ECOLOGY

Core Concepts
1. Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment. 2. Biotic and abiotic factors influence life in the biosphere, such as the distribution of biological communities. 3. An organisms niche refers to the conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions. 4. Ecosystems constantly change in response to natural or human disturbances. 5. Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction: from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to various heterotrophs (consumers).

Keywords
ecology ecosystem biotic factor abiotic factor ecological niche ecological succession biome climax community pioneer species autotroph heterotroph species population community biosphere

ECOLOGY
study of the interactions between organisms and their environment (both living and non-living) oikos (house) + logos (study) scope of ecology: organism population community ecosystem biosphere

ECOSYSTEM
- biological community + physical environment (biotic and abiotic factors)

ECOLOGICAL NICHE
- the status/role of an organism in its environment - Competitive Exclusion Principle: a fundamental rule in ecology stating that no two organisms can occupy the exact niche for an indefinite amount of time because competition for resources would lead to the death of one.

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
- the sequence of communities that develops in an area from the initial stages of colonization until a stable climax community is achieved - series of changes in the species composition of living communities, often following ecological disturbance of the community - pioneer species vs. climax community - primary vs. secondary succession

BIOMES
- an environment that has a characteristic climax community

- organisms are of the same general type, being adapted to the particular conditions in which they occur

BIOMES
A. Land Biomes 1. Tundra 2. Taiga 3. Temperate deciduous forest 4. Grassland 5. Tropical rainforest 6. Desert B. Aquatic Biomes 1. Freshwater 2. Marine 3. Estuary

Characteristics used to distinguish Types of Land Biomes/Ecosystems:

Climatic conditions
Temperature precipitation/rainfall location, altitude, topography, etc.

Climax community
Vegetation Animals

Adaptations of Flora and Fauna

Matter/Biogeochemical Cycles

Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Water cycle Mineral cycles:

Phosphorus Calcium Sulfur etc.

Energy Flow

Trophic levels: producers, consumers Feeding relationships: food chains, food webs Ecological pyramids:
Energy pyramid Pyramid of Biomass Pyramid of Numbers

Terrestrial vs. Aquatic ecosystems

Evolution and Ecological Succession

Life originated in water and evolved there for almost 3Billion years before plants and animals began moving onto land.

Coverage

Aquatic Biomes occupy the largest part of the biosphere covering about 75% of the Earths surface

Aquatic biomes are less affected by climate change than land ecosystems. Why?

Nature of water

Abiotic and Biotic Factors of Aquatic Biomes

Water Chemistry

Salinity, pH, ions, nutrients, pollutants

Temperature Depth of Water

Light penetration Turbidity O2 content

Wind action Water current/flow rate Microbial action

Salinity of Aquatic Biomes: <1% - 3% Freshwater about <1% Estuary variable (Why?) Marine about 3% BOD Biological Oxygen Demand Eutrophication Turn-over/Upwelling

Water pressure

Zonations and Thermal Stratification Affect Interactions in Aquatic Ecosystems/Biomes

Standing (Lentic)water : ponds, lakes

Isolated/land-locked

low

species diversity

Life Zones/Zonations based on:

Light Penetration: Photic Zone Aphotic Zone Distance from shoreline, Depth, Sunlight, Temperature: Littoral Zone: near shore; sunlight abundant; photosynthesis high ; high species diversity Limnetic Zone: near-surface open water ; w/ plankton at the base of food chain Profundal Zone: deep water ; aphotic; low temp; no photosynthesis; no O2 (only anaerobic organisms live here), low species diversity Thermal Stratification: Eutrophic vs. Oligotrophic vs. Mesotrophic Lakes Epilimnion Thermocline Hypolimnion

Abiotic - Biotic Interactions in Freshwater based on Life Zones

Oligotrophic lakes are generally newly formed lakes with relatively small supply of nutrients (poorly nourished); they are often deep, with steep banks. They are usually crystal-clear blue or green water due their relatively low net primary productivity.

In spring, when the atm. warms, the lakes surface water warms to 40C, reaches maximum density, and sinks through and below the cooler, less dense water, bringing the bottom water to the surface. During this spring turnover, DO in the surface layer is moved downward, and nutrients released by decomposition on the lake bottom are moved upward toward the surface.

Spring overturn

The Thermocline acts as a barrier to the transfer of nutrients and dissolved O2 from the epilimnion to the hypolimnion.

In summer, such lakes become stratified into different temperature layers that resist mixing. These lakes have and epilimnion, an upper layer of warm water with high levels of dissolved O2 (DO ), and a hypolimnion, a lower layer of colder,denser water, usually with a lower concentration of dissolved O2, because it is not exposed to the atmosphere.

In the fall the temp. begin to drop, the surface layer sinks to the bottom when it cools to 40C and the thermocline disappears. This mixing or fall turnover, brings nutrients from bottom sediments to the top and sends DO from the top to the bottom.

Water is densest as liquid at 40C(390F) or Solid ice at 00C (320F)is less dense than liquid water at 40C, which is why ice floats on water. This is fortunate for us and most freshwater organisms; otherwise, lakes and other bodies of freshwater in cold climates would freeze from bottom up instead of from surface down, which would push fish and other organisms to the top, killing them. This unusual property of water causes thermal stratification of deep lakes in northern temperate areas with cold winters and warm summers.

Flowing (Lotic) water:

streams, rivers ;conditions at different points (headwater, middle reaches, lower reaches) with different adaptations of organisms depth + width high species diversity Slow flow low O2 low species diversity (e.g., catfish, carp) slow flow high sediments low light low photosynthesis low species diversity fast flow animals w/ hooks, suckers, flattened bodies Slow flow species similar to pond/lake inhabitants

Marine Biome
Salinity: >3% Distance from shoreline, depth, sunlight, temp determine life zones: Spray zone: constantly sprayed with salt water by wave action in the intertidal zone Intertidal zone: low/high tide area

constantly changing conditions

constantly changing communities

highly productive ecosystem

high light + highO2 + high nutrients Pelagic zone: open ocean

producers limited to photic zone remains sink to ocean floor low nutrients (unless there is an upwelling)

Benthic zone: ocean floor

high remains + decomposers

low nutrients (stuck here)

Abyssal zone: deep ocean

Low temp (3oC) + high PH2O + no light very low species diversity hydrothermal vents w/ chemosynthetic bacteria (use H 2S)

Zones in a Marine Biome

Estuarine Biome

Salinity: freshwater < estuarine < marine organisms highly tolerant to salt Organic material deposited by river/stream; depth: relatively shallow compared to marine biome High amount of sunlight highly productive ecosystem

spawning & nursing grounds

Major Environmental Problems

Habitat destruction

Deforestation Soil erosion Desertification Flooding

Coral reef and Mangrove destruction Eutrophication Overfishing

Climate change Pollution Invasive and Introduced species Wildlife trade