in 1788 settlers brought 2 bulls and 5 cows to australia problem: each cow deposited 10-20 dung pats...
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In 1788 settlers brought 2 bulls and 5 cows to Australia
Problem:Each cow deposited 10-20
dung pats a day.
Finally in 1968 the National Science Committee brought in 2 species of
dung beetle from S. Africa
Today there are over 50 species of dung beetle in Australia. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-04/there-are-calls-
for-the-state-government-to-fund/3632110
• Overview: The Scope of Ecology• Ecology:– Is the scientific study of the interactions between
organisms and the environment
• These interactions– Determine both the distribution of organisms and
their abundance
**Events that occur in ecological time….Affect life on the scale of evolutionary time
Ecology is not Environmentalism
• Ecology seeks to generate knowledge about interactions within the natural world.
• Environmentalism uses the knowledge to inform and make personal and public decisions.
biosphere
ecosystem
community
population
Studying organisms in their environment
organism
What determines the distribution of organisms in our world?
Climate- a factor that determines if an organism can survive and reproduce.
• Sunlight intensity– Plays a major part in determining the Earth’s climate
patterns
Figure 50.10
Low angle of incoming sunlight
Sunlight directly overhead
Low angle of incoming sunlight
North Pole60N
30NTropic ofCancer
0 (equator)
30S
60S
Atmosphere
LALITUDINAL VARIATION IN SUNLIGHT INTENSITY
Tropic ofCapricorn
South pole
Descendingdry airabsorbsmoisture
Ascendingmoist airreleasesmoisture
Descendingdry airabsorbsmoisture
30 23.5 0 23.5 30Aridzone Tropics
Aridzone
60N
30N
0 (equator)
30S
60S
GLOBAL AIR CIRCULATION AND PRECIPITATION PATTERNS
• Air circulation and wind patterns– Play major parts in determining the Earth’s climate
patterns
Figure 50.10
• Environmental components–Affect the distribution and abundance of
organisms
Figure 50.2
Kangaroos/km2
> 2010–205–101–50.1–1< 0.1Limits ofdistribution
Climate in northern Australiais hot and wet, with seasonaldrought.
Red kangaroosoccur in mostsemiarid and aridregions of theinterior, whereprecipitation isrelatively low andvariable fromyear to year.
Southeastern Australiahas a wet, cool climate.
Southern Australia hascool, moist winters andwarm, dry summers.
Tasmania
Biome: The environment defined by its climatic and geographic attributes. Has similar organisms, similar dominant plants.
Climate largely determines the distribution and
structure of terrestrial biomes
Climate and Terrestrial Biomes
Figure 50.18
Desert Temperate grassland Tropical forest
Temperatebroadleafforest
Coniferousforest
Arctic andalpinetundra
Annual mean precipitation (cm)
Annu
al m
ean
tem
pera
ture
(ºC)
100 200 300 400
30
15
0
15
• The distribution of major terrestrial biomes
30N
Tropic ofCancer
Equator
Tropic ofCapricorn
30S
Key
Tropical forest
SavannaDesert
ChaparralTemperate grasslandTemperate broadleaf forestConiferous forest
TundraHigh mountainsPolar ice
Figure 50.19
Biomes
• You will fill out the Biome chart using your textbook.
• Select one Biome to create a travel brochure . This is the unit project, due at the end of Ecology.
• The best travel brochures get prizes.
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