1. REWM 3500
Friday, August 28, 2009
Organizing concepts in physiological plant ecology
I. Reductionism and holism in ecology
II. Physiological ecology and the distribution of organisms
III. Plant responses to “stress”

2. I. Reductionism and holism in ecology

3. II. Physiological ecology and the distribution of organisms

4. Multiple limiting resources is the reality

5. Excess of resources (toxic) Multiple limiting resources
Single limiting resource
Figure 5.03 – Taiz and Zeiger 2006

6. Tolerance to environmental extremes

7. The biotic “filter”
Grown alone
Grown together

8. Response to stress in plants
From Lambers, Chapin and Pons 1998

9. Population adaptation to environmental temperature
From Lambers, Chapin and Pons 1998

10. Ecotypes - locally adapted populations
From Lambers, Chapin and Pons 1998

11. Terms to know: Reductionism Holism
Organismal theory of community organization
Individualistic theory of community organization
Historical filter
Physiological filter
Biotic filter
Microenvironment
Liebig’s law of the minimum
Law of [multiple] limiting factors
Law of tolerance
Optimal vs realized distribution (physiological vs ecological amplitude)
Homeostasis
Stress
Stress response
Acclimation
Phenotypic plasticity
Adaptation
Stress resistance
Stress tolerance
Stress avoidance