1. Correcting the mistakes!

Example: The ecology is history science

The ecology is biological/environmental science

2. Find 3 mistakes in this summary and correct them!

Example: Ecology represents local interests. (the interests of the whole Earth)

The biological diversity is the greatest value of Economy. (Ecology )

Ecology applies planning for short time e.g. 1 year. (…for long time e.g. 20 years)

CHECK

2. Choosing the correct sentence! One sentence is correct/true. Which one? Choose the correct sentence! Put √ (true) and X (false) Correct the false sentences Example:

The ecology is a study of Economy X (environment/biology)

Profit is the biggest value of Ecology X (Economy)

Ecology represents the interests of the whole Earth √

3. Complete the text (the sentences)!

Example: The ECOLOGY is a study of interaction between the………….. and the biotic factors. (abiotic factors)

CHECK

THE DEFINITION OF BASIC CONCEPTS

THE DEFINITION OF ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY is:

-Environmental SCIENCE

-Biological SCIENCE

The SCIENCE of Humans and the Environment

The SCIENCE of Environmental Protection

a STUDY of interactions between the living organisms and their environments

a STUDY of interactions between the abiotic and biotic factors

a STUDY of all living organisms in the Ecosystems

THE DEFINITION OF „OIKOS”, HABITAT

OIKOS means:

-house,

- household,

-habitat

HABITAT means:- a living area of living organisms

- - the original place (natural place) of living organisms

THE TASKS OF ECOLOGY

The task of ecology is conservation of:

- biological diversity,

- all different organisms (plants, animals, fungus),

-the natural habitat,

-the natural resources

RENEWABLE resources means:- They can be replaced by nature (e.g. wind, sunlight, water,

geothermal energy)

NON RENEWABLE resources means:- They cannot be replaced (e.g. fossil energy: oil, carbon)

THE TASKS OF ECOLOGY

The task of ecology is to reduce/to prevent pollution

- POLLUTION can be caused by industry, transport, trade and agriculture

Some ways of prevention are:- We can use alternative forms of energy,

- We can recycle materials,- We can use decreasing amounts of energy and materials

THE PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY

1. Clean air, clean water, biological diversity are the greatest value for Ecology

2. Ecology applies planning for long time (e.g. 20 years)

3. Ecology represents the interests of the whole Earth

THE PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMY

1. Profit is the biggest value for Economy

2. Economy applies planning for short time (e.g. 1 year)

3. Economy represents the local interests

THE PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

1. If prevention cost is high, there is no profit.

2. If pollution cost is high, there is no profit.

3. If prevention and pollution cost are optimal, there is high profit

THE SUBJECT OF ECOLOGY IS THE ECOSYSTEM

The ecosystem is:

-an open system, where there is a material and energy which drifts between abiotic and biotic

factors,

- the interactions between the living organisms and their environment

- all organisms and their environment

THE DEFINITION OF

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS (ECOLOGICAL FACTORS)

The environmental/ecological factors are the abiotic factors (nonliving factors) in an environment

INDICATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL FACTORS means that:

-the abiotic factors determine biotic factors,

-the abiotic factors determine who can live there.

The living organisms can’t live anywhere, anytime and in any volume on the Earth.

THE CLASSIFICATION TYPE OF THE ABIOTIC FACTORS IS ACCORDING TO

- the type of effects (e.g. chemical, physical),- the effects on living organism (e.g. the interaction

within one species, or the interaction between species)- the quality of effects (e.g. independently effective

factor/subsistence factor, or collectivly effective factor/conditioner factor,

- the geographical location (e.g. abiotic factors in Aquatic Ecosystems, or abiotic factors in continental/terrestrial

Ecosystem

ABIOTIC FACTORS IN THE TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

- Moisture,

-Air fow, air pressure,

-Temperature,

-Soil,

-Rocks,

-Sunlight,

ABIOTIC FACTORS IN THE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

• DISSOLVED OXYGEN• MINERAL CONCENTRATION OF WATER• WATER TEMPERATURE• SUNLIGHT

WATER CYCLE

Evaporation is:

the process, when the oceans , and seas evaporate.

Transpiration is:

the process, when the plants give out vapor.

Precipitation includes the rain and snow.

Runoff is the process, when the rain becomes groundwater.

Groundwater is the water in the soil.

- the interactions between the organism and their environment

Carbon cycle

• Photosynthesis is the process, when 6CO2 + 6 H2O becomes sugar (glucose) and 6O2 with the help of sunlight.

• Respiration is the process, when the living organisms give out O2.

