Ecology Lecture Notes

Page 1: Introduction to Ecology

  • Key Statements:
    • "I MUST BUILD A DAM…"
    • "WINTER APPROACHES. WE MUST FLY SOUTH SOON."
    • "I AM ALIVE. I MUST FIND AN OCEAN???"
    • "I MUST BARF AND THEN EAT THAT BARF"
  • Theme: Introduction to ecological concepts and instincts related to survival in varying climates.

Page 2: Definition of Ecology

  • Ecology:
    • Definition: The scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment.
    • Emphasis on how these interactions determine the distribution of organisms and population health.

Page 3: Importance of Ecology

  • Key Text and Contributors:
    • Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
    • A seminal work that ignited the environmental movement.
    • Introduction by: Linda Lear
    • Afterword by: Edward O. Wilson
  • Concepts Addressed:
    • Issue of pesticides such as DDT impacting species (e.g., bees at risk).

Page 4: The Importance of Bees

  • Statistics on Bees:
    • 1 in 4 bee species are at risk of extinction due to factors including:
    • Habitat loss
    • Pesticides
    • Economic Contribution:
    • Bees save approximately $3 billion/year in pollination services.

Page 5: Ecological Systems

  • Categories of Ecology:
    • Global Ecology: Examines the influence of energy and materials on organisms across the biosphere.
    • Landscape Ecology: Focuses on exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms among ecosystems.
    • Ecosystem Ecology: Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling among biotic and abiotic components.
    • Community Ecology: Deals with the interacting species in a community.
    • Population Ecology: Focuses on factors affecting population size over time.
    • Organismal Ecology: Studies how organisms meet environmental challenges.

Page 6: Interconnections in Ecology

  • What to Know:
    • Terrestrial and aquatic biomes.
    • Abiotic and biotic factors in each biome.
  • Key Considerations:
    • Influence of global/regional climate and ocean currents on biomes.
    • Effects of precipitation and temperature on terrestrial biomes.
    • Distribution of aquatic life influenced by aquatic zones.
  • Key Understanding:
    • Species evolve adaptations to the conditions of major ecosystems.

Page 7: Earth’s Climate

  • Climate Influence on Biomes:
    • Climate dictates the structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes.
    • Difference Between Weather and Climate:
    • Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate is the long-term average of weather patterns.
    • Biomes:
    • Major life zones characterized by vegetation type (terrestrial) or physical environment (aquatic).

Page 8: Solar Energy and Climate

  • Global Climate Patterns:
    • Determined by solar energy and planet’s movement.
    • Sun causes temperature variations leading to air and water circulation patterns.
  • Key Points Regarding Solar Energy:
    • Low angle of sunlight at higher latitudes vs. intense sunlight at the equator results in varying temperature and climate conditions.

Page 9: Sun's Effect

  • Temperature Variation:
    • The sun's intensity varies significantly at different latitudes including:
    • 90°N (North Pole)
    • 23.5°N (Tropic of Cancer)
    • 0° (Equator)
    • 23.5°S (Tropic of Capricorn)
    • 90°S (South Pole)

Page 10: Wind Patterns

  • Global Circulation and Precipitation Patterns:
    • Intense sunlight at the equator drives global air circulation.
    • Major Wind Patterns:
    • Trade Winds: Blow east to west in the tropics.
    • Westerlies: Blow west to east in temperate zones.

Page 11: Weather Patterns and Coriolis Effect

  • Coriolis Effect:
    • Indicates the deflection of wind patterns caused by the rotation of Earth.
  • Visual Representation Includes:
    • Actual vs. Expected paths of wind around the North Pole and Equator.

Page 12: Seasonality

  • Seasonal Variations:
    • Increased light and temperature variability towards the poles due to Earth's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees.
  • Key Dates for Seasonal Changes:
    • June solstice
    • December solstice
    • September equinox
    • March equinox

Page 13: Regional Climate Influences

  • Effect of Large Water Bodies:
    • Daily shifts in wind and temperature patterns caused by proximity to large bodies of water.
    • Daytime: Cool breezes from water affect rising warm air over land.
    • Nighttime: Air from warmer water draws cooler air from land.

