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Ecology. Maryland Master Gardeners University of Maryland Extension. Ecology – the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment. Photo by Sylvan Kaufman. Scale. Global. Landscape. Ecosystem. Community. Population. Global Processes. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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EcologyMaryland Master Gardeners
University of Maryland Extension
Ecology – the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman
Scale
Global
Landscape
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Climate change and sea level rise
2006 flood at Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely, MDPhoto by Sylvan Kaufman
Terrestrial Biomes
Image from www.somers.k12.ny.us
Maryland’s Physiographic Regions
Watershed
Image from www.dnr.state.md.us
Land Use in Maryland
Map from www.geog.umd.edu
Connections in the Landscape
Community and Habitat
• Community – The assemblage of all the species in a given area
• Habitat – The physical space providing the environment and resources needed by a population to survive and reproduce.
Great blue heron on a wood duck housePhoto by Sylvan Kaufman
Niche
• Niche – all of the specific environmental conditions and resources required for it to maintain a viable population.
Beans, swiss chard and alyssum
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman
Creating microclimates• Microclimate – climactic variation on a scale of
a few miles to a few inchesSlopeAspectElevationVegetation
Fallen logsBouldersBurrowsWaterGround color
Photos by Sylvan Kaufman
Water
Energy and Nutrients
PhotosynthesisCarbon dioxide + water → sugar + oxygen
Monarch caterpillar on butterfly milkweed
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman
Physiology
• How organisms carry out physical or chemical functions in the environment
Functional Groups
rabbits
Grouping by Interaction
Pollinators
Mycorrhizae
Dispersers
ParasitePhotos by Sylvan Kaufman and from www.wikipedia.org
Native Pollinators
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman; other photos www.wikipedia.org
Succession
Photos by Sylvan Kaufman
Disturbances
Photo from bugwood.orgPhoto from NASA
What is a species?
Sciurus caroliniensis, Eastern grey squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, red squirrel
Sciurus niger cinereus, Delmarva fox squirrel Photos from
wikipedia.org
Evolution
Image from biologyonline.org
Natural Selection
• Variation in traits among individuals in a population
• Characteristics are heritable - have genetic basis
• Ancestors leave different numbers of descendants based on interactions between the traits of the individual and its environment.
Genes
Image from exploringnature.org
Gene flow
Seeds
Rhizomes
Pollen
Photos by Sylvan Kaufman
Populations and Life History
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman
Plant Breeding
Photos from wikipedia.org
Straight species, cultivars, hybrids
Echinacea ‘Art’s Pride’E. purpurea x E. paradoxa
E. purpurea ‘Magnus’
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea paradoxa Photos from Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Ad for Roundup Ready corn for Phillipines from Pioneer.com
Rare Plants
Pink coreopsis, Coreopsis roseaPhoto by Sylvan Kaufman
Ecosystems
• Energy• Water• Biogeochemical – C and N
Energy flow through ecosystems
Food Webs
Image from exploringnature.org
Carbon Cycle
Image from physicalgeography.net
Human influences on C Cycle
Image from www.cmdl.noaa.gov
Consequences for Gardeners
• Initially more rapid plant growth until other resources (water, nutrients) limit growth
• Greater production of ragweed pollen• Greater toxicity in some plants like poison ivy• Shifts in plant ranges
The Hydrological Cycle
Image from physicalgeography.net
Effects of Development on Water Cycle• Increased surface area runoff (10 – 20% rural, 60-
70% urban)
• Decreased groundwater recharge• Increased use of groundwater• More rainfall reaches the ground• provision of man-made drainage systems (e.g.,
storm sewers, channels, detention ponds).
The Nitrogen Cycle
Image from physicalgeography.net
Terms used in the N Cycle
• Nitrogen fixation – conversion of gaseous N (N2) to solid forms of N (NH3) through biological processes (bacteria), lightning, and chemical processes
• Ammonification – conversion by bacteria of N from decaying organisms into ammonia (NH3)
• Nitrification – conversion by bacteria of ammonia (NH3) to nitrites (NO2) and nitrates (NO3)
• Denitrification – conversion of nitrate (NO3) to gaseous N (N2) by anaerobic bacteria
Human influences on N Cycle
• Increase in fixed N through production and application of chemical fertilizers and growing leguminous crops (e.g. soybeans)
• Nitrogen enrichment of soils from atmospheric N deposition, application of fertilizer, manure
• Increases in nitrate flow in streams and nitrous oxide losses to atmosphere through land clearing, deforestation
• Eutrophication (over-fertilization) of lakes• Animal husbandry releases ammonium to atmosphere• Release of nitrous oxides from oil and coal combustion
contributes to acid rain
Foot
prin
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wor
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Biodiversity
The Highline in NYC converts an old elevated railway to a native plant garden and walkway
Photo by Sylvan Kaufman
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