Biol 208: Lecture 2 Slides - Ecological Experiments

Don't memorize examples of different levels of ecological studies

What is Ecology?

Study of interactions between organisms + their environment in a hierarchy of levels of organization

****What are the 7 different Levels of Hierarchal Organization from least complex to most complex? (7 disciplines of study in Ecology)

1. Individual

2. Population

3. Community

4. Ecosystem

5. Landscape

6. Biosphere

7. Global ecosystem

What is AUTOECOLOGY?

Aka Study of Individuals.

***Define Individuals

Living entities that are genetically + physically discrete/unique (one thing)

***What does Individual Ecology study?

How individuals interact with environment + other organisms an how that affects survival + reproduction

• eg. what do caribou eat + when

****What are the Key aspects of Individual ecology? (3)

1. Behavior

2. Physiology

3. Morphology

***Define Population

Group of Interbreeding individuals of the SAME SPECIES inhabiting a defined area in space + time

****What does Population Ecology study?

Factors that influence Population size, structure + dynamics

• eg. how does hunting affect bear population

• Management of Population #’s

What does it mean by structure + what does it mean by dynamics?

Structure = Age, gender etc.

Dynamics = how #’s change over timee

****What are the Key preocesses of Individual ecology? (4)

1. Birth

2. Mortality

3. Immigration

4. Emigration

***Define Communities

Population of species that occur together in same time + space

• MORE THAN 1 SPECIES

****What does Community Ecology study?

Interactions among species/ environmental factors influence structure + function of entire communities

• eg. How does bison influence plant community structure in grasslands

• eg. How plant community responds to rising CO2

What does it mean by function of a community?

Eg. Productivity

Primary vs. Secondary Productivity?

Primary = Amount of biomass prod by plants

Secondary = Amount of Biomass animals

What are the 6 ways that Bison influence plant communities in grasslands?

1. Selective feeding

2. Soil compaction (walking, trampling)

3. Wallowing (dust bath) = disruption/bare patches

   • allows for other wildlife to take over in these bare locations

4. Nutrients (poo, pee)

5. Seed Dispersal (attached to fur or poo)

6. Fire Interaction

***Define Ecosystems

Biological COMMUNITY + associated physical + chemical ENVIORNMENT

****What does Ecosystem Ecology study?

How organisms interact with their ENRIORNMENT + how this influences the FLOW OF ENERGY + cycling of nutrients

• eg. How do Pest outbreaks + fires affect soil nutrient cycling

****What are the Key Ecological processes of Ecosystem ecology? (3)

1. Primary production

2. Decomposition

3. Nutrient cycling

***Define Landscapes

Exchange of materials, energy + organisms among ecosystems

****What does Landscape ecology study?

How spatial characteristics of ecosystems influence ecological processes + how processes in turn modify landscape structure

• eg. Floods change micronutrients available

• eg. Roads, biological corridors etc.

****What are the Key aspects of Landscape ecology? (4)

1. Habitat fragmentation

2. Connectivity

3. Disturbances

4. Land use change (human influence)

****What does Macroecology study?

Processes at large spatial scales eg. Regions, continents or several continents

• eg. Drivers of wild bee abundance across the us

****What are the Key focuses of Macroecology? (3)

1. Organismal abundance

2. Distribution

3. Diversity

****Define Biosphere

Portions of the earth that support life including lands, waters + atmosphere

****What does Global Ecology study?

Study of processes at the global scale with relevance to ALL life on earth

What is a key area of study for Global ecology?

Climate change

What are the 2 Patterns + Mechanisms (2 Scales) for Ecological study + what are the 2 classification/ sub-groups under each? Give examples of types of studies each of the sub-groups

1. Temporal scales

   1. Short timescale eg. Individual

   2. Long timescale eg. landscape/ ecosystem/ global

2. Spatial Scales

   1. Local (macroscopical)

   2. Landscape scale

**What is an ecosystem?

Arbitrarily defined (defined by humans/researcher) geographic volume containing interacting BIOTIC + ABIOTIC factors connected to other ecosystems

***Are humans part of the ecosystem?

YES

Some examples of potential arbitrarily defined geographic volumes aka. Ecosystems

Rain forest

just a tree

carcass of animal

beach shore

Urban environment eg. city (Edmonton)

****List 6 examples of Abiotic + 5 examples of Biotic factors

Abiotic:

• water, light, temp, air, salinity, heavy metals, soil, pH, altitude etc.

Biotic:

• Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, unicellular organisms

****Finish the sentence: Ecosystems are connected to others by a series of _____?

INPUTS + OUTPUTS

eg. H2O from mountain —>River

Output —> H2O from river —> plants nearby/inside

TRUE or FALSE: Time is a dimension of an ecosystem?

TRUE

• ecosystems change with time

How do Scientists ask (+ attempt to answer) Questions?

Scientific method

What is the Scientific method?

a SYSTEMATIC (step by step) method of inquiry

****What is the Order of the Scientific method?

Observations —> Ask questions —Inductive reasoning—> Hypothesis(proposed explanation for observations) —Deductive reasoning—> Prediction—> Test hypothesis = collect data

****Define Inductive + Deductive Reasoning?

Inductive: specific observations/experiences ==> draw general/broad conclusion/generalizations

Deductive: Start with general statement/ HYPOTHESIS + progress to a specific conclusion

***What are the 3 methods that can be used to test a hypothesis?

1. Experiments

2. Observations

3. Modelling

****Which of the following are NOT TRUE for a hypothesis?

• Potential answer to a Q

• Can be verified by other researchers

• Testable through experiments

• It can be proven

• Based on previous observations

Can be proven

• HYPOTHESIS’ CAN NOT be proven

  • they are either supported or falsified

****What are the qualifications/ characteristics of a Hypothesis (what makes a hypothesis a hypothesis?) (4)

1. Broad (over arching concept)

2. Has a Mechanism

3. Testable + Falsifiable through experiments + observations

4. NOT PROVEN (only supported or falsified)

***What should you do if your hypothesis is supported?

Conduct additional tests

****Which of the following ecological systems has the most clearly defined boundaries?

• Community

• Landscape

• Biosphere

• Ecosystem

• Individual

Individual