Introduction to Ecology

Lecturer: Dr. Darrel L. MurrayE-mail: To: dmurray@uic.edu RE: BioS 101-……Office Hrs: 12-1pm MWFOffice Location: 3472 SESReadings: Freeman Chapter 50 (pages 1144-1156)

Webpage:http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios101/MurrayMolumbia07.htm

Ecology

• The study of interactions of living things with each other and their physical environment.

• Ecological events occur within a time frame of one to several generations.

Ecologists Study

• Populations-- A group of individuals that interact while seeking resources or producing offspring.

• Communities -- An assemblage of populations of different species.

• Biomes -- Large geographic regions that have similar vegetation and climate.

• Biosphere -- The living portion of planet earth.

Questions Ecologists Ask

• Why certain species of plants or animals are present at some times or places and not others?

• What factors influence abundance?

• What path does matter and energy follow in moving from one living thing to another?

Ecologists Answer Questions By

• Careful Observations of Nature.

• Laboratory Experiments.• Mathematical Models.• Computer Simulations.• Controlled Field Experiments.

BIOME

• A collection of communities that share similar vegetation and climate.

• Occupies a large geographical area.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Biomes of the World

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Study the North American portion of map on page 1150 in Freeman.

Biomes of North America

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Climate of Biomes of North America

• Climate is the prevailing long term weather of a given region.

• Weather is the day to day atmospheric conditions of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and wind.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Climate Characteristics of a Deciduous (Temperate)

Forest• The current climate of the Chicago region is that of a Deciduous Forest Biome.

• Past climate favored a (Temperate) Grassland Biome. Hence, the prevalence of prairies prior to the 1850’s.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

DECIDUOUS (TEMPERATE) FOREST

• Climate: * medium to high average annual precipitation (55 to 210 cm or 25 to 85 in)

*cool to warm average annual temperatures (10 to 28 0C or 49 to 83 0F)

DECIDUOUS FOREST VEGETATION

• Trees * Flower bearing with thin, broad leaves * Conspicuous and abundant * Many species (Beech, Maple, Oak, Hickory, Elm)

• Shrubs & Vines (form under story)• Grasses and Forbs (abundant in spring and found in clearings)

• Ferns and Mosses (present but inconspicuous)

DECIDUOUS FORESTS

CONIFEROUS (BOREAL) FOREST

• Climate: * medium to high average annual precipitation (50 to 200 cm or 20 to 80 in)

*cold to cool average annual temperatures (0 to 10 0C or 32 to 50 0F)

CONIFEROUS FOREST VEGETATION

• Trees* Cone bearing with needle-like leaves

* Conspicuous and abundant* Few species (Pines, Hemlocks, Spruces, Firs)

• Shrubs (scattered)• Grasses and Herbs (abundant in clearings)

• Ferns and Mosses (often abundant in clearings)

CONIFEROUS FORESTS

*

(ARTIC) TUNDRA

• Climate: *cold average annual temperatures (-11 to 4 0C or 12 to 38 0F)

* medium to high average annual precipitation (2-110 cm or 5 to 45 in)

TUNDRAVEGETATION

• Lichens and Mosses * Wide spread * Conspicuous in rocky areas • Grasses and Sedges (abundant)• Forbs (several species) • Shrubs (stunted) • Trees (largely absent)

TUNDRAS

(SUBTROPICAL) DESERT

• Climate: *cool to warm average annual temperatures (11 to 26 0C or 47 to 80 0F)

* low average annual precipitation (2 to 35 cm or 1 to 14 in)

DESERTVEGETATION

• Shrubs * Wide spread * Several species (commonly called sage brush)

• Succulents (cacti, etc) * Abundant in hot deserts * Scarce in cool deserts• Grasses and Sedges (abundant in cool deserts)

• Forbs (conspicuous in rainy season)

• Trees * Along stream beds * Xerophytic species in hot deserts

DESERTS

GRASSLAND

• Climate: *cold to hot average annual temperatures (3 to 32 0C or 32 to 88 0F)

* low to medium average annual precipitation (25 to 90 cm or 10 to 35 in)

GRASSLAND VEGETATION

• GRASSES * Conspicuous and abundant * Short in dry areas; tall in moist areas

• FORBS * Conspicuous and abundant

* Many species• SHRUBS (scattered)• TREES (found along streams)

GRASSLANDS

Which Biome?

•This area consists of widely scattered drought-resistant shrubs and succulents. Periods of rainfall are marked by sudden spectacular blooms of annual forbs. Individual plants are widely spaced -- a pattern that may reflect intense competition for water.

Which Biome?

•This area is characterized by cold to hot average annual temperatures with cool to cold winters and warm to hot summers. Many species of forbs are conspicuous and abundant. Trees are scattered along streams.

Which Biome?

•This area experiences a period in which mean monthly temperatures fall below freezing and plant growth stops. During this time, trees which are the dominant vegetation drop their leaves and become dormant. They grow new leaves in the spring.

Which Biome?

•This area is characterized by cold to cool average annual temperatures with medium to high average annual precipitation. There are only a few tree species such as pines, hemlocks, spruces and firs. These trees retain their needle-like leaves all year.

Which Biome?

•This area has a growing season that is 6-8 weeks long; otherwise, temperatures are below freezing. The soils are saturated year-round even though precipitation is often low. Most soils are perennially frozen and known as permafrost.

“Altitudinal” Biomes

• In general terms, an increase in elevation of 100 meters results in a temperature drop of 0.5 0C. Thus, as one goes up a snow capped mountain he or she can encounter a series of vegetation types.

• For example, there areas on the slopes of Mt. Rainer where one can travel from grasslands (prairies) at the base through coniferous forest to tundra near the summit.

• This would be like traveling from North Dakota through Manatoba to the upper reaches of the Northwest Territory of Canada.

Seasonal Climate Variation

• Variation in temperature and precipitation throughout the year is shown in a climate graph for the Chicago region.

• Remember-- Climate represents the long term averages of temperature and precipitation.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Geographic Distribution of

Deciduous Forest Types Within a biome one finds

a number of community types. Eight deciduous forest types are commonly identified in eastern United States.The forests in our area have been recently reclassified as Beach-Maple-Basswood (BioScience,April 2006).

Numerous Community Types Have Been

Described• The Illinois Natural History Survey lists 67 land based community types for the state of Illinois. (http//ww.science.siu.edu/plant-Biology/Invasives/Community%20types.pdf)

• There is little agreement on the classification of Community Types.

What is a Biological Community?

• An assemblage of many populations, each of different species, that have similar requirements or tolerances.

• Has a few species that are common (represented by many individuals), many more that are rate (represented by a few individuals) and most with intermediate population sizes.

Most Biological Communities Consist of Thousands of Species

• Over 10,000 species have been documented in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scientists believe an additional 90,000 species may live here.

• This is the only place on Earth where attempts to scientifically name all species have been undertaken.

Only Crude Estimates Exist of Population Sizes in Natural

Communities• For example, Wolf Road Prairie Preserve has a plant species list that contains 327 scientific names of native plants. One of these was added just this summer.

• An attempt at a crude census of native forb species in this community revealed that population sizes ranged from thousands of individuals for some species to as few as 3 individual plants for others.

Introduction to Ecology

Lecturer: Dr. Darrel L. MurrayE-mail: To: dmurray@uic.edu RE: BioS 101-……Office Hrs: 12-1pm MWFOffice Location: 3472 SESReadings: Freeman Chapter 50 (pages 1144-1156)

Webpage:http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios101/MurrayMolumbia07.htm