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Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers

Chapter 1

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Outline

• Overview of Ecology• Ecology of Forest Birds• Forest Canopy Research• Climatic and Ecological Change• The Scope of Ecology

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Overview of Ecology

• Ecology: Study of relationships between organisms and the environment. Simple definition does not convey the

extreme breadth of this discipline.• Ecosystem: Includes all organisms living in

an area, and the physical environment with which these organisms interact. Biosphere: Highest level of ecological

organization.

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Ecology of Forest Birds

• Robert MacArthur studied the ecology of five species of warblers in spruce forests in N.A. Theory predicted two species with

identical ecological requirements could not coexist indefinitely.

Studies found warblers coexisted by feeding in different zones of the same tree.

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Bay-breasted Warbler

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Blackburnian Warbler

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Black-throated Green Warbler

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Cape May Warbler

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Warbler Feeding Zones

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Stable Isotope Analysis

• Chemical elements have different atomic masses (isotopes)

• Proportions of isotopes vary across the environment and this is reflected in the body tissue of organisms Recent advances in ecology take

advantage of this variation By examining body tissue, ecologists

can determine food sources and habitat use

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Forest Canopy Research

• Due to heavy rainfall, many rainforest soils are nutrient-poor. Nutrient stores in rainforest canopies are

associated with epiphytes. Epiphyte mats contain significant

quantities of nutrients. Trees send roots up to epiphyte mats

to access nutrients.

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Climatic and Ecological Change

• Many environmental changes occur over large spatial or temporal scales.

• Davis monitored plant pollen deposited in lake sediments in the Appalachian Mtns. Documented large temporal changes to

nearby plant communities.

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Paleoecology: Vegetation History from Pollen Sediments

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The Scope of Ecology

• Ecology: Study of relationships between organisms and the environment. Wide variety of approaches.

Large temporal and spatial scales. Field Lab Observational Manipulative