Behavior Ecology:

Relationship of species

Today's discussion:

EcologyEcosystemsPopulation

symbiotic relationships

Ecology origin:

Oikos = Household-logy = study of…..Ecology = study of household environment. Ornithology = study of………Ichthyology = study of ………Phrenology = study of…..

Ecology

• Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

• Coined by Ernst Haeckel, 1866, a German zoologies.

• There are many practical applications of ecology.– Conservation Biology– Range Ecology– Wetland management

To study Ecology involves

AboticClimateHydrologyPhysicsChemistryGeologySoil analysis

BioticAnimal behaviorTaxonomyPhysiologyMathematical (population

study)

Example of the study of Ecology views each locale as an integrated whole of interdependent parts that function as a unit.

Grassland

Nonliving• dead organic matter• nutrients in the soil and

water. Producers • green plantsDecomposers• Fungi and bacteria

Consumers

herbivores and carnivores

Ecosystems• Ecosystem is a system of living things that interact with each

other and with the physical world.• Includes all the nonliving, physical components of the

environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight.

• Examples:– Aquatic ecosystem – Coral reef – Desert– Forest – Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem– Prairie– Riparian zone

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem(GYE)

Population • All of the individuals of a species that live together in

one place at one time.Community•All the populations in an ecosystem