EcologyEcology –– the study of how organisms the study of how organisms interact with their environmentinteract with their environment

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

OrganismOrganismPopulationPopulationCommunityCommunityEcosystemEcosystemBiomeBiomeBiosphereBiosphere

Biosphere – the portion of the earth Biosphere – the portion of the earth that supports lifethat supports life

Biotic – Living Biotic – Living

Abiotic – Non-living Abiotic – Non-living – TemperatureTemperature– Air or Water Air or Water

CurrentsCurrents– SunlightSunlight– SoilSoil– RainfallRainfall– Etc.Etc.

Ecosystem InteractionsEcosystem Interactions

Habitat – where an Habitat – where an organism livesorganism livesNiche – the role or Niche – the role or position an organism position an organism has in its habitathas in its habitat– (may be described in (may be described in

terms of requirements terms of requirements for living space, for living space, temperature, temperature, moisture, mating moisture, mating conditions, etc.)conditions, etc.)

Community InteractionsCommunity Interactions

Competition – occurs Competition – occurs when one or more when one or more organism uses a organism uses a resource at the same resource at the same timetimePredation – One Predation – One organism consuming organism consuming another organism for another organism for foodfood

Symbiotic RelationshipsSymbiotic Relationships

SymbiosisSymbiosis – the close relationship that – the close relationship that exists when two or more species live exists when two or more species live togethertogether– Mutualism: both benefit Mutualism: both benefit – Commensalism: one benefits, the other is Commensalism: one benefits, the other is

neither benefits nor is harmed neither benefits nor is harmed O O – Parasitism: one benefits, the other is harmed Parasitism: one benefits, the other is harmed

MutualismMutualism

CommensalismCommensalism

ParasitismParasitism

Flow of EnergyFlow of EnergyTrophic Levels – Each Trophic Levels – Each step in a food chainstep in a food chainAutotrophs make up first Autotrophs make up first levellevelHeterotrophs make up Heterotrophs make up remaining levelsremaining levelsDecomposers break Decomposers break down dead organisms, down dead organisms, Detritivores eat fragments Detritivores eat fragments of dead matter (Both of dead matter (Both return nutrients to soil)return nutrients to soil)

Food Webs (more realistic than Food Webs (more realistic than food chains)food chains)

Ecological PyramidsEcological Pyramids

Diagrams that show relative amounts of Diagrams that show relative amounts of energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms on each levelon each level– Pyramid of EnergyPyramid of Energy– Pyramid of BiomassPyramid of Biomass– Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers

Pyramid of EnergyPyramid of Energy

Pyramid of BiomassPyramid of Biomass

Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers

Cycling of Matter Cycling of Matter

Biogeochemical CyclesBiogeochemical Cycles – Exchange of – Exchange of matter through the biosphere involving matter through the biosphere involving living organisms, chemical processes, and living organisms, chemical processes, and geological processesgeological processes

Hydrologic (Water) CycleHydrologic (Water) Cycle

Carbon CycleCarbon Cycle

Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle

Phosphorous CyclePhosphorous Cycle

Ecological SuccessionEcological Succession

The change in an ecosystem that happens The change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic a result of changing abiotic and biotic factorsfactorsTwo typesTwo types– Primary successionPrimary succession– Secondary successionSecondary succession

Primary SuccessionPrimary Succession

Occurs in lifeless area Occurs in lifeless area where there were where there were originally no originally no organisms and soil organisms and soil has not yet formed has not yet formed Ex: Volcanic Island Ex: Volcanic Island arising from sea or arising from sea or retreating glacierretreating glacier

Secondary SuccessionSecondary Succession

Occurs where an Occurs where an existing community existing community has been cleared by has been cleared by some disturbance that some disturbance that leaves the soil intactleaves the soil intactEx: Growth after fires, Ex: Growth after fires, hurricanes, etc.hurricanes, etc.