• Combustion is a synonym of fire.• Decomposition is the process, when the organic

materials (e.g.plants, sewage sludge) disintegrate by metanogen bacteria and later become fossil fuels

NITROGEN CYCLE

The biological nitrogen fixation means: the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by symbiotic bacteria, and synthesis of amino-acids, which become protein

The decomposition of nitrogen by nitrifying bacteria is the process, when the organic nitrogen gradually disintegrates into NO3

THE ECOLOGICAL TOLERANCE

The ecological tolerance represents the adaptation of living organisms to change of the environment

Tolerance is the interval betweeen the minimum and the maximum value, when the living organism is viable. Above maximum and under minimum value the habitat is lethal.

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HIGH TOLERANCE

High tolerance means, when the interval between minimum and maximum value is large. The high tolerance species are generalists or cosmopolitan, or EURIÖK, they are widespread on the Earth (e.g.lake and sea trout)

LOW TOLERANCE

Low tolerance means, when the interval between minimum and maximum value is small. The low tolerance species are specialists or indicators, or SZTENÖK (e.g. sea corals, mussels, lichens, perch)

ADAPTATION, MODIFICATION

Adaptation means: change with effect on the genetic information

Modification means:: change without effect on the genes .When the difference appears only in the phenotype (For example: plant grows smaller in dry weather).

ADAPTABILITY TO SUNLIGHT

The high light tolerant plants are HELIOPHYTAThe shade tolerant plants are HETEROPHILIAThe plants which can be adapted to the shade is SCIOPHYTAThe short day plants get less than 12 hours daytime (e.g. tropical zone)The long day plants get more than 12 hours daytime (e.g.temperate zone)The daytime animals are active during the daytime.The night time animals are active during the night (e.g.bats, owls)

ADAPTABILITY OF LIVING ORGANISMS TO TEMPERATURE

Heat demand means: the tolerance to temperature (high tolerance or, low tolerance)

Permanent body temperature means, that there are living organisms with constant temperature (mammals, birds).Changing body temperature means: that there are living organisms with inconstant body temperature (e.g. reptiles, frogs, salamanders, insects)

TO PREVENT LOSS OF TEMPERATURE

Bergmann’s rule explains that: the ratio between the body mass and the body surface is different with species who live in different climatic zones. In case of close-relative species, species of larger body mass are found in colder climate zones. Animals who live in cold zones have smaller surface to prevent loss of temperature.

110X40cm= 4400cm2 >>

30 kg >

50X20cm= 1000 cm2

2 kg

15

4

(Aptenodytes forsteri): 100 cm, 30 kg

(Spheniscus mendiculus): 50 cm, 2,5 kg

TO PREVENT LOSS OF TEMPERATURE

Allen’s rule: in case of close-relative species, those who live in colder climate have smaller ears.

The Allen’s rule claims that animals in worm climate have large ears to give off heat (e.g. desert fox).

The artic fox has small ears to preserve heat.

TO PREVENT LOSS OF TEMPERATURE THE ADAPTATION OF ANIMALS TO THE TEMPERATURE

Gloger’s rule: in case of close-relative species, colour is usually lighter in colder climate (e.g. ermine: white in winter and brown in summer (ability to change the colour as adaptation to the environment, mimicry!!!),

Adaptation with fur and hair e.g. polar bear.

Ozone Hole = Ozone depletion means the average annual decrease of the ozone concentration in the stratosphere.

Dobson-unit is the measure unit of the thickness of the ozone layer. 1 Dobson-unit is 0,01 mm thick layer at 1 bar atmospheric pressure at the surface of the Earth.

Ozone Hole = Ozone depletion

The stratospheric ozone layer- The ozone layer is situated about 15 to 30 km above the

earth's surface. - The Ozone protects the living organisms by absorbing harmful

UVB (280 nm – 315nm) from the sun.- UV-B is dangerous, causes problems for photosynthesis,

metabolism . UV-B causes mutate of cells, causes increase malignant/nonmalignant melanoma, and photo allergy.

- The ozone layer is being destroyed by clorine-fluorine-carbon-hidrogens (CFC’s: freon)

- Is very toxic, because the ozone prevents the absorption of O2 in the lungs.

- Help the formation of tropospheric ozone if higher quantity of nitrogen-oxids and carbon-hidrogens are in the air

SMOG

• Smog is a combination of various gases with water vapor and dust.

• LONDON SMOG/SULPHUR SMOG/ WINTER SMOG: 2SO2+O2 ↔ 2SO3

• LA SMOG/ PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG: – N2 +O2→2NO→+O2 →2NO2– NO2+UV →NO+O– O+O2 →O3– O3+HC →HCO3

WATER RESEOURCES

• BOUND WATER RESEOURCES: It can be found in minerals and rocks.

