Chapter 2: Ecology

What is Ecology?

• The study of how organisms interact with each other and the environment

• Humans have been students of ecology for a long time

Components of Ecology

• Ecology Includes:– Species Interactions– Distribution and Abundance of organisms– Reactions Adaptation

) ) ) ) ) )

2 Factors Addressed by Ecologists

• Abiotic (non-living)

• Biotic

• Can you think of some examples?

Ecological Niche Theory

• Niche- An organisms role in its environment– Describes when, where, and how a species

makes its living.

Classification of Species Interactions

• Competition

• Predation

• Commensalism

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

Competition (-,-)

= One individual gets resource @ expense of another individual

• Requirements– Limited Resources

• Types– Interspecific Competition– Intraspecific Competition

Competitive Exclusion Principle

Paramecium caudatum

Paramecium aurelia

Competitive Exclusion Principle(Gause 1934)

• Two species cannot coexist if they occupy the same niche

Is Competitive Exclusion the Only Answer?

• Resource Partitioning is another option

MacArthur’s warblers (1958)

Robert MacArthur

Left to right: Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, and Bay-breasted Warblers. Black areas in stylized conifers show where feeding is concentrated.

Predation (+,-)

• One organism kills and eats another organism **

• Are deer predators?

** Note: this definition is different (better) than the definition in your textbook. Go with this one.

Commensalism (+,0)

Mutualism (+,+)

Parasitism (+,-)

Chapter 20: Ecosystems

What is an Ecosystem?

Food Web

Water Cycle

Carbon Cycle

Climate

• What causes the existence of different climates?

• Are the terms “weather” and “climate” synonymous?

Earth’s Shape & Orbit Influence Climate

Wind Patterns

Rain Shadow

Ocean Currents