SuccessionSuccession

Animation

BiomesBiomes

A large group of ecosystems that share A large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of the same climate and have similar types of communitiescommunities– Terrestrial (land)Terrestrial (land)– AquaticAquatic

Major Terrestrial BiomesMajor Terrestrial Biomes

TundraTundra

Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)

Temperate (Deciduous) Forest Temperate (Deciduous) Forest (Georgia’s Biome!)(Georgia’s Biome!)

Temperate GrasslandTemperate Grassland

DesertDesert

SavannaSavanna

ChaparralChaparral

Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest

Aquatic EcosystemsAquatic EcosystemsFreshwaterFreshwater– Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams– Lakes and PondsLakes and PondsTransitional Transitional – WetlandsWetlands– EstuariesEstuariesMarineMarine– IntertidalIntertidal– Open OceanOpen Ocean– Coral Reefs and Coastal OceanCoral Reefs and Coastal Ocean

Lake ZonesLake Zones

Lake TypesLake Types

Oligotrophic – deep Oligotrophic – deep and nutrient poorand nutrient poor

Eutrophic – shallow Eutrophic – shallow and nutrient richand nutrient rich

Wetlands and EstuariesWetlands and Estuaries

Ocean ZonesOcean Zones

Intertidal, Coral Reef, and Deep Intertidal, Coral Reef, and Deep Sea VentSea Vent

Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics

DensityDensitySpatial DistributionSpatial DistributionPopulation RangesPopulation Ranges

Dispersal PatternsDispersal Patterns

Limiting FactorsLimiting Factors

Density-Independent Factors – any factor Density-Independent Factors – any factor in the environment that does not depend in the environment that does not depend on the number of members per unit area on the number of members per unit area (ex: weather events)(ex: weather events)

Density-Dependent Factors – depend on Density-Dependent Factors – depend on the number of members per unit area the number of members per unit area (ex: disease, competition, parasites)(ex: disease, competition, parasites)

Population Growth RatesPopulation Growth Rates

Exponential Growth ModelExponential Growth Model

J-shaped CurveJ-shaped CurveNo limitsNo limits

Logistic Growth ModelLogistic Growth Model

S-Shaped curveS-Shaped curveStops growing when it Stops growing when it reaches the carrying reaches the carrying capacity (maximum capacity (maximum number of individuals number of individuals in a species that an in a species that an environment can environment can support for the long support for the long term)term)

Predator/PreyPredator/Prey(Boom and Bust Cycles)(Boom and Bust Cycles)

Survivorship CurvesSurvivorship Curves

Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth

Age StructuresAge Structures

Biodiversity – variety of life in an Biodiversity – variety of life in an areaarea

Importance of BiodiversityImportance of Biodiversity

Direct EconomicDirect EconomicIndirect EconomicIndirect EconomicAesthetic and Aesthetic and scientific valuescientific value

Threats to BiodiversityThreats to BiodiversityHabitat LossHabitat LossOverexploitationOverexploitationFragmentation of Fragmentation of HabitatHabitatPollutionPollution– Biological Biological

MagnificationMagnification– Acid PrecipitationAcid Precipitation– EutrophicationEutrophication– Introduced SpeciesIntroduced Species

Conserving BiodiversityConserving Biodiversity

Natural ResourcesNatural ResourcesRenewable Renewable ResourcesResourcesSustainable UseSustainable UseProtected AreasProtected AreasBiodiversity Hot SpotsBiodiversity Hot SpotsCorridors between Corridors between Habitat FragmentsHabitat Fragments

BioremediationBioremediationBiological Biological AugmentationAugmentationLegally protecting Legally protecting biodiversitybiodiversityETC…!!!ETC…!!!

MonitoringMonitoring

RestorationRestoration

CorridorsCorridors

What is YOUR Ecological What is YOUR Ecological Footprint?Footprint?

What will YOU do?What will YOU do?

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators

I am the Lorax.I speak for the trees.I speak for the trees, for the trees have no

tongues.