1. An Introduction to Ecology

2. What is Ecology?
= study of the interactions between living things and the physical environment

3. Levels of Ecological Study
How do individuals interact with each other and their environment?
How and why does population size change over time?
Organismal – salmon migrate from saltwater to freshwater environments to breed
Population - each female salmon produces thousands of eggs; only a few survive to adulthood, on average, only two will return to stream of their birth
Community – salmon are prey as well as predators
Ecosystem – salmon die and then decompose, releasing nutrients that are used bby bacteria, plants, young salmon and other organisms
How do energy and nutrients cycle through the environment?
How do species interact and what are the consequences?

4. Examine the set of pictures at your table. For each picture, consider…
1. Why are these organisms found in this particular environment?
2. What factors might determine the number of organisms found in this particular environment?

5. deep sea vent community
Group 1
Tube worms in a
deep sea vent community
Coral and fish in the
Great Barrier Reef

6. Largemouth bass in a stream community
Group 2
Dolphin in an
ocean community
Largemouth bass in a stream community

7. Group 3
Polar bear in
arctic community
Grizzly bear in Canada

8. Bromeliad in tropical rain forest
Group 4
Cactus in Arizona
Bromeliad in tropical rain forest

9. Group 5
Trees
Grass and shrubs

10. Why are Organisms Found Where They Are?
(Biogeography)
Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors
Dispersal / Historical Factors

11. Abiotic Factors – Aquatic Ecosystems: 1. Nutrient Availability
Wind blows along coastline; because the earth rotates constantly, this wind-driven water current is slowly moved offshore. As the surface water moves away from the coast, it is steadily replaced by water moving up from the ocean bottom; upwelling water is nutrient rich  helps recycle nutrients

12. Abiotic Factors – Aquatic Ecosystems: 1. Nutrient Availability
Wind blows along coastline; because the earth rotates constantly, this wind-driven water current is slowly moved offshore. As the surface water moves away from the coast, it is steadily replaced by water moving up from the ocean bottom; upwelling water is nutrient rich  helps recycle nutrients

13. Abiotic Factors – Aquatic Ecosystems: 2
Abiotic Factors – Aquatic Ecosystems: 2. Water Depth / Light Penetration
Light has major influence on productivity – the total amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis per unit area per year

14. Abiotic Factors – Aquatic Ecosystems: 3. Water Movement

15. Biome = major grouping of plant and animal communities
Abiotic Factors – Terrestrial Ecosystems 1. Precipitation and 2. Temperature
Biome = major grouping of plant and animal communities

16. The World’s Biomes In your group…
Summarize type of plant and animal life found in your biome
Explain why these species are found there (precipitation and temperature)

17. Biotic Factors
Tsetse fly carry a parasite that causes trypanosomiasis, which is fatal to cattle

18. Biotic Factors

19. Dispersal / Historical Factors

20. Dispersal / Historical Factors
Kudzu, originally from Asia, is an invasive species

21. Why are species found where they are?
In Summary…
Why are species found where they are?
Abiotic Factors
Aquatic – nutrients, depth, flow
Terrestrial – moisture and temperature
Biotic Factors
Dispersal / Historical Factors
So how can we figure out what is playing the most significant factor in determining
an organism’s range?

22. In Your Group… What question were they trying to answer?
How did they attempt to answer the question?
What did they find out?