Biology 11 Enriched: Ecology Unit

Name: _______________________________

Biology 11 Enriched: Ecology Unit

Chapters: 52.2, 53.1-53.6, 54.1-54.5, 55.1-55.5, 56.1, 56.4, this is required reading.

Big Ideas:

Big Idea Chapters Illustrative Examples2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. Essential knowledge2.a.1 All living systems require constant input of free energy

53.3, 53.4 55.2, 55.3

• Change in the producer level can affect the number and size of other trophic levels • Change in energy resources levels such as sunlight can affect the number and size of the trophic levels

2.d.1 All biological systems from cells and organisms to populations, communities, and ecosystems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic interactions involving exchange of matter and free energy

52.2 53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.4, 53.5 54.1-54.5 55.1-55.4

• Cell density • Biofilms • Temperature • Water availability • Sunlight • Symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism) • Predator–prey relationships • Water and nutrient availability, temperature, salinity, pH • Water and nutrient availability • Availability of nesting materials and sites • Food chains and food webs • Species diversity • Population density • Algal blooms

2.d.3 Biological systems are affected by disruptions to their dynamic homeostatis.

56.1 • Invasive and/or eruptive species • Human impact • Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,

volcanoes, and fires • Water limitation • Salination

2.E.3: Timing and coordination of behavior are regulated by various mechanisms and are important in natural selection.

54.1 • Niche and resource partitioning • Mutualistic relationships (lichens; bacteria in digestive tracts of animals; and mycorrhizae) • Biology of pollination • Migration

4. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties4.A.5: Communities are composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.

53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.5, 53.6 54.1, 54.2

• Predator/prey relationships spreadsheet model • Symbiotic relationship • Graphical representation of field data • Introduction of species • Global climate change models

4.A.6: Interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the movement of matter and energy.

54.2 55.1, 55.3, 55.4, 55.5

No illustrative examples listed in the Curriculum

4.B.3: Interactions between and within populations influence patterns of species distribution and abundance.

54.1 • Loss of keystone species • Kudzu • Dutch elm disease

4.B.4: Distribution of local and global ecosystems changes over time.

25.4 56.1, 56.4

• Dutch elm disease • Potato blight • Small pox [historic example for Native Americans] • El Nino • Continental drift • Meteor impact on dinosaurs

4.C.3: The level of variation in a population affects population dynamics.

23.1, 23.2, 23.3 Campbell Biology offers many examples:• California Condors

• Black-footed ferrets• Prairie Chickens• Potato blight causing the potato famine• Corn rust affects on agricultural crops• Tasmanian devils an infections cancers• Not all animals in a population stampede• Not all individuals in a population in a disease outbreak are equally affected.

4.C.4: The diversity of species within an ecosystem may influence the stability of the ecosystem.

54.2 56.1

No illustrative examples listed in the Curriculum

Ecology: Introduction and the Biosphere

Text Chapter: 52

Purpose: To understand the scope of Ecology, its importance in science and learn the necessary vocabulary to explain the place of organisms in ecosystems.

-The amphibian pictured right is a variable harlequin toad (Atelopus varius) and its historic range is depicted in the map below.

-Amphibians in Central America have been devastated by the Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), with roughly two-thirds of the 82 known Harelquin Toad having vanished during the 1980s and 1990s.

-As a budding ecologist you are keen to confirm if Atelopus varius is one of the species to have gone extinct or whether it might still exist in some refuge habitats.

a) How would you go about addressing this question?

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b) Where would you look for remaining Atelopus varius populations? Why?

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c) If you did find a population of Atelopus varius, what factors would you need to consider when assessing the future of the species?

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-As of 2009, Atelopus varius was found as a single population consisting of fewer than 100 invididuals.

*Learn more about the amphibian of Central America at: goo.gl/aDwxYx

-All of the questions you considered above are the subject of ecology.

-Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.Eco, Greek for home. Logy, Greek for study.

-Through their studies, ecologists try to determine:

a) What limits the distribution of a species?

b) What limits the abundance of a species?

-Give some examples of abiotic components of the environment which could affect species distribution and abundance.

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-Give some examples of biotic components of the environment which could affect species distribution and abundance.

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-Ecology can be studied at many different levels. Both of the images above represent Biospheres (in which the study of Ecology occurs), but on different scales. Figure 52.2 describes the components that make up a Biosphere and the study of Ecology:

a) Organismal Ecology: How an organism’s structure, physiology and behavior allow it to survive in its environment.

b) Population Ecology: Analyses factors affecting population size and how/why it changes over time.

c) Community Ecology: Examines how interactions between species affect community structure/organization.

d) Ecosystem Ecology: Energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment.

e) Landscape ecology: (new) Factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials and organisms across many ecosystems.

