D.N.A Objective: SWBAT propose an “Ecology Intervention” for an ecological issue of their choosing and prepare a statement to Congress The organic and inorganic materials in all the organisms in the diagram will eventually return to the environment by the action of (A) decomposers (B) producers (C) primary consumers (D) secondary consumers (E) top carnivores Use the diagram of the food web to identify the placement of each of the following trophic levels Primary producer Omnivore Decomposer Top Carnivore

D.N.A Objective: SWBAT explain the relationship between species richness, equability, and diversity. An overlap in the niches of two species will most frequently result in (A) interspecific cooperation (B) a hybridization of species (C) a mutualistic symbiotic relationship (D) an increase in the biomass (E) interspecific competition Competitive exclusion is most likely to occur between two (A) closely related species occupying different niches (B) closely related species occupying the same niche (C) related species occupying different habitats (D) unrelated species occupying different niches (E) populations of the same species

organism population Community Ecology community ecosystem biosphere

Community Ecology Community Community Ecology all the organisms that live together in a place interactions Community Ecology study of interactions among all populations in a common environment To answer: In what way do the populations interact?

Four key characteristics of a community 1. Species diversity 2. Dominant species 3. Response to disturbances 4. Trophic structure

Niche An organism’s niche is its ecological role habitat = address vs. niche = job High tide Competitive Exclusion If Species 2 is removed, then Species 1 will occupy whole tidal zone. But at lower depths Species 2 out-competes Species 1, excluding it from its potential (fundamental) niche. Species 1 Low tide Chthamalus sp. Species 2 Fundamental niches Realized niches Semibalanus sp.

Niche & competition Competitive Exclusion No two similar species can occupy the same niche at the same time

Interspecific interactions Symbiotic interactions competition (-/-) compete for limited resource competitive exclusion! predation / parasitism (-/+) mutualism (+/+) lichens (algae & fungus) commensalism (+/0) barnacles attached to whale

Mutualism OPEN WIDE: A cleaner shrimp reaches into a moray eel's mouth. The shrimp uses its claws to pick stuff off the eel's body. That can include dead skin, tiny pieces of food, and even little creatures that can hurt the fish.

Bats get food from the flower. Seeds come out in bat poop. Mutualism Example 2: Bats get food from the flower. Seeds come out in bat poop.

More examples of Commensalism Clownfish hide in poisonous sea anemones which protect them from larger fish. The clownfish benefit, and nothing happens to the sea anemones.

Parasitism Female mosquito feasting on human blood.

Predation drives evolution Predators adaptations locate & subdue prey Prey adaptations elude & defend Predation provides a strong selection pressure on both prey & predator horns, speed, coloration spines, thorns, toxins Predation provides a strong selective pressure on prey populations. Ay feature that would decrease the probability of capture should be strongly favored.

Anti-predator adaptations Hide from predators avoid detection camouflage Warn predators advertise how undesirable you are as prey aposematic coloration apo = away & sematic = sign/meaning Batesian mimicry Mullerian mimicry

Defense mechanisms Camouflage cryptic coloration whipporwill frog lizard lizard toad

Mimicry Convergent evolution Batesian mimicry green parrot snake palatable or harmless species mimics a harmful model Batesian mimicry green parrot snake Hawkmoth larva puffs up to look like poisonous snake hawkmoth larvae

Which is the fly vs. the bee? Which is the moth vs. the bee? Convergent evolution Batesian mimicry Monarch male poisonous Viceroy male edible Which is the fly vs. the bee? Which is the moth vs. the bee? fly bee moth bee

Mullerian mimicry two or more protected species look like each other - group defense? - predators may evolve innate avoidance

Common warning coloration Aposematic species come to resemble each other black, red, orange & yellow means: DON’T EAT ME!

Coral snake is poisonous King snake is not Red on yellow, poison fellow; red on black, safe from attack

Species diversity greater diversity = greater stability Greater biodiversity offers: more food resources more habitats more resilience in face of environmental change