Ecology ENVS 201 Slide 1 of 21 2/18/2016 Ecology Study of relationships in the natural world. Ecologists study the interactions in order to understand the abundance and diversity of life on Earth. Biologist, environmental scientists, marine scientists, botanists, zoologists and other scientists all study ecology too. 2 of 212/18/2016 What is an Ecosystem? An ecosystem is a living community that depends on each member and its surrounding environment. Activity Water Food Animal Shelter 3 of 212/18/2016 What interactions are shown between the red knots and the horseshoe crabs in the film Crash? 2/18/20164 Components of an ecosystem Abiotic are the non-living components - the physical conditions. Biotic are the living components. 5 of 21 2/18/2016 Abiotic Non-living factors that are important in an ecosystem. Examples 6 of 21 2/18/2016 Biotic living components Producers, Consumers, Decomposers Autotrophs are plants - they get their energy from the sun. They photosynthesize to make their own food. Examples plants such as grasses, trees, vegetables, etc and phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems. 7 2/18/2016 What is another word for autotroph? A.Decomposer B.Producer C.Consumer D.Abiotic factor 2/18/20168 Biotic: Producers No Sun Chemotrophs - these also make their own food and are primary producers. Chemotrophs get their energy from converting chemicals (hydrogen sulfide) into food. These are bacteria that live deep in the ocean where sunlight doesnt reach. Deep Sea Thermal Vents 92/18/2016 Producers, Consumers and Decomposers Consumers - (Heterotrophs) Have to consume other organisms in order to obtain their energy. Decomposers - these clean up the world for us. They recycle materials back into ecosystems too. Examples, bacteria, dust mites. 102/18/2016 Energy Flow Ecosystems require Energy Input - this generally comes from the Sun. Energy then flows within ecosystems. 11 of 21 2/18/2016 Example of a Food Web 12 of 21 2/18/2016 DDT gets into water, organisms ingest other organisms with DDT, this continues up the food web. This is called A.Bioacumulation/magnification B.Biodiversity C.Gross primary productivity D.Biogeochemical cycling 2/18/201613 Bioaccumulation 14 of 21 2/18/2016 Cycles Cycling of nutrients through ecosystems Nutrients are constantly reused and put into the system. The balance of nature is beautiful when people overload the system we end up with problems. 15 of 21 2/18/2016 Water Cycle 16 of 21 2/18/2016 Carbon Cycle 17 of 21 2/18/2016 Phosphorus Cycle 18 of 21 2/18/2016 Nitrogen Cycle 19 of 21 2/18/2016 Symbiosis Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Mimicry Competition Predation 2/18/201620 Symbiosis Mutualism all species benefit 21 of 21 2/18/2016 Symbiosis Commensalism one benefits the other is not benefiting nor harmed 22 of 21 2/18/2016 Symbiosis Parasitism one species benefits, the other is harmed 23 of 21 2/18/2016 Competition An interaction between 2 species both attempting to use the same resource. Is problematic when the resource is limited. The fitness of one can be lowered by the presence of another. 2/18/201624 Intraspecific Same species Competition among members of the same species is known as intraspecific competition 2/18/201625 Interspecific different species Competition between individuals of different species is known as interspecific competition. 2/18/201626 Ecto-parasite example Dodder on Pickleweedr-and-pickleweed elkhorn.htmlr-and-pickleweed elkhorn.html Endo parasites (mostly worms some fungi) 2/18/201627 Mimicry28 of 21 2/18/2016 Scenarios You are camping near an alpine meadow. You take a walk and watch an elk and a white- tailed deer grazing in the alpine meadow. They are eating the same kinds of plants. Competition Interspecific 2/18/201629 Scenario You continue walking through the meadow and see a butterfly land on a brightly blooming flower. It finds nectar stores inside the flowers and eats the nectar. In the process, pollen smears on its body. It flies to another flower of the same species to find more nectar. Some pollen scraps off onto the flower. Mutualism 2/18/201630 Scenario You begin your walk back to your camp site. A hawk soars over the meadow. Its sharp eyes spot a field mouse. In front of you the hawk drops into a steep dive and catches the mouse in its talons. You gasp! If flies away to feed on the dead mouse. Predation 2/18/201631 Scenario You are almost back to your camp site. You are still shocked by what you saw with the hawk. On the edge of the meadow is a large tree. Growing on the trees bark is a circular gray-green lichen about 6 inches in diameter. The lichen is using the tree for habitat. The trunk gets sun and the lichen isnt competing with other organisms for space. The tree hardly notices the lichen as it isnt eating the tree of taking resources from the tree. Commensalism 2/18/201632 Scenario While at CSUMB, you were hiking and learned about lace lichens. It catches moisture which drops to the tree roots. You wondered how this lichen was different from the foliose lichen in regards to the relationship with the tree. 2/18/ Mutualism Keystone Species Large effect on environment Critical role in maintaining the community (ecological) Example 2/18/201634 Succession 2/18/201635 What term best describes the relationship between the fox and the red knot? A.Mutualism B.Commensalism C.Predation D.Parasitism 2/18/201636 Which of the following is FALSE? 1.When humans use horseshoe crabs for blood it saves the crab saves predators. 2.Humans placed a moratorium on using horseshoe crabs for fishing (bait). 3.Scientists are creating artificial bait for eel and whelk so horseshoe crabs do not need to be used. 2/18/201637 Summary Nature has a beautiful way of working Abiotic and biotic factors are critical Producers, Consumers, Decomposers Cycles Symbiosis is due to co-evolution and how nature keeps organisms in check and helps organisms function. 38 of 21 2/18/2016