• ACCESSIBLE WATER RESEOURCES INCLUDE: oceans and freshwater. – The freshwater includes glacier and deepwater

and surface water and vapor. – The surface water includes lakes, groundwater,

streams, bigenewater.

• Stratified horizontally: 1. Intertidal zone/Wetlands/ litoral region means: land meets water, area covered

with water periodically.2. Neritic zone/or continental shelf zone means: the depth of water is from surface

of ocean to 200 meters. The sunlight is high and nutrients riche. The Coral Reefs of neritic zone, where dominated by coral.

3. Oceanic zone/pelagic zone is away from shore , it is open water. Stratified vertcally:4. Photic zone/light zone, where the sunlight is high5. Aphotic zone/little and zero light zone6. Benthic zone/abyssal zone/benthos/deep-sea zone: In the benthos region there is

no sunlight and nutrients aren’t rich. Food is detritus, that falls from above. Hydrothermal vents help chemocinto-tropic organisms.

Earth’s Ocean

WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS• HALOBITY: ion concentration, depends on the concentration and quality of oll ions of

the water• TROPHIC INDEX: the ability for producing organic material of the aquatic

communities• EUTROPHICATION: Excessive amounts of nitrates can cause too much algae growth.

This lowers the dissolved oxygen levels when the algae die and decompose.• SAPROBIC WATER: the intensity of decomposition of organic materials by bacterias.

The types of saprobic water are: oligosaprobic, mesosprobic, and polysaprobic water. In the oligosaprobic water the intensity of decomposition of organic materials is small/low. The polysaprobic water is marsh or, swamp.

• TOXICTY: ability to damage an organism by mercury, cyanide, heavy metals , lead.• DISSOLVED OXYGEN: levels change throughout the day based on water temperature

and photosynthetic activity. Warm water contains less dissolved oxygen than cool water.• pH determine the quality of water. The water is acidic or alkaline.

• aquatic plants, and animals (e.g.seaweeds, fishes)

• marsh plants (e.g.marigold/gólyahír,/ meadow buttercup/réti boglárka)

• plants with medium water demand (e.g. trees)

• drought tolerant plants (e.g. species of dry grasslands– chamomile)

• animal’s species periodically binding to water (e.g. salamander, amphibians)• terrestrial animal species (e.g. butterflies)

ADAPTATION TO THE WATER

• Litter layer/ „A” layer• Leaching layer/ „A” layer• Accumulation /aggregation layer/ „B” layer• Soil formation layer/ „C” layer

• Complete and incomplete structured soils• (e.g.: saline soil : A layer, limestone: B layer)

THE SOILPROFILE

RIZOSPHERE

• Specific habitat is the rizosphere : environment formed by roots (microflora

macrofauna)

Biosphere’s levels

• SUBINDIVIDUAL LEVELS : molecular level, cellular level, tissue level, organ level

• INDIVIDUALS LEVEL IS the organism level (e.g. Flying fox)

• SUPRAINDIVIDUAL LEVELS : population level, community level, biome level, or ecosystem level.

POPULATIONS

• Population: all of the individuals of a species that live together in one place at one time.

• Population is a group of individuals that live in the same place at the same time.

• The structural fundamental unit of ecological processes is the population.

Characteristics of Populations

Population size, (growth rate): is a total number of individuals in the population

Population density is the number of individuals per unit area.

Geographic distribution the area inhabited by a population Dispersion interprets how individuals in a population are

distributed Age structure (sex ratio) informs about the number of

individuals at different ages Survivorship curves inform about reproductive strategy of

populations

POPULATION GROWTH• Population increases: Natality + immigration• Population decreases: Mortality + emigration

• 1. Number of births (natality)• 2. Number of deaths, mortality from

diseases, being eaten• 3. Immigration (in) - individuals entering

an ecosystem,• 4. Emigration (out) - individuals leaving

an ecosystem.• Growth rate - Positive growth rate= population increase,

- Negative growth rate= population decrease.

CLOSED POPULATION

• Reproductive rate:• r= births – deaths/N (population size)• These are populations in which individuals can

NOT enter or leave.• Populations change because of births and

deaths, e.g.: ZOO, FISHTANK

• These are populations affected by all (4) factors: birth, death, immigration, emigration; e.g.: natural ecosystems

OPEN POPULATIONS

• When the individuals in a population reproduce at constants rate, occurs under ideal conditions (no limits) . G = rN

• G = the population growth rate• r = births-deaths/N (reproductive rate)• N = the population size

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH (J shaped growth curve)

LOGISTIC GROWTH (S - shaped growth sigmoid curve)

• When limiting factors restrict the size of the population to the carrying capacity (K) of the habitat. G = rN(K-N/K)

• G = the population growth rate• r = births-deaths/N (reproductive rate)• N = the population size

K = Carrying capacity of an environment = is the maximum population size that an environment can support

• R-SELECTED POPULATIONS (R VERSION) – many offspring ,– little parental investment ,– results exponential growth ,– usually have short life,– environmental conditions of their habitats are variable,– become sexually mature within a short time,The number of individuals of R –strategist species can

increase explosion, if their environmental conditions are invariable. It is called gradation.

REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES

• K-SELECTED POPULATIONS (K VERSION) – few offspring,– large parental investment,– logistic growth,– usually have long life,– environmental conditions of their habitats are

constant, – become sexually mature later, – they increase slowly.

REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES

• Concept of gradation means: The number of individuals can increase explosion.– latent phase, – introduction phase, – outbreak, – breakdown,– closing phase .

GRADATION

DENSITY OF POPULATION

• The DENSITY of population: is the total number of individuals per area or volume occupied.– Density dependent factors:

• Competition for resources• Predation• The toxic effect of waste product• Population size• Parasitism• Disease

– Density independent factors:• Natural disasters,• Climate extremes,• Drought,• Frost,• Some human activities.

Predation Lotka-Volterra model

• Predation Lotka-Volterra model explore a population density of prey and predator the time changes as a function.

AGE STRUCTURE

• AGE STRUCTURE: These are represent information about the

number of population at different ages.1. prereproductive ages,2. reproductive ages, 3. postreproductive ages.

AGE STRUCTURE

• AGE STRUCTURE: These are represent information about the

number of population at different ages.1. prereproductive ages,2. reproductive ages, 3. postreproductive ages.

AGE STRUCTURE

• Stable populations : ratio of different age groups is the same at every generation

• Growing population: more individuals at younger ages.

• Declining population: more individuals at middle ages.

• RANDOM : weeds ,• FRAGMENTED: oasis, desert, savannas, • REGULAR : gull nests,• REGULAR IN SMALLER GROUPS,• ACCUMULATE (aggregating) distribution.

DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATIONS

COMMUNITY

• The community is all organisms that live in one (1)/same area at the same time.

• The community include a biotope and biocenosis.

• A community is formed from all living populations found in an area.

LIVING AREA

• TERRITORY: The living space for the individuals.• ECOLOGICAL NICHE is the environment and functional

living space of the population. A niche is the full range of physical and biological environmental factors in which an organism lives, and the way in which the organism uses those conditions. Environmental factors determine the niche; reseources are: food, nutrients, light, and other factors are space, time, body size. Adaptation to environment: Climate (latitude, altitude), chemical factors (air, soil, water), and biological factors: other species. NARROW NICHE: specialist species, WIDE NICHE: generalist, cosmopolitan species.

• HABITAT: is where a living organism lives, the environment, in which a species lives.

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

• The change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as a result of changing biotic and abiotic factors

• PRYMARY SUCCESSION: When one community replaces other community.

• SECONDARY SUCCESSION: when a disturbed area grows back to normal.

• COMMENSALISM: effects of A on B positive, and effects of B on A neutral.

• MUTUALILISM: effects of A on B, and effects of B on A is positive e.g. flower/pollinator.

• PARASITISM: effects of A on B is positive, and of B on A negative.

• COMPETITION: Effects of A on B is negative and of B on A is negative too. Compete for same resource in same place at the same time. Two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time.

• PREDATION : Effects of A on B is positive, and of B on A is negative.

INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTION

FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS, TROPHIC LEVELS

• AUTOTROPHS – PRODUCERS – plants, that capture energy from the sun; Producers are found at the base of the pyramid and compromise the first trophic level.

• HETEROTROPHS– CONSUMERS

• Carnivores – animal eaters, Secondary consumers make up the third trophic level. Finally tertiary consumers make up the top trophic level (top predators, super predators)

• Omnivores – eat both animals and plants• Herbivores – plant eaters, Phytofagous, Primary consumers make up the

second trophic level.

– DECOMPOSERS

FOOD CHAIN

• The producers, consumers and decomposers of each ecosystem make up a food chain.

• There are many food chains in an ecosystem.• Food chains represent, where energy is

transferred and not who eats who.• Only 10% of energy is transferred from one

trophic level to the next.

FOOD WEBS

• All the food chains in an area make up the food web of the area.

BIOMASS

• BIO= LIFE, MASS=WEIGHT• BIO+MASS= weight of living things within an

ecosystem. • BIO+MASS= the totality of the living organic

material within an ecosystem, expressed in g/kg/t.