Ecology• Ecology is the study of

the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Tiers of Ecology

• Individual Organisms

• Populations

• Communities

• Ecosystems

• The Biosphere

Populations, Communities, Ecosystems

• Population: same species, same area, same time

• Community: groups of organisms (diff. species), same area or habitat, same time

• Ecosystem: a community of organisms AND their abiotic environment– Biotic = living things– Abiotic = non-living things

Flow of Energy/Cycling Matter• Energy

– No mass– Stored in food as chemical bonds– From sun – Lost as heat

• Energy flows through trophic levels of ecosystems– Producers (autotrophs)

• Make own food• Store NRG, make chemical bonds

– Consumers (heterotrophs)• Eat others for food• Release NRG, break chem. bonds

Flow of Energy/Cycling Matter

Primary Producers: plants

Primary Consumers:herbivores

Secondary Consumers: omnivores & carnivores

TertiaryConsumers:carnivores

{90 % of the energy is “lost” to metabolism, reproduction, and growth and development of organisms at each trophic level}

{1/50 of the sun’s energy

reaches earth}

10% of Sun energy stored

1% of PP energy stored

0.1% of PC energy stored

0.01% of SC energy stored

Fill in the Blanks

Eagle ____%

Walleye ____%

Perch ____%Minnow ____%

Algae ____ %

Fill in the Blanks

Humans 1%

Apples

___%

___%

{It takes a lot of primary produces to support a top

consumer}

Primary Producers

• Producers (autotrophs)– Make own food– Store NRG in chemical bonds

• For use later & eaten by…

• Photosynthesis– Plant cells, chloroplasts

Sun + CO2 + H2O

C6H12O6 (sugar) + O2

Consumers• Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, etc. (heterotrophs)

– Eat autotrophs– E.g. Herbivores, Omnivores, Carnivores, Detrivores, &

Decomposers– Store energy from food in chemical bonds

• Cellular Respiration– Plant & animal cells, mitochondria

C6H12O6 (sugar) + O2

CO2 + H2O + ATP

Biogeochemical Cycles

• Water• Nitrogen• Phosphorous• Carbon

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

• From gas to liquid or solid– Condensation

• From atmosphere to lithosphere– Precipitation

• From lithosphere to atmosphere– From water: evaporation– From land: transpiration

Nitrogen Cycle

• From atmosphere & animals to lithosphere– Ammonification

• From lithosphere to atmosphere & animals– Denitrification

• Nitrogen fixation (bacteria)

• From lithosphere to hydrosphere– Eutrophication

Phosphorous Cycle

1. Phosphates (soil) runoff (wind, rain, etc.)2. Sediments in water systems absorbed3. Plants/animals decompose or excrete4. Phosphates (soil) etc.

• Used in fertilizer (4x)

Carbon Cycle• Fossil fuels are

– Undecomposed organic matter

• Carbon is cycled between CO2 & sugars (C6H12O6)– Plants and animals

• From animals & plants to atmosphere– Respiration (CO2)

• From animals & plants to lithosphere– Decomposition

• From atmosphere to plants…photosynthesis– Carbon fixation, form of sugars (C6H12O6)

• From plants (chloroplasts) to animals (mitochondria)– Cell respiration / breakdown of sugars (give off energy)

Carbon and Energy

• What are some current issues with the carbon cycle?

• Energy = no mass – so transported within chemical bonds

• Each transfer loses a little energy to heat• Eventually all energy is lost to heat

Food Chain

Food Web

Animal Interactions• Summary of:

– Predator/Prey (Lion vs. Zebra) – Mutualism (Bird & Water Buffalo) – Commensalism (Nurse Shark & Remora) – Parasitism (Cricket & Worm) (Complex Life Cycle) (

Parasitoid—Cordyceps)

Human Interactions

• Humans have 2 interactions not found in nature:– Hurt/Hurt– Altruism

Populations

• What is a population again?– A group of the same species that live in one place

at one time and interbreed• When looking at populations…2 types of

growth– Exponential

• Has limiting factor – Logistic

• Has carrying capacity

Populations

• When looking at populations…2 factors that affect their size– Abiotic (weather, living space, etc.)– Biotic (food, animal interactions, etc.)

• Is the affect humans have on populations of organisms an abiotic or biotic factor?

Do you see a trend?

Human Populations• Historic Growth & Science/Tech. of Today

Human Population Pyramids

Human Population Pyramids

Human Population Pyramids

Population Regulation

2 kinds of limiting factors1. density-independent factorsa. does not depend on popln sizeb. ex: weather, floods, and fires2. density-dependent factorsa. triggered by increasing popln sizeb. resource limitations like food shortage or lack of nesting sites

Environmental Issues

• 3 basic categories:– Pollution– Loss of Biodiversity

• E.g. Invasive Species– Use of Resources

• Renewable• Nonrenewable

Air Pollution• Types:

– E.g. S, N, & C ‘oxides’• Natural vs. human

• Result in: • Increase in smog• Disturbance of ozone layer,

atmosphere, & ecosystems

• Increased health concerns– (China)

• Acid rain– Decay of buildings and statues– Deforestation– Acidification of lakes

» Animal/plant death

Water/Soil Pollution• Types of Water Pollution:

– Bacteria/pathogens• Indicator of sewage leak

– Chemicals• Fertilizers, detergents, manufacturing

byproducts, urban runoff, etc.– Debris (human or natural)– Thermal

• Result in:– Water turbitidy (no light)– Eutrophication (dead zone)– Anoxia (depleation of O2)– Changes in temp. & pH

• Animal & plant death• Human health issues

(Garbage Island)

• Types of Soil Pollution– Rupture of

waste/storage tanks– Pesticides/fertilizers– Oil/fuel dumping– Waste leakage from

landfills– Percolation of

contaminated H2O

Biodiversity• Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within

an ecosystem, biome, planet, etc.• Why is it a good thing?

• How does pollution affect biodiversity?– Food webs– Evolutionary age of community

• Millions of years old…

Loss of Biodiversity-Invasive Species• Brainstorm how biodiversity is lost…• Definition:

– A non-native or non-indigenous species of flora or fauna that adversely affect an ecosystem

• Dominate resources– Traits:

• The ability to reproduce both asexually and sexually• Fast growth, rapid reproductive capabilities• Easy, rapid dispersal• Ability to alter physical characteristics• Ability to alter habits (food resources, living space, etc.)• Association with humans• Often facilitated by wildfire, deforestation, etc.

– Examples: (Great Lakes) (Prevention)

Use of Resources

• Renewable– Sun– Wind– Water– Soil– Wood

• Non-renewable– Metals (Fe, Al, Cu…etc.)

• Unless recycled– Nonmetals (Na, sand,

salt, etc.)– Fossil fuels (coal, oil, etc.)

Use of Nonrenewable Energy

• Eg. Fossil fuels– Dirty, nonrenewable– Running out…

• Results in:– Devastation of lithosphere– Global pollution– Loss of biodiversity

• Human, plant, & animal life– Global climate change

• Blanket, speed of change, (GCC 101)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Blue_Linckia_Starfish.JPG

What Can We Do?

• Is this really an issue?