ECOLOGY

Another dimension of Biodiversity is how recognizable associations of organisms inhabit the same place as ecosystemsUnderstanding these associations is the subject of Ecology

For example, coral reefs are distinctive aggregations of species found on some tropical coastlines.The reefs themselves are built by animals - the reef building corals (Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia) - photosynthesize (via endosymbiotic cyanobacteria), also feed on small animals in water (zooplankton) - grow clonally, plant-like - deposit a bone-like calcium carbonate (CaCO3) structure keeps them near surface the reef

Can build huge shelves of coral offshore barrier reefs

This animation shows the dynamic process of coral atoll formation. Corals (represented in tan and purple) settle and grow around an oceanic island, forming a fringing reef. In favorable conditions, the reef will expand, and the interior island will subside. Eventually the island completely subsides beneath the water, leaving a ring of growing coral with an open lagoon in its center. The process of atoll formation may take as long as 30,000,000 years to occur.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AtollOr other forms, e.g. Atolls

Coral reef systems are very diverse many other species live in and around reefVarious reef systems around the world, contain different species, but similar mixes of types readily classified as coral reefs

Some contribute to reef building (Corraline Algae), some just live there (shrimp, crabs, fish), some even eat coral and damage the reef (Polychaetes, sponges, starfish). If this is a system, what kind of system is it?Nice tour: http://www.biosbcc.net/ocean/marinesci/04benthon/crzone.htm

In other tropical coastal areas Mangrove swamps- coastal forests, held together by tree roots- specialized salt water tolerant trees

- diverse & unique aquatic & terrestrial community

- Mangrove not a taxonomic group, various groups all converged on similar adaptations e.g. _____________- Mangrove systems throughout the world, different species, similar mix of types readily classified as Mangroves

Red coral reefs, Green Mangroves, Blue Lakes, Rivers, Ocean

Bare rock shores - rocky intertidal system - simple communities, few species

- seaweeds (algae), barnacles, mussels, snails, starfish

- tidal ________, tide poolsRocky intertidal systems worldwide, similar but different species

Coastal Salt Marshes - river enters sea estuaries, mix of salt and freshwater - extensive stands of plants, many organisms

Open Ocean

Deep Sea

Fresh Water systemsRivers, streams, lakes, ponds, marshes

By the way, why ARE oceans salty? The hydrologic cycle- Water evaporates, leaves salt behind

Salts are dissolved ionsIons come from ____ weathered by rain2.2 lbs of it for every cubic foot of seawater (taken out and spread across land 500 ft thick)

- So should be all kinds of stuff in seawater (there is, but most in very small amounts, e.g. gold) - Should be like concentrated ______ water but its not why? >85% is sodium & chloride (Na+,Cl-) table salt, also (Mg, S, K) - Life alters ocean chemistry - organisms remove a bunch of thingsbut NOT NaCl (Ca - Foramnifera, Si - Diatoms) http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm

Of course we went for a float in the water. This is a must do for anyone coming to Israel. The water in the Dead Sea is some 5x more salty than sea water. In addition, it is laden with many other minerals. The Israelis claim soaking in its waters is healthy and is a good treatment for any skin problem. When you climb in, you can feel the buoyancy immediately. You feel oily and realize that you're not walking over sand but salt. It tastes really bad and you can see minerals precipitating out of the water. Along the beach is a white crust of salt. We drove for a while down the other side of the sea where they harvest the minerals and it actually makes the water look pretty disgusting. Anyway the water is incredibly buoyant. Everyone just floats on top of the water. It's so buoyant that you can spin or lift your leg out of the water. You're only supposed to soak 20-30 minutes so we also did some quality lazing on the beach which was a nice break. There was the guy who panicked in knee deep water and thought he was drowning until he stood up ... in knee high water. The new sensation of super buoyancy was a blast and the most fun I have had wading about in years. It made me feel like a little kid again Michael Kanhttp://www.kan.org/michael/mideast/mideast3.html

Salt important for currents affect ________, salinity varies across globe (but composition constant, variable concentration)http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/occi/currenttopics/abruptclimate_rcurry_pr_en1.htmlGlobal warming increasing tropical salinity higher evaporation, affect ocean currents

Terrestrial SystemsDeserts

Grasslands

Forests

Patterns simple questions - diverse specieswhy so many? why not just one? - species limited in distributionwhy here, not there? why not same species everywhere? - mixture of kinds of species (bacteria, plants, fungi, animals)how do they coexist, interact? - characteristic assemblages (convergence) different species, but similarwhy particular associations? - found in similar types of places, similar climateswhat is role of environment?

