Ecology

Ecology, defined BBECPO Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment. BBECPO

Big Take-Away BBECPO and Intro to Ecology What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? BBECPO

Biomes “The world's major communities, classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment" 

Biodiversity A term given to the variety of life on Earth. It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems within which they live and interact.

Big Take-Away Biomes What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? General characteristics of a biome Biodiversity

Ecosystem All the organisms in a given area (“biotic” factors) as well as the abiotic factors with which they interact. One more communities and the physical environment around them.

What factors can affect the health and balance of an ecosystem? Abiotic Factors are non-living conditions or things that may influence an ecosystem and the organisms living within it. Examples: Biotic Factors are any living or once-living organisms that may influence an ecosystem and its organisms.

Debrief, The Fish and the Forest List 4 abiotic (non-living) factors that help this ecosystem stay stable. List 4 biotic factors (living) that help this ecosystem stay stable. Interdependence is defined as a relationship in which each member is mutually dependent on the others. This concept differs from a dependent relationship, where some members are dependent on others, while others can function without the help or influence of others. In this story, what is one example of an interdependent relationship? Provide a quote from the story to support your answer. To an outsider, partially eaten fish by bears appears like it is a waste of a good resource. Why is this not the case? Provide a quote from the text to support your answer. If bears were removed from this ecosystem, what could be one impact on the birds that are part of this ecosystem? What about on the plants of this ecosystem? Provide a quote from the text to support your answer.

Big Take-Away Ecosystems What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Abiotic factors / Biotic factors Interdependence

Biogeochemical/Nutrient Cycles Nitrogen Cycle Cycling of N2 gas, NO3 nitrates, N(etc) protein, NH3 ammonia Biotic and abiotic reservoirs Nitrogen fixation Carbon Cycle Cycling of CO2 and C6H12O6 glucose Carbon fixation Water Cycle Cycling of H2O water in biotic and abiotic reservoirs

What do you notice about the path of nitrogen? Write a series of places it travels, and in what forms. What are 2 abiotic reservoirs of nitrogen? In what form(s) does nitrogen occur in each reservoir? How does nitrogen change from one form to the other? Is there a biotic influence on its change of forms? If so, what?

Big Take-Away Ecosystems What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Nitrogen Cycle

Communities One “community” refers to all populations (i.e., various species) living together, interacting with each other, in a shared space.

Competes for space with Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Great Blue Heron Supplies energy to Lives in Becomes Chinook Salmon Smolts Competes for space with Isopods California Mussel Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Snails Dungeness Crab Acorn Barnacle Eelgrass Polychaete Worms Zooplankton Phyto-plankton Detritus Diatoms

The Effect of the Introduction of: The Japanese Mudsnail, a non-native, invasive species Shoreline Development (humans!!)

Competes for space with Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Great Blue Heron Japanese Mudsnail: - Eat diatoms - Stir mud into water Supplies energy to Lives in Becomes Chinook Salmon Smolts Competes for space with Isopods California Mussel Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Snails Dungeness Crab Acorn Barnacle Eelgrass Polychaete Worms Zooplankton Phyto-plankton Detritus Diatoms

Shoreline Development Competes for space with Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Great Blue Heron Supplies energy to Shoreline Development - Force of water due to sea wall rips up eelgrass beds Lives in Becomes Chinook Salmon Smolts Competes for space with Isopods California Mussel Wrinkled Whelk (Snail) Snails Dungeness Crab Acorn Barnacle Eelgrass Polychaete Worms Zooplankton Phyto-plankton Detritus Diatoms

Big Take-Away Communities What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Interactions Changes to system (invasive species, humans, etc)

Community Interactions Predator-Prey Competition Symbiosis sym = together bio = life/living Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism

Predators and Prey Predation: an interaction between species in which one species, the predator, uses the other, the prey, for energy. Predation is not to be confused with parasitism, in which one organism feeds on the cell contents, tissues, or body fluid of another species (the host). Parasites harm but usually do not kill their host.

Competition An interaction in which 2 or more species compete for resources due to inhabiting a shared space. Think siblings! Both species tend to experience some disadvantage. Whether it be for food, living space, shelter, or for girls attention at college parties.

Symbiotic Relationships “sym” = together “biotic” = life related Types Mutualism + + Commensalism + 0 Parasitism + - Predation + -

Mutualism An interaction where both symbiotic organisms benefit. + / +

Commensalism An interaction where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected. + / 0

Parasitism + / - An interaction where one organism benefits (the parasite) and the other is at a disadvantage (the host).

The Queen of Trees Explain how the story about the queen of trees represents an ecosystem OR a community. Provide an example to support your explanation. How does the sycamore fig provide for the ecosystem? Provide 1-2 clear examples of the resources it supplies the other living and non-living components of that ecosystem.

Big Take-Away Communities What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Community Interactions Predator/Prey Competition Symbioses (Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism)

Food Chains and Trophic Levels The word trophic derives from the Greek trophē referring to “food” or “feeding”. The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain. A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are, in turn, eaten themselves. Explain what is being shown here. Where might humans fit?

