In 1788 settlers brought 2 bulls and 5 cows to Australia

Problem:Each cow deposited 10-20

dung pats a day.

Finally in 1968 the National Science Committee brought in 2 species of

dung beetle from S. Africa

Today there are over 50 species of dung beetle in Australia. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-04/there-are-calls-

for-the-state-government-to-fund/3632110

• Overview: The Scope of Ecology• Ecology:– Is the scientific study of the interactions between

organisms and the environment

• These interactions– Determine both the distribution of organisms and

their abundance

**Events that occur in ecological time….Affect life on the scale of evolutionary time

Ecology is not Environmentalism

• Ecology seeks to generate knowledge about interactions within the natural world.

• Environmentalism uses the knowledge to inform and make personal and public decisions.

biosphere

ecosystem

community

population

Studying organisms in their environment

organism

What determines the distribution of organisms in our world?

Climate- a factor that determines if an organism can survive and reproduce.

• Sunlight intensity– Plays a major part in determining the Earth’s climate

patterns

Figure 50.10

Low angle of incoming sunlight

Sunlight directly overhead

Low angle of incoming sunlight

North Pole60N

30NTropic ofCancer

0 (equator)

30S

60S

Atmosphere

LALITUDINAL VARIATION IN SUNLIGHT INTENSITY

Tropic ofCapricorn

South pole

Descendingdry airabsorbsmoisture

Ascendingmoist airreleasesmoisture

Descendingdry airabsorbsmoisture

30 23.5 0 23.5 30Aridzone Tropics

Aridzone

60N

30N

0 (equator)

30S

60S

GLOBAL AIR CIRCULATION AND PRECIPITATION PATTERNS

• Air circulation and wind patterns– Play major parts in determining the Earth’s climate

patterns

Figure 50.10

• Environmental components–Affect the distribution and abundance of

organisms

Figure 50.2

Kangaroos/km2

> 2010–205–101–50.1–1< 0.1Limits ofdistribution

Climate in northern Australiais hot and wet, with seasonaldrought.

Red kangaroosoccur in mostsemiarid and aridregions of theinterior, whereprecipitation isrelatively low andvariable fromyear to year.

Southeastern Australiahas a wet, cool climate.

Southern Australia hascool, moist winters andwarm, dry summers.

Tasmania

Biome: The environment defined by its climatic and geographic attributes. Has similar organisms, similar dominant plants.

Climate largely determines the distribution and

structure of terrestrial biomes

Climate and Terrestrial Biomes

Figure 50.18

Desert Temperate grassland Tropical forest

Temperatebroadleafforest

Coniferousforest

Arctic andalpinetundra

Annual mean precipitation (cm)

Annu

al m

ean

tem

pera

ture

(ºC)

100 200 300 400

30

15

0

15

• The distribution of major terrestrial biomes

30N

Tropic ofCancer

Equator

Tropic ofCapricorn

30S

Key

Tropical forest

SavannaDesert

ChaparralTemperate grasslandTemperate broadleaf forestConiferous forest

TundraHigh mountainsPolar ice

Figure 50.19

Biomes

• You will fill out the Biome chart using your textbook.

• Select one Biome to create a travel brochure . This is the unit project, due at the end of Ecology.

• The best travel brochures get prizes.