Page 14: Rain Shadow Effect

  • Mechanism of Moisture Pickup:
    • Rising air picks up moisture on the windward side of mountains.
    • Creates a "Rainshadow" effect on the leeward side leading to dry landscapes.
  • Deserts:
    • Many deserts occur in the rain shadows of mountain ranges.

Page 15: Climate and Biomes

  • Vegetation and Climate Correlation:
    • Terrestrial biomes are characterized by vegetation types.
    • Distribution of vegetation is directly dependent on climate conditions.
  • Major Terrestrial Biomes Include:
    • Tropical Forest
    • Savanna
    • Desert
    • Chaparral
    • Temperate Grassland
    • Temperate Broadleaf Forest
    • Northern Coniferous Forest
    • Tundra
  • Aquatic Biomes:
    • Wetlands
    • Lakes
    • Rivers & Streams
    • Estuaries
    • Intertidal Zone
    • Coral Reefs
    • Pelagic Zone
    • Benthic Zone

Page 16: Visual Data on Biomes

  • Graphical Representation:
    • Plots illustrate the annual mean temperature (°C) and annual mean precipitation (cm) across various biomes indicating relationships between climate and vegetation.

Page 17: Climate Zones

  • Mapping:
    • Biomes distribution as it relates to latitude at N.30°, equator, and S.30° including tropical forest, savanna, desert, and tundra.

Page 18: Characteristics of Aquatic Biomes

  • Aquatic Biomes Defined:
    • Characterized by physical, chemical, and geological features.
    • Major characteristics include salt concentrations (~3% for marine biomes; <0.1% for freshwater).
    • Marine Biomes:
    • Cover 75% of the Earth’s surface.
    • Freshwater Biomes:
    • Closely linked to surrounding terrestrial biomes.

Page 19: Concept of Watersheds

  • Definitions:
    • Watersheds define the boundaries for freshwater ecosystems.
  • Visual Data:
    • Representation of major freshwater watersheds around the world.

Page 20: Maumee River Watershed

  • Overview::
    • Maps highlighting the Maumee River Watershed, detailing state borders, major rivers, and counties within the watershed region.
    • Emphasis on geographical and ecological importance.

Page 21: Major Oceans and Seas

  • List of Oceans and Seas:
    • North Pacific
    • North Atlantic
    • South Pacific
    • South Atlantic
    • Southern Ocean
    • Arctic Ocean
    • Baltic Sea
    • Mediterranean Sea
    • Indian Ocean
    • South China Sea

Page 22: Zonation in Aquatic Biomes

  • Key Terms:
    • Thermocline: Layer separating warm upper waters from colder deep waters.
    • Pelagic vs. Benthic:
  • Photic vs. Aphotic Zones:
    • Most marine life found in the shallow Photic zone while extensive Aphotic zones harbor little life.

Page 23: Levels of Ecological Organization

  • Levels of Ecology:
    • Global Ecology
    • Landscape Ecology
    • Ecosystem Ecology
    • Community Ecology
    • Population Ecology
    • Organismal Ecology

Page 24: Distribution Limits

  • Concepts:
    • Distributions in space and time come from ecological and evolutionary interactions influenced by both abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors.
  • Abiotic Factors Include:
    • Temperature
    • Water and oxygen
    • Salinity
    • Sunlight
    • Rocks and soil
  • Biotic Factors Include:
    • Predation
    • Herbivory
    • Mutualism
    • Parasitism
    • Competition

Page 25: Abiotic Factors

  • Example:
    • Range expansion illustrated using sea urchins as models.

Page 26: Climate Change

  • Impact on Sea Urchins:
    • Discussion on how the warm East Australian Current has extended further south, affecting distribution patterns.

Page 27: Biotic Factors

  • Interactions Impacting Species:
    • Effects of interactions such as between limpets and sea urchins on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem health.