organizing living things
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Cunningham, Cunningham 2002. Organizing Living Things. Organism Population Biological Community Ecosystem Biosphere. Food Web: Cross-connected Food Chains. Cunningham, Cunningham 2002. Cunningham, Cunningham 2002. Where do humans fit in?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Organizing Living Things
• Organism• Population• Biological • Community• Ecosystem• Biosphere
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002
Food Web: Cross-connected Food ChainsCunningham, Cunningham 2002
Where do humans fit in?
What levels do humans manage or change?
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002
Kane Hall Rm 130; University of WA homepage
Are these trophic levels present in our classroom?
Primary Producers?
Top carnivores?
Herbivores?
Decomposers?
Energy Pyramid
Most energy in most ecosystems is stored in the bodies of primary producers. Only about 10 % of the energy at one level passes to the next highest trophic level.
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002
What is missing here? Does it matter?
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002
It takes numerous small organisms or plants to feed one large organism. The efficiency for extracting energy out
of food is higher at the top of the pyramid.
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002
But we live in a human ecosystem where some people consider humans to be the top predator!
SO Humans change the flows and fluxes in an ecosystem and have replaced or perform the functions occurring in ecosystems. Example: we have eliminated or drastically reduced the population of top predators that might hunt or harm us, or eat our food
http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/acari/index.html, http://www.dfwpest.com/scorpion.htm
http://webhome.idirect.com/~preeves/wildlife/bears/grizzley02.html
Deserts. The Encroaching Wilderness. Ed. Allan and Warren. 1993 Oxford University Press
West Africa
Chaco Canyon, San Juan Basin, New Mexico
http://www.ratical.com/southwest/ChacoCanyon.html
Deserts. The Encroaching Wilderness. Ed. Allan and Warren. 1993 Oxford University Press
Utah
Deserts. The Encroaching Wilderness. Ed. Allan and Warren. 1993 Oxford University Press
Tranvsvaal, South AfricaSudan
Biosphere 2 Ecosphere, Arizona;Photo: K Vogt
Closed system: has to be sustainable if trophic levels are to survive from what is present.
This is a shrimp / bacteria system that can persist for several years (I had one that persisted for 4 years)
Iceland
Alaska
Photo: K Vogt
TUNDRA
ice polygonsvolcanic layers
IcelandWhat parts of the pyramid are missing here in the tundra?Can humans be self-sufficient and survive here?Are animals self-sufficient? Why would large mammals migrate in winter?
Photo: K Vogt
TUNDRA
Caribou; http://www.beautyworlds.com/articphotos.htm;TUNDRA
http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?pg=3&ti=034D1000&idx=461530760
http://www.beautyworlds.com/articphotos.htm
Harbour seal
TUNDRA
Kayaks;
http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/oracles/kayak/11.htm
http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?pg=3&ti=761556603&idx=681500039
Lichen in Iceland; photo K Vogt
Reindeer; Siberia
TUNDRA
Alaska - permafrost
Layers of Ice
Photo: H Bormann
TUNDRA
IcelandAlaska
Photos: K Vogt, H Bormann
Human habitation similar to animals that don’t migrate – underground, covered with organic materials
TUNDRA
Alaska TUNDRA
Keystone species – all other animals eat to survive; their loss would have a major impact on the continued persistence of that ecosystems
Photo: H Bormann
Far Side
http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?pg=3&ti=761564834&idx=461517314
Brown lemming – another keystone species in the tundra
Malaysia dipterocarp forest, TROPICAL FOREST
Photo: K Vogt
What parts of the pyramid are missing here in the tropics?Can humans be self-sufficient, survive?Are animals self-sufficient? Do animals migrate?
Brazil Amazon, TROPICAL FOREST
Photo: K Vogt
Cassava / manioc, Brazilian Amazon, TROPICAL FOREST
Photo: K Vogt
Piranha, Brazilian Amazon, TROPICAL FOREST
Cabybara, Venezuela
Cabybara, Amazon, SAVANNA (Tropical)
Photos: K Vogt
Puerto Rico - bread fruit
Açai – Brazilian AmazonPhoto: K Vogt
TROPICAL FOREST
What happens in the environment when humans change parts of the ecosystem, one of the trophic levels?
How do we know when we are having a negative impact? What do we need to change to imbalance the system?
Lets look at the classroom in Kane Hall again which is totally of human construct (not very natural)
NOTE: Most environmental problems result from manipulating trophic levels
UW homepage
Coqui, goldenPuerto Rico
Different roles of a species the coqui:
In Puerto Rico - important in speeding up the recovery rate of forests after hurricanes;
In Hawaii invasive pest that is out competing native species and taking over their habitat.
Margay, Belize;
http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/mammals/mar/mar4.html
Brazilian Amazon;Photo: K Vogt
Conservation, Sustainable Development or Empowering Indigenous People?
Pet parrots, Amazon Brazil, TROPICAL FORESTS Photo: K Vogt
Jaguar, Belize Conflicts:
Agriculture, food production
Animal species conservation
Preservation Maya ruins
Persistence of forest cover
Political power at all levels
Persistence of Maya culture, etcTROPICAL FOREST;
photo: Programme for Belize
IcelandPhoto: B Hecht
Degraded grasslands with sheep, TUNDRA
Icelandic BOREAL FOREST
Lupine
Siberian LarchPhoto: K Vogt
All introduced species – not native
Food Web: Cross-connected Food Chains
Photo: K Vogt
Cunningham, Cunningham 2002