introduction to ecology marc daniels biology. what is ecology? ecology is the study of how organisms...

Introduction to EcologyIntroduction to Ecology

Marc DanielsMarc Daniels

BiologyBiology

What Is Ecology?What Is Ecology?

• EcologyEcology is the study of how organisms is the study of how organisms interact with the environmentinteract with the environment

• The environment consists of abiotic and biotic The environment consists of abiotic and biotic factorsfactors

• Biotic factorsBiotic factors are living factors (other are living factors (other organisms)organisms)

• Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors are physical, non-living factors are physical, non-living factors

• Historical FactorsHistorical Factors help us determine help us determine movement of individualsmovement of individuals

• There are 4 different types of ecologyThere are 4 different types of ecology

Why Do We Study Why Do We Study Ecology?Ecology?

• Ecology helps us understand the Ecology helps us understand the abundance and distribution of abundance and distribution of organisms.organisms.

• It provides a scientific foundation for It provides a scientific foundation for the conservation of species and the conservation of species and natural areas.natural areas.

Types of EcologyTypes of Ecology

• Organismal EcologyOrganismal Ecology– Explores the morphological, Explores the morphological,

physiological, and behavioral physiological, and behavioral adaptations that allow for individuals to adaptations that allow for individuals to live successfully in an area.live successfully in an area.

– Focuses on how organisms interact with Focuses on how organisms interact with one another and their physical one another and their physical environmentenvironment


• Population EcologyPopulation Ecology– A A populationpopulation is a group of individuals of is a group of individuals of

the same species that live in the same the same species that live in the same area at the same timearea at the same time

– Focuses on how the number of Focuses on how the number of individuals change over time, which individuals change over time, which includes analyzing and predicting includes analyzing and predicting population trends.population trends.


• Community EcologyCommunity Ecology– A A CommunityCommunity is a group of species that is a group of species that

interact with one another in a particular interact with one another in a particular area (includes more that one specie)area (includes more that one specie)

– Focuses on interactions between species Focuses on interactions between species such as predation, parasitism, such as predation, parasitism, competition, as well as how organisms competition, as well as how organisms respond to disturbances (fires, floods, respond to disturbances (fires, floods, man made creations, etc.)man made creations, etc.)


• Ecosystem EcologyEcosystem Ecology– An An EcosystemEcosystem consists of all the consists of all the

organisms in a particular region along organisms in a particular region along with non-living components. (biotic and with non-living components. (biotic and abiotic factors)abiotic factors)

– Focuses on how nutrients and energy Focuses on how nutrients and energy move between organisms, as well as move between organisms, as well as how abiotic factors such as climate, how abiotic factors such as climate, pollution, etc. affect organisms.pollution, etc. affect organisms.

Factors That Shape Factors That Shape ClimateClimate

• Factors that shape temperature, Factors that shape temperature, moisture, sunlight, and windmoisture, sunlight, and wind– Varies due to varying amounts of Varies due to varying amounts of

sunlight that hit our earthsunlight that hit our earth•More sunlight near the equator, with More sunlight near the equator, with

sunlight lessening at altitudes north and sunlight lessening at altitudes north and south of the equatorsouth of the equator

•Seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth Seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth (23.5 degrees)(23.5 degrees)

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/784/563581.JPG

Factors That Shape Factors That Shape ClimateClimate

• Air circulation due to heated Air circulation due to heated

• and cooling air creates and cooling air creates

• Hadley CellsHadley Cells

• Warmer air holds more water, Warmer air holds more water,

• but areas in between fallingbut areas in between falling

• hot air tend to be dry areas hot air tend to be dry areas

• (30 degrees north and south)(30 degrees north and south)

http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/images/hadleycell.gif

http://whyfiles.org/174earth_observe/images/hadley.jpg

http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/images/hadleycell.gif

Terrestrial and Aquatic Terrestrial and Aquatic EcosystemsEcosystems

• BiomeBiome- a type of terrestrial ecosystem - a type of terrestrial ecosystem that is unique to a given region.that is unique to a given region.

• Often characterized by the types of Often characterized by the types of plants that are within the area. plants that are within the area.

• Categorized by precipitation, Categorized by precipitation, temperature, as well as the variation of temperature, as well as the variation of the two.the two.

http://ridge.icu.ac.jp/gen-ed/biogeog-jpgs/biomes.jpg

Different Types of Different Types of BiomesBiomes

• Tropical Wet Forests/Rain ForestsTropical Wet Forests/Rain Forests– Near equatorial regionsNear equatorial regions– Precipitation and temperatures are highPrecipitation and temperatures are high– Variation in temperature is low, rain Variation in temperature is low, rain

supports all year long growthsupports all year long growth– Plants are typically broad leaved Plants are typically broad leaved

evergreensevergreens– Very diverse plants and animals- wide Very diverse plants and animals- wide

array of habitats for animals.array of habitats for animals.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=131&prev=


• Subtropical DesertsSubtropical Deserts– Near 30 degrees south and northNear 30 degrees south and north– Temperatures vary more than in rain Temperatures vary more than in rain

forestsforests– Temperatures do not fall below zeroTemperatures do not fall below zero– Drier regions that get little rain fall (Why is Drier regions that get little rain fall (Why is

this?)this?)– Plants have low growth rate, or break Plants have low growth rate, or break

dormancy and grow rapidly when there is dormancy and grow rapidly when there is rainfallrainfall


