BIOL 4120BIOL 4120

Principles of EcologyPrinciples of Ecology

Dafeng HuiDafeng HuiOffice: Harned Hall 320Office: Harned Hall 320

Phone: 963-5777Phone: 963-5777Email: dhui@tnstate.eduEmail: dhui@tnstate.edu

Introduction of instructorIntroduction of instructor Education BackgroundEducation Background

• Ph.D. in Botany (Ecology), University of Ph.D. in Botany (Ecology), University of OklahomaOklahoma

• MS in Biostatistics and Quantitative MS in Biostatistics and Quantitative Genetics, Yangzhou University, PR ChinaGenetics, Yangzhou University, PR China

• BS in Agronomy, Yangzhou University, BS in Agronomy, Yangzhou University, PR ChinaPR China

Post-doc research experiencePost-doc research experience• University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma• Duke University (Field experiment)Duke University (Field experiment)• Auburn University (Modeling)Auburn University (Modeling)

Introduction (cont.)Introduction (cont.) My research interests My research interests

• Global change ecology (e.g., how elevated CO2 Global change ecology (e.g., how elevated CO2 and temperature influence plants and soils)and temperature influence plants and soils)

• Ecosystem ecology (carbon, water and nutrient Ecosystem ecology (carbon, water and nutrient cycling in grasslands, forests etc.)cycling in grasslands, forests etc.)

• Biostatistical applications in biological sciences Biostatistical applications in biological sciences (data analysis, synthesis)(data analysis, synthesis)

• Web pages: Web pages: http://faculty.tnstate.edu/dhui My teaching interestsMy teaching interests

• Biostatistics (or Biometry)Biostatistics (or Biometry)• Ecological modelingEcological modeling• EcologyEcology

Student informationStudent information Please introduce yourself:Please introduce yourself:

• Your nameYour name• Junior or senior?Junior or senior?• MajorMajor• Courses youCourses you’’ve taken that are relevant to ve taken that are relevant to

ecologyecology• Courses you have this semesterCourses you have this semester• Any other thing else you want to shareAny other thing else you want to share

Course informationCourse information

Office hours: MWF 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; T Th 12:00-2:30 pm; or by appointment

Textbook: Elements of Ecology, 6th ed., Smith, T. H. and Smith, R. L. 2006. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, Inc. ISBN10:  0805348301, ISBN13:  9780805348309

Lab manual: Ecology on Campus, 1st ed., Kingsolver, Robert. 2006. Person/Benjamin Cummings, Inc. ISBN10: 0805382143, ISBN13: 9780805382143

LecturesLectures

1.Preparation 1.Preparation –– read read the textbookthe textbook

2.Download and print 2.Download and print the lecture outline for the lecture outline for notes at notes at http://faculty.tnstate.edu/dhui/biol4120

3.Supplementary 3.Supplementary materials materials –– Dr. Dr. Ganter built a web Ganter built a web site for this course: site for this course: http://www.tnstate.edu/ganter/Ecology

Attendance Attendance

Required for both lecture and Required for both lecture and laboratorylaboratory

0.5 point for each absence (lecture)0.5 point for each absence (lecture)

Grading policyGrading policy The overall grade for the course will The overall grade for the course will

be based on the standard TSU point-be based on the standard TSU point-to-grade scale. to-grade scale.

The distribution of points is:The distribution of points is:• Exams:Exams:   50% 50%   • Final:Final:   10% 10%   • Laboratory:Laboratory:   25% 25%   • Presentation:Presentation:   10% 10%• Attendance: 5% Attendance: 5% 

Homework, Lab report, Exam, Paper and summary

0.1 What is ecology?0.2 Why do we need to study Ecology? 0.3 How to study ecology?

Introduction

0.1 What is Ecology ?

Ecology: ~ Greek word oikos (family household) +logy (study of)

The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environments.

Ernst Haeckel, 1866The study of the relationships, distribution, and abundance of organisms, or groups of organisms, in an environment. S.I. Dodson, 1998

What is Ecology What is Ecology NOTNOT??

Environmental Science (i.e., the study of Environmental Science (i.e., the study of man's effect on natural systems)man's effect on natural systems)

Environmentalism (activism, aim to Environmentalism (activism, aim to improving the environment).improving the environment).

Resource managementResource management• Wildlife Wildlife • FisheriesFisheries• Soil ResourcesSoil Resources• ForestryForestry

0.2 Why study Ecology?

Intellectual curiosity (explain phenomena)Intellectual curiosity (explain phenomena) Ecology has important impacts on everyone's Ecology has important impacts on everyone's

daily lives daily lives • Ecosystem services and goodsEcosystem services and goods

Huge impact of humans on global Huge impact of humans on global ecosystems--ecology holds key to predicting ecosystems--ecology holds key to predicting our future. our future.

to understand some of the natural laws that to understand some of the natural laws that impose limitations on the interaction of impose limitations on the interaction of organisms (including humans) with their organisms (including humans) with their living and nonliving environment. living and nonliving environment.

0.3 How to study ecology?

Ecology employs the scientific method. Ecology employs the scientific method.

scientific method scientific method is a system of is a system of observation that is "formalized", which observation that is "formalized", which means that it is done is such a way that means that it is done is such a way that one can reproduce the observations under one can reproduce the observations under the same conditions. the same conditions.

