1. Excellent and Exciting Ecology
Chapter 52 ~ An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere
I am the Lorax.
I speak for the trees.
I speak for the trees,
for the trees have no tongues.

2. Vocabulary
Ecology: the study of interactions between organisms and their environments

4. Global Climate Climate is the long term prevailing weather in an area
Temperature, precipitation, sunlight and wind
Macroclimate – global, regional patterns
Microclimate – very fine, localized pattern (i.e. conditions beneath a fallen log

5. Intensity and angle of sunlight affect climate
Sunlight strikes tropics most directly
More heat and light per unit of Surface area (SA)
Poles (higher latititude) – strikes at oblique angle
What are some differences in the ecology of tropics vs. poles? 5

6. Air Circulation and Wind Patterns affect climate
Solar radiation near equator sets up patterns of air circulation and precipitation
Remember – high temp = evaporation – warm air rises and loses water (rain)
Dry Air mass falls at 30° - (desert here)
Air flows toward poles (60 °) and release water again
Dry air flows at poles leaving cold, dry conditions 6

8. Ocean currents influence climate along coasts
Ocean currents heat or cool air masses
coasts – generally wetter than inland at same latitude
High specific heat of water helps moderate climate

9. Mountains affect sunlight, temperature and rainfall
Windward side - air rises and releases moisture – causes leeward side – drier
South facing slopes in N. hemisphere get more sunlight – warmer and drier 9

10. Summarize how air circulation, sunlight, and ocean currents can affect the global climate.
Predict what might happen if there were a change in the precipitation level in a certain area. (long lasting)

11. American Beech case study
Seeds do not have wings and have not moved rapidly Northward since the last ice age (only .2 km per year).
As Earth temps increase, the distribution will have to shift north in order for the trees to survive (7-9 km per year)
What might happen to the tree population if human’s do not assist in the movement to new habitat

13. Biomes Major terrestrial or aquatic life zones
Characterized by vegetation type and physical environment

15. Tropical Forest Found near equator
Rainfall constant ( cm annually)
Air Temperature high year-round (25-29˚ C)
Vertical layering with canopy

17. Desert 30 ˚ North and south latitude
Precipitation low and variable (less than 30 cm per year
Temp varies by season and daily (not always hot in the desert)
Adaptations include water conservation/storage

19. Savanna Found near equator Rainfall averages 30-50 cm per year
Dry season can be 8-9 months
Temp warm year round
Scattered trees, many grasses
(Think Lion King )

21. Chaparral Mid-latitude coastal regions Seasonal Precipitation
Rainy winters, long dry summers
Shrubs, small trees
Adaptations to drought and fire

23. Temperate Grassland Seasonal precipitation Dry winters, wet summers
Periodic drought is common
Cold winters, hot summers
Grasses
Large grazing mammals (bison)

25. Coniferous Forest (Taiga)
Northern North America and Eurasia
Cold, long winters, hot summers
Cone bearing trees
Migratory birds, moose, brown bears

27. Temperate Broadleaf Forest
Mid-latitudes in Northern hemisphere
cm of rain annually
Cold winters, hot humid summers
Closed canopy
Deciduous trees (lose leaves in winter)

29. Tundra Arctic regions High winds, low temperatures
20-60 cm of precipitation
Long, cold winters, short summers with low temperatures
Permafrost – permanently frozen layer of soil

32. Aquatic Biomes Marine (salt water) – averages 3% salt concentration
Fresh Water – less that 0.1% salt concentration

33. Vertical Stratification
Photic zone – light for photosynthesis
Aphotic zone – little light available
Benthic Zone – bottom of all aquatic zones
Benthos – community of organisms in benthic zone
Detritus – dead organic matter that falls down from upper zone – gives food to benthos
Thermocline – narrow layer of abrupt temperature change – cyles oxygen and nutrients

35. Standing Bodies of Water
Lake Classification
Oligotrophic – nutrient poor and oxygen rich
Eutrophic – nutrient rich and oxygen poor in deepest areas

37. Wetlands
Habitat that is inundated with water at least some of the time
•Plants adapted to water saturated soil
Low oxygen levels

39. Moving Bodies of Water Rivers and streams
Nutrient content depends on overhanging vegetation – usually high oxygen content because of turbulence
Headwater – cold, clear, turbulent
Downstream – warmer, more turbid (cloudy)

41. Estuary Transition area between river and sea
Seawater enters during rising tide and returns to sea when tide falls
Organisms must be able tolerate both salt/fresh water

43. Intertidal Zone Happens twice daily on marine shores
Variation in temperature, salinity and air exposure

45. Ocean Pelagic
Open blue water constantly mixed by wind driven oceanic currents
70% of Earth’s surface

47. Coral Reefs Formed from calcium carbonate skeletons of corals
Found mainly in tropical marine areas
Need high oxygen levels

49. Marine Benthic Zone
Seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal zone and pelagic zone
Receives no sunlight
Water temperature declines with depth
Chemoautotrophic prokaryotes are producers in deep sea hydrothermal vents

51. Interactions Between Organisms and Environment
Biotic – living components of the environment (other species) that can affect microclimate
Predation
Parasitism
Competition
Disease

52. Interactions Between Organisms and Environment
Abiotic: non-living components that can affect microclimate
Temperature
Light
Water
Nutrients
Salinity
Rocks/Soil

53. Dispersal Movement of individuals away from their area of origin
Contributes to global distribution of organisms

55. Urchin case study
Question – does feeding by sea urchins limit seaweed distribution?
Experiment – Tested %seaweed cover in an area under different conditions:
Both limpets and urchins present
Only removing limpits
Only removing urchins
Removing both limpits and urchins

57. Which scenario cause the greatest increase in %seaweed cover?
Which organism (limpit or urchin) affected the % seaweed cover the most?
Write two sentences using the graph to explain your answer.