What is Ecology?The study of biological organization at and above the level of the organism. (one definition)What are __________________?BiosphereEcosystemCommunityPopulationOrganismOrganTissueCellOrganelleMolecule2-7Ecology

Peel the Orange

So _________ refers to all the Organisms of different species living in the same place as well as the non-living part of the Environment they utilize and live in. The organisms exist as ___________ multiple members of a species, that interact with other populations to form a ________ the array of interacting populations in a place. The Biosphere is the aggregate of all linked ecosystems of the earth. Ecosystems not clearly bounded, generally linked to each other

The term ______ refers to widespread ecosystem types (generally terrestrial) such as deserts, grasslands etc. So biome is more of a category rather than a real thing.The equivalent in aquatic systems is ___________ (such as lakes, streams, open ocean, coral reefs, estuaries, etc.)3-5/3-6

BiosphereEcosystemCommunityPopulationOrganismOrganTissueCellOrganelleMoleculeEcologists study emergent properties of all these levels Study at any particular level usually requires simplification of the lower/deeper levels_____________ is studied at multiple levels genetic (population), species (community), functional (ecosystem), habitat (landscape, biosphere)Organism ___________, time budgetPopulation growth rate, carrying capacityCommunity diversity, ___________Ecosystem _________, nutrient cyclingBiosphere ____________, atmosphere

Organisms are organized for ecological successGenomes, organ systems, physiology, growth, behavior, etc. are highly integrated to serve the survival and reproduction of the ________________ (fitness).Organisms

OrganismsPredator senses

OrganismsPrey defenses

Plants in the desert are adapted to reduce water lossOrganismsSmall, thick leavesOr no leavesOr store it

OrganismsMany desert animals (esp. seed eaters) never drinkVarious adaptations to reduce water loss (reduced urine, feces, etc.) But where do they get it?Read more: http://www.desertusa.com/survive.html

Integrated organisms, the autocatalysts, are the basic components of processes at the higher levels. Analogous to individuals in economic theory.Individuals determine processes at higher levels but they dont, cant, exist ________________Organisms

What organizes biology above the level of the organism?At the population level mainly ______________________.Population all the individuals of the same species in the same place, generally with the potential to ____________________.Populations_______ the sum of all populations of a species defines the distribution of a species in space.

Populations are _________ inputs and outputsGrowth has ___________ potential, but growth _______ as population increases carrying capacityPopulation growth = Inputs (births, immigrants) outputs (emigrants, deaths)PopulationsCarrying capacity - Competition resource depletion agonistic interactions - Increased enemies - density dependent 4-7/4-5

Density ____________factors - Real populations bounce around a lot, within bounds - Environmental fluctuations climate, food, enemies - Can lead to population extinction, esp. small pops

Population regulation important for _____________- species extinction, protection _________- species introductions _____________- species harvest ________________ yieldHarvest growth curves imply maximum growth at ____________ population densities- too low, few individuals to reproduce, despite high reproductive capacity- too many (near carrying capacity), low reproductive capacity per individual.Pop GrowthDensityPopulations

________________ populations distributed in spacePopulation viability may depend on other nearby populations that share migrantsSources vs. Sinks - any particular population may appear healthy, but may depend on healthier population nearby.Populations

SocialityIn animals, populations may be subdivided into social groupsKey feature ___________ conspecifics (members of the same species) acting in concert to increase success (fitness).____________ amongst competitors helping behaviors evolve through direct benefits and reproductive benefitsTwo main benefits _________ and _________often social groups benefit in bothtemporary or permanentoften internal structure- dominance hierarchies- eusociality caste systemsPopulations

Flocks, herdsPopulations_________ gatheringSafety in ____________

PopulationsCooperative hunting

http://www.discoverlife.org/ap/PopulationsFood ________Social ____________Defense against ____________Role differentiation _________ hierarchies

PopulationsRole differentiationEusocial _________ queens, workers, soldiers

The Niche ConceptTraits of each species determine success or failureThe characteristics of the environment where a particular species succeeds define its niche includes both _____ and _____ componentsClimate (temperature, moisture, etc.)Resources (food, reproductive sites, etc.)Predators, diseases, etc.Major idea Niche ecological limits of a species - map of organisms in physical space/time to ________________PopulationsGoal - to understand the distribution and abundance of individuals of a species (populations) in space and time (another definition of ecology)

2-12/2-13Populations

Niches are measured and depicted graphically on niche axesaxis dimension of ecological spaceNiches may be broad, narrow, overlapping,and _______________Axis AAxis BPopulations

Populations

4-3/4-1The niche of a given species is also shaped by interactions with _______________ can limit the nichePopulationsMacArthurs Warblers classic example of similar species utilizing similar habitat. Competition between individuals of different species possible.

Similar species can co-exist more readily if they utilize different portions of shared niche axes have different niches (determined by traits)So, an organisms integrated traits (genes) allow success or determine failure of a population in any particular ecosystem Both the possibilities and limits for survivalPopulations/CommunitiesCoastal wetland