Food Webs

Food Web: Yellowstone National Park What could happen if the elk population was removed? What could happen if the strawberry plant was removed? If the Idaho fescue was removed, what organisms may be directly affected? Indirectly affected? Why? What could happen if the grizzly bear was removed?

Discuss with neighbors: Use examples from The Fish and the Forest, The Queen of Trees, or the Estuary Community to complete the following. List one member for each trophic level: Primary Producer: Primary Consumer: Secondary Consumer: Tertiary Consumer:

Your Task – 5 minutes Read textbook excerpt, Energy Supply Limits the Length of Food Chains Approximately how much energy (percentage-wise) is used or lost as heat as we move up the food chain? Why are food chains limited to only 4-5 trophic levels?

What would an appropriate title be, incorporating the terms energy and production?

Food Chains vs. Food Webs Compare and Contrast

Ecological communities with higher biodiversity form more complex trophic paths. The greater the biodiversity, the more stable the ecosystem. Why do you think this is the case?

Shifting Gears… If you traced a radioactive carbon atom from the primary producer level, could it end up in the eagle? Why or why not?

Observe both diagrams. What do they have in common?

The concepts of bioaccumulation and/or toxic magnification is shown in the images. Make a statement that explains this phenomenon. How might the cycle of this matter affect the health of an ecosystem?

Big Take-Away Communities What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Food Chains Food Webs 10% Rule Bioaccumulation

Reintroduction of the Wolves in Yellowstone National Park Discuss: Why were wolves removed from Yellowstone National Park beginning in 1914 and ending with the last wolf killed in 1944? What started occurring in 1980 to resume the balance back to the park? It has now been 2-3 decades since wolves were reintroduced back into Yellowstone. What changes do you think biologists have observed in the park? Are these healthy or unhealthy?

Do you think it would have been better for the ecosystem if more wolves had been introduced in 1995? Why or why not? Explain why the wolf population declined after 2000. In which year was elk starvation greatest? From the data any your knowledge of ecology, explain why so many elk died that year? Predict what might have happened if hunters had been allowed to kill half of the wolf population in 2005. Is wolf predation a limiting factor or a controlling factor? For which animal? What other factors control or limit elk population? How does the size of the elk population influence the number of wolves in the park? If no hunting is allowed, what natural mechanisms would control the size of the wolf population?

Describe the relationship you see between the predator and its prey.

Trends?

Removing the keystone of an arch causes it to collapse. Keystone Species: A species in an ecosystem which has tremendous importance in stabilizing an ecosystem in spite of the fact that the species is not very abundant. - Its removal has a cascade effect on countless other species in the ecosystem. - Not to be confused with dominant species, which describes the most common (abundant) species in an ecosystem. Removing the keystone of an arch causes it to collapse.

Big Take-Away Communities What did we do? What are some big take-aways surrounding these ideas? Predator-Prey Relationships Unintended Consequences Keystone Species

Populations A group of members of a certain species (i.e., can interbreed and reproduce fertile offspring) that living in the same area. This is different from community, which describes multiple populations/species living in the same area. “Whoa that is a huge population of Homo sapiens hanging out at Alderwood Mall on a Saturday”

Populations Things we examine in populations: Population Growth (graphs) Population Density Limiting Factors Carrying Capacity

Pasture Profits The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment. Thanks and nicely said, Wikipedia!  What is the relationship between resources and carrying capacity in a particular ecosystem?

Population Density How many organisms of one population occupy an area. “Whoa, I think that the population density of Homo sapiens in Mill Creek is far less than that of the population density of Homo sapiens in China” Population = # of individuals in a population Density Area (square miles)

# of individuals in a population / Area (square miles) Try these… Population Density = # of individuals in a population / Area (square miles) Calculate the human population density of: A town that is 25 square miles and has a population of 8,341. The United States, which has an area of 3,539,225 square miles and a population of 298,444,215. China, which has an area of 3,705,000 square miles and a population of 1,357,000,000. A town that is 3.6 square miles and has a population of 18,828.

The Mystery of Easter Island What happened to the population of humans on the island over time? What factors limited the growth of the human population?

Observe the 2 graphs showing different populations carrying capacity Observe the 2 graphs showing different populations carrying capacity. What is the difference? What does this tell you about carrying capacities?

Limiting Factors

Discuss: What conditions are necessary for populations to increase rapidly?

Can we fit in one last topic? How does an ecosystem “begin”? Think about what it means to be an ecosystem and what it takes to get there. Discuss and share out in 3 minutes.

Ecological Succession What is it? Ecological Succession The process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time Primary Succession Occurs in essentially lifeless areas. Soil is incapable of sustaining life. Follows lava flows, newly formed sand dunes, or rocks left from a retreating glacier Secondary Succession Occurs in areas where a community that previously existed has been removed Caused by smaller-scale disturbances that do not eliminate all life and nutrients from the environment. Soil still in tact. Animation