organization Organism An individual living thing

14. Levels of Organization 2. Population A group of individuals of the same species that live in a particular area at the same time

15. Levels of Organization 3. Community A set of populations of different species living together in a particular area

16. Levels of Organization 4. Ecosystem A functional system consisting of a community (many populations), its nonliving environment, and the interactions between them

17. Principles of Ecology Range of tolerance Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity Population growth Biological succession

18. Principles of Ecology Range of tolerance The range of variability in a particular physical factor that an organism can withstand Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity Population growth Biological succession

19. Range of Tolerance Where?? Where?? Where?? Where?? Where??

20. Range of Tolerance Limiting Factors All it takes is one single factor to be outside of the range of tolerance to limit population growth This factor is called the limiting factor Ecology I: Species, Populations, Communities and Ecosystems

21. Range of tolerance Limiting factor for Ha:sañ Too cold (freezing temperatures) N & E Too dry W & SW Competition with other plants to the S JUST RIGHT in orange outline

22. Principles of Ecology Law of tolerance Habitat & niche Habitat is where an organism lives Adequate food, water, shelter etc. for survival Niche is what role an organism plays within an ecosystem Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity Population growth Biological succession

23. Niche Specialists versus Generalists Plants and animals with narrow tolerance ranges and/or specific dietary constraints, etc. = Specialists Plants and animals with wide variety of habitats, foods, etc = Generalists Ecology I: Species, Populations, Communities and Ecosystems

24. Ecological niche Specialist vs. Generalist http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desbiome/coyote.htm Coyote Mexican Grey Wolf

25. Which is more prone to extinction? The wolf – a specialist (carnivore)? The coyote – a generalist (omnivore)? Mexican Grey Wolf Answer: Wolf

26. Habitat & Niche http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/c/cagi7-wpnurse-tree14456.htm

27. Ecology I: Species, Populations, Communities and Ecosystems

28. Principles of Ecology Law of tolerance Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle If two different populations of organisms occupy the same habitat and niche, they cannot coexist indefinitely Carrying capacity Population growth Biological succession

29. Competitive exclusion principle http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html

30. Competitive exclusion principle OR . . . . http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html

31. Competitive exclusion principle http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html

32. Share some of the same habitat and niche – organisms & populations can coexist http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html http://www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-lizards.html

33. Principles of Ecology Law of tolerance Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity The ability of a habitat to sustain a population of organisms indefinitely Population growth Biological succession

34. Carrying Capacity http://www.biologycorner.com/bio2/notes_chap16.html

35. What is the carrying capacity of Earth? Paul Ehrlich’s “The Population Bomb” How many humans can live on Earth? http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/humanpopgrowth.gif

36. Principles of Ecology Law of tolerance Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity Population growth How fast a population of organisms grows in relation to the resources available to sustain that population Biological succession

37. Population terms Size # of individuals in a population Density # of individuals per given area Distribution Uniform, clumped, or random

38. Population terms Size # of individuals in a population Large population Small population

39. Population terms Density # of individuals per given area Dense population Sparse population

40. Population terms Distribution Uniform, clumped, or random Clumped Uniform Random

41. Changes in population Linear Changes each year by a fixed amount 0 100 1 year 10 years

42. Changes in population Exponential Population increases by a percentage each year

43. Changes in population Logistic Population increases quickly, then slows down Carrying capacity curve

44. Principles of Ecology Law of tolerance Habitat & niche Competitive exclusion principle Carrying capacity Population growth Biological succession When one community of organisms is replaced by a different community of organisms in a relatively predictable way

45. Biological succession

46. What will grow first on the cooled lava flow (black rocks)? Biological succession http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rangitotolavapath.jpg

47. What will grow first on this logged forest?

48. Interrelationships Mutualism : both gain Predation : predator gains, prey loses Parasitism : parasite gains, host loses Competition : both lose Commensalism : one species benefits; the other is unaffected Biological environment & ecology = interrelationships

49. Different ways to get along, or not get along Predation + - Competition - - Parasitism + - Commensalism + o Mutualism + + + = benefit = harmed 0 = unaffected

50. Mutualism Which Type? Both gain

51. Competition Which Type? Both the bobcat and coyote lose

52. Parasitism Which Type? The parasite gains, the host loses

53. Predation Which Type? Predator gains, Prey loses

54. Commensalism Which Type? Snake gains home, rodent unaffected (hole abandoned long ago)

55. Mutualism Which Type? Both gain

56. Competition Which Type? Both lose available soil moisture

57. Levels of organization in the living world Ecosystems : Ecosystems are the starting point to understand many ecological relationships.

58. Levels of organization in the living world Ecosystems : Includes physical factors such as climate, water, minerals and sunlight as well as biotic factors such as organisms Ecosystems are the fundamental operational unit of ecology

59. Structure of ecosystems Energy source Physical environment Producers Consumers Decomposers

60. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Mostly sunlight Geothermal http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/image_galleries/january06_gallery.shtml?18

61. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Physical environment Air, water, soil, climate etc.

62. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Physical environment Producers Make their own food Photosynthetic plants, algae & bacteria

63. PHOTOSYNTHESIS Photo + Synthesis (Light) (to make) To make carbohydrates using CO 2 & H 2 O and light .

64. http://grapevine.net.au/~grunwald/une/KLAs/science/photosynthesis.html

65. Photosynthesis is . . . . . . The beginning of energy flow through the environment. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/SEA/Tim/017energyflowinecosystem.jpg

66. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Physical environment Producers Consumers Eat other living things

67. Consumers Herbivores (vegetarian) Eats plants almost exclusively Cow Seed-eating bird Grasshopper Any others???

68. Consumers Carnivores Eats meat (can include insects) almost exclusively Mountain lion Lizard Hawk Any others??? http://www.sangabrielvalleymenus.com/tacoking/tacokingcitrus.htm Carne vore Asada

69. Eats plants and animals Bears Pigs Roadrunners Racoons Any others??? Consumers Omnivores http://www.custommadebears.com/blog/

70. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Physical environment Producers Consumers Decomposers Eat waste material and things that have died

71. Decomposers (Sometimes called detritus feeders, scavengers, or parasites) Any organism that gets its energy and nutrients from Animal wastes Dead bodies of plants and animals Includes: Bacteria, fungi, termites, maggots, some fish (catfish), vultures Any others???

72. Ecosystem Structure Energy source Usually sunlight Physical environment Air, water, soil, climate etc. Producers Make their own food Photosynthetic plants, algae & bacteria Consumers Eat other living things Decomposers Eat waste material and things that have died

73. All ecosystem interactions depend on Flow of energy Cycling of matter What does this mean? Ecosystem functions

74. 1. Flow of energy producers decomposers consumers heat Light

75. 2. Matter cycling Biosphere Heat Carbon Nitrogen Sulfer Phosphorous Oxygen Water Insert thermodynamics slides here Sun

76. Matter cycling in ecosystems Also called . . . . .? ? ? ? ?

77. Bio geo chemical cycles Elemental cycles 4 major elements in living things Carbon, Oxygen. Hydrogen, Nitrogen These 4 elements make up over 96% of most organism’s mass (our bodies are ≈ 60 – 65% H 2 O) Hydrologic cycle How water moves through the earth & atmosphere Biosphere Carbon Nitrogen Sulfer Phosphorous Oxygen Water

78. (Hydrologic)

79. Hydrologic Cycle Water storage Moving water on, in, and above the Earth Never ending cycle of water between the Earth & the atmosphere ABOVE ON IN

80. Hydrologic Cycle Powered By: Solar Energy Gravity &

81. E vapor ation gravity or solar energy? Precipitation gravity or solar energy?

82. Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail fog fog fog fog fog fog fog fog fog fog fog fog

83. Precipitation - Any form of water that falls from the atmosphere. Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail Hail fog fog fog fog fog fog

84. Water appears in all 3 of its phases at different times during the hydrologic cycle Solid Ice, hail, snow, frost, glaciers, ice caps Liquid Rain, mist, dew, clouds Gas Water vapor

85. Once on Earth, water does one of three things Stays on the surface & mixes with surface water (including ice & snow) Infiltrates into the ground Moves back into the atmosphere

86. Components of the Water Cycle – Water features in the landscape Oceans Lakes Rivers Glaciers Groundwater etc. Processes of the Water Cycle – Water motion or movement Water Flow Evaporation Precipitation etc.

87. Distribution of Earth’s water http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html

88. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html

89. Groundwater vs. Surface water Groundwater Any water that is found beneath the Earth’s surface. Surface water Any water that is found on the Earth’s surface Lakes Rivers Ocean Snow Glaciers Groundwater storage in the US far exceeds all surface water storage in streams, rivers, reservoirs, lakes etc.

90. Petersen, J. “Seminar on Water”. Sells, AZ. 9/14/04 Reservoir Volume (cubic km x 1,000,000) Percent of Total Oceans 1370 97.25 Ice Caps and Glaciers 29 2.05 Groundwater 9.5 0.68 Lakes 0.125 0.01 Soil Moisture 0.065 0.005 Atmosphere 0.013 0.001 Streams and Rivers 0.0017 0.0001 Biosphere 0.0006 0.00004

91. Water Storage In the Earth On the Earth Above the Earth Petersen, J. “Seminar on Water”. Sells, AZ. 9/14/04 Oceans 37,000 years Charco several months to years Atmosphere 9 – 12 days Reservoir Average Residence Time Glaciers 40 years Seasonal Snow Cover 0.4 years Soil Moisture 0.2 years Groundwater: Shallow 200 years Groundwater: Deep 10,000 + years Lakes 100 years Rivers 0.04 years

92. Atmospheric moisture http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/gifs/VAPORC.GIF http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/products/wximagery/globalwv.html global moisture movie

93. Glacier http://www.jimwegryn.com/Photos/Photos.htm

94. water storage in ice & snow during ice age http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthglacier.html

95. Current water storage in ice & snow Reproduced from National Geographic WORLD (February 1977, no. 18, p. 6) with permission http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthglacier.html

96. Have you paid your ecosystem today? Ecosystem services Filtrates & assimilates pollutants to help clean air and water Modulates climate Helps control erosion Breaks down and assimilates waste helps fix Nitrogen forms topsoil aerates soil water infiltration etc. Provides habitat (food, water, shelter) for plants & animals