Concept 52.1: Earth’s climate varies by latitude and season and is changing rapidly -What is the biosphere? _________________________________________

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-What is biogeography? _________________________________________

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-If researchers can determine the climatic limits of current geographic distributions for species, they can predict how that species’ distribution will change with global warming.

*Read page 1149 and 1150 to see how some populations are responding to climate change:

a) What will happen to the range of the American Beech as the climate warms?

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b) The Pacific diatom recently colonized the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in 800,000 years. How has climate change made this possible?

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c) Do some research to find one species whose range is being affected by climate change. You will present this informally to your peers next class.

Concept 52.2: The structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by climate and disturbance. Climate and Terrestrial Biomes-Climate has a strong influence on the distribution of plant species through precipitation and temperature. As such, Climate determines the location of terrestrial biomes.-Climographs plot the annual mean temperature and precipitation for a region and illustrate very well how climate controls biome distribution.

-Remember that the pattern of climactic variation is as important as the average provided by climographs. For example, two areas might have the same average annual precipitation, but one may receive it regularly throughout the year whereas the other has distinct wet and dry seasons.

General Features of Terrestrial Biomes-Biomes are named for their major physical/climactic features. In particular, vegetation type is used for terrestrial biomes and physical environment for aquatic biomes.

-Terrestrial biomes are also characterized by the microorganisms, fungi and animals adapted to that environment.

-Because there are latitudinal climactic patterns over Earth’s surface, biomes are also distributed this way. -As you can see on the biome map, biomes do come into contact with each other. These areas are called ecotones and can be small or large.-Vertical vegetation layering is important in terrestrial biomes. Why do you think this is?_________________________________________

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-Other factors can also influence the features of a biome. For example, bedrock can determine the mineral nutrients available and affect soil type, which would then impact the type of vegetation that can grow in an area.-You must read and understand the general features of Terrestrial Biomes. -Try Activity: Terrestrial Biomes on Mastering Biology.Disturbance and Terrestrial Biomes-What are some examples of disturbances? How do they affect biomes?____________________________________________

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-As a result of disturbances, biomes exhibit patchiness. This allows several difference communities to exist in a single area.

Concept 52.3: Aquatic biomes are diverse and dynamic systems that cover most of Earth -Try Activity: Aquatic Biomes on Mastering Biology.

-Aquatic biomes are characterized by their physical characteristics.

-What are the two major types of aquatic biomes and how are they different?

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Zonation in Aquatic Biomes-Aquatic biomes are commonly physically and chemically stratified horizontally and vertically.

-This zonation is a product of variation in characteristics like amount of sunlight received, water depth, distance from shore and whether they are found in open water or near the bottom.

*Make sure that you know the different zones found in lakes and marine environments.

-Abiotic conditions can have a large impact on the type of organisms living in aquatic biomes. For example, the stratification of lakes can be effected by:

a) Seasonal Turnover

b) Nutrient Amounts

Great Ocean Conveyer Belt and Global Climate

-Watch The Gulf Stream Explain by Kurzgesagt (goo.gl/JkZvda) to explore the Great Ocean Conveyer Belt.

-Discuss some of the effects of large bodies of water on Global Climate.

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Concept 52.4: Interactions between organisms and the environment limit species distribution

-The flow chart below illustrates the questions that ecologists ask when determining what factors limit the geographic distribution of species.

Dispersal and Distribution-Dispersal is the movement of individuals or gametes away from where they were born or areas of high population density.

-What factors do you think could limit dispersal?______________________________________________________________________________

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Natural Range Expansions and Adaptive Radiation-In the late 1800s some Cattle Egrets managed to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Africa and colonize northeastern South America.

-Clearly, South and North America has appropriate habitat for these birds, but they were limited in their dispersal by a geographic barrier.

-In other cases, long-distance dispersal can result in adaptive radiation (but not here, it seems).

Species Transplants-Intentional or actual transplants of species to a new area can illustrate the factors, or lack thereof, limiting its distribution.

-Examine the African Honey Bee and Zebra Mussel diagrams below. What can be said of their actual vs potential range?

*Complete the Invasive Species Assignment.

Behaviour and Habitat Selection-Species sometimes fail to colonize suitable habitats because of habitat selection behaviour.

-Behaviour can even influence the distribution of a population within a habitat!

Biotic Factors-A predator removal experiment can be done to

determine the relative effect of various predators on a species:

Comment on the Inquiry in Fig 52.20 Does feeding by sea urchins limit seaweed distribution?______________________________________________________________________________

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-What are some other examples of biotic limiting factors?______________________________________________________________________________

Abiotic Factors-Climate is the most significant abiotic influence limiting the distribution of species.

-What are the most important climactic factors?______________________________________

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-What are some other significant climate abiotic factors?______________________________________

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*Complete the Stream Survey Lab