• Temperate GrasslandsTemperate Grasslands– Relatively dry areas (low rainfall)Relatively dry areas (low rainfall)– Grasses are dominant life formGrasses are dominant life form– Temperatures can range from hot to Temperatures can range from hot to

below freezingbelow freezing– Long warm summers, and short cold Long warm summers, and short cold

winterswinters


• Temperate ForestsTemperate Forests– Similar to Temperate Grasslands, but Similar to Temperate Grasslands, but

there is relatively high precipitation that there is relatively high precipitation that is constant throughout the yearis constant throughout the year

– Increased precipitation allows for the Increased precipitation allows for the development of forestsdevelopment of forests

– Plants typically have a period of Plants typically have a period of dormancy dormancy (dropping leaves in autumn and growing (dropping leaves in autumn and growing in the spring)in the spring)


• Boreal Forests/ TaigaBoreal Forests/ Taiga– Regions just below the Arctic Circle, often Regions just below the Arctic Circle, often

called sub-arctic.called sub-arctic.– Very cold winters, with cool short summers Very cold winters, with cool short summers

(have a high variation in temperatures)(have a high variation in temperatures)– Little evaporation, so moisture is abundant Little evaporation, so moisture is abundant

although precipitation is low.although precipitation is low.– Low diversity of organisms and low productivityLow diversity of organisms and low productivity– Dominated by cold-tolerant conifers (pines, Dominated by cold-tolerant conifers (pines,

spruce, larch trees)spruce, larch trees)


• Arctic TundraArctic Tundra– Areas above the sub-arcticAreas above the sub-arctic– Very short growing season (two months)Very short growing season (two months)– Temperatures are below freezingTemperatures are below freezing– Low precipitation, but low evaporation ratesLow precipitation, but low evaporation rates– Lack of trees, but there are short plants such Lack of trees, but there are short plants such

as shrubs (growing season too short to support as shrubs (growing season too short to support growth)growth)

– Low species diversity and productivityLow species diversity and productivity


• Lakes, Ponds, and WetlandsLakes, Ponds, and Wetlands– Bodies of freshwaterBodies of freshwater

•Ponds are small, lakes are large enough to Ponds are small, lakes are large enough to be affected by wind and have wavesbe affected by wind and have waves

•Wetlands are shallower, with soil saturated Wetlands are shallower, with soil saturated into the water, and contain plants that grow into the water, and contain plants that grow above the surface of the waterabove the surface of the water

•Wetlands consist of Swamps, Marshes, and Wetlands consist of Swamps, Marshes, and BogsBogs

http://www.shastalake.com/images/shasta-lake-5-25-2006.jpg

http://www.aquapools.net/images/Ponds/ponds_1013.jpg

http://bulimbacreek.org.au/__data/page/13738/tingalpa_-_wetlands2.jpg

Marshes, Swamps, and Marshes, Swamps, and BogsBogs

• Marshes- Marshes- – lack trees, have a slow and steady rate of lack trees, have a slow and steady rate of

water flowwater flow– Typically connected to a lake or stream systemTypically connected to a lake or stream system

• SwampsSwamps– Similar to marshesSimilar to marshes– Tree and shrub dominatedTree and shrub dominated

Both are productive habitats because of the Both are productive habitats because of the supply of sunlight and watersupply of sunlight and water

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Florida_freshwater_marshes_usgov_image.jpg

http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiupload.wikimedia.org/wiki

pedia/commons/7/75/Florida_pedia/commons/7/75/Florida_

freshwater_swamp_usgov_image.jpgfreshwater_swamp_usgov_image.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Florida_




Marshes, Swamps, and Marshes, Swamps, and BogsBogs

• Bogs-Bogs-– Are not productive environmentsAre not productive environments– In areas where water flow is low or non-In areas where water flow is low or non-

existentexistent– Stagnant water flow-> oxygen poor -Stagnant water flow-> oxygen poor -

>decomposistion-> lack of nitrogen>decomposistion-> lack of nitrogen

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/Brown_Lake_Bog_OH.jpg


• StreamsStreams– Bodies of water that move constantly in one Bodies of water that move constantly in one

directiondirection• Creeks- small streamsCreeks- small streams

• Rivers- large streamsRivers- large streams

– Colder streams are faster, narrowerColder streams are faster, narrower– Warmer streams are slower, and wider (more Warmer streams are slower, and wider (more

favorable for the growth of plants)favorable for the growth of plants)– Estuary-Estuary- the environment that forms where the the environment that forms where the

river meets the ocean (fresh water meets river meets the ocean (fresh water meets saltwater)saltwater)

http://bulimbacreek.org.au/__data/page/13738/tingalpa_-_wetlands2.jpg


• Marine EnvironmentsMarine Environments– Distinguished by it’s water depthDistinguished by it’s water depth– Sunlight penetrates water differently at Sunlight penetrates water differently at

different depthsdifferent depths– Contains multiple areas/zones such as Contains multiple areas/zones such as

the photic zone, aphotic zone, and the photic zone, aphotic zone, and benthic zonebenthic zone

http://funnel.sfsu.edu/courses/geol102/graphics/kareng/life.env2.jpg

http://funnel.sfsu.edu/courses/geol102/graphics/kareng/life.env.jpg

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/images/biomes/aquatic2.jpg

introduction to ecology marc daniels biology. what is ecology? ecology is the study of how organisms...

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