Scientific MethodScientific Method1.1. Make observations.Make observations.2.2. Generate a question (s)Generate a question (s)3.3. Generate a hypothesis (tentative answer)Generate a hypothesis (tentative answer)

- formulate a testable prediction- formulate a testable prediction4.4. Design an experiment to test the Design an experiment to test the

predictionprediction5.5. Accept or reject hypothesis. (Not Accept or reject hypothesis. (Not ““proveprove””))6.6. Start againStart again

Scientific MethodScientific Method

For Example: Productivity and nutrient (N) in prairie For Example: Productivity and nutrient (N) in prairie grasslands of North Americagrasslands of North America

Observation and HypothesisObservation and HypothesisData collection, TestData collection, Test

(observational, laboratory and field experiments, modeling)

Field experimentField experiment

Cedar Creek LTER site, Uni. Of Minnesota (Fig. 1.3)

experiments have some elements in common:

Treatment Groups: nitrogen, irrigation; number of species etc

Control Groups: no N applied

Randomization: randomly assign a treatment to a plot

Replication: several plots for same treatment.

Estimation and predictionEstimation and prediction Models: Models:

• Abstract, simplified Abstract, simplified representations of representations of real systems.real systems.

• Conceptual model Conceptual model and mathematical and mathematical modelmodel

• Use mathematical Use mathematical model to estimate model to estimate and predict.and predict.

Are there any limitations to Are there any limitations to science? science?

Science is Self-Correcting Science is Self-Correcting • Science is limited by the ability of the Science is limited by the ability of the

scientists to collect and interpret scientists to collect and interpret data.data.

• New technology makes it possible for New technology makes it possible for science to correct misinterpreted science to correct misinterpreted data. data.

• Uncertainty is an inherent feature of Uncertainty is an inherent feature of sciencescience

Chapter 1. The nature of Ecology1.1 Ecology is organized into a hierarchical 1.1 Ecology is organized into a hierarchical

group of subdisciplines (branches)group of subdisciplines (branches)1.2 Hierarchical Organization and emergent 1.2 Hierarchical Organization and emergent

Properties Properties 1.3 Ecology is especially interdisciplinary. 1.3 Ecology is especially interdisciplinary.

1.1 Ecology is organized into a hierarchical group of subdisciplines

Individuals- living organisms, fundamental units of populations and communities

Populations- group of individuals of a species

Communities- an assemblages of species populations occurring together in space and timeEcosystems

- a collection of two related components (biotic and abiotic) that function as a unit.

EcosystemEcosystem Consists of two basic interacting Consists of two basic interacting

components:components:• The living, or The living, or bioticbiotic• The Physical, or The Physical, or abioticabiotic

An example An example • A forest ecosystemA forest ecosystem

Biotic: plants, animals, microbes that inhabit the Biotic: plants, animals, microbes that inhabit the forestforest

Abiotic: atmosphere, climate, soil, and waterAbiotic: atmosphere, climate, soil, and water Interaction: tree growths modify physical Interaction: tree growths modify physical

environment. Birds foraging on insects reduce insects environment. Birds foraging on insects reduce insects and species abundance and composition.and species abundance and composition.

Ecology of individualsIndividual organism forms the basic unit in ecology. It

is the individual that responds to the environment.

Behavioral ecology is the study of how behavior of individuals affects their ability to survive and reproduce. Since a population is composed of individuals behavior directly impacts population level phenomena, such as population growth rate

Physiological Ecology (or Autecology) is the study of how physical factors, such at temperature, moisture, and light, affect the survival and reproduction of individual organisms

Evolution Ecology is the study of environment influence on the evolution of organisms. Natural selection, evolution of populations.

Ecology of group of individualsPopulation ecology is the study of how groups of individuals

(belonging to the same species) grow (or shrink) and reproduce. Depending on the nature of the species, many factors (food availability, competition, predation etc.) may affect population growth.

Community ecology is the study of how populations from different species interact to mutually affect each population's growth and survival. Community structure and dynamics.

Landscape ecology – study spatial patterns and underlying mechanisms (patches in landscape, fragmented landscape, corridors).

Ecosystem ecology is the study of whole living systems, with focus on the flow of energy and biomass in large scale living systems.

Conservation ecology, restoration ecology, and global ecology.

1.2 Hierarchical Organization and Emergent Properties

Emergent Properties:Emergent Properties:• the set of phenomena that can be explained only the set of phenomena that can be explained only

by looking at a particular hierarchical levelby looking at a particular hierarchical level

• e.g.: is the growth of an individual the same as e.g.: is the growth of an individual the same as that in a group of many (population)? that in a group of many (population)?

The principle is a more formal statement of The principle is a more formal statement of ““the the whole is more (or less) than the sum of the partswhole is more (or less) than the sum of the parts””. .

ScalingScaling

1.3 Ecology is especially interdisciplinary

An example, Ecology of Forest Birds: Using field study to test theory (what allows them to co-exist?)

Robert MacArthur: competition (1958)

Douglass Morse (1980, 1989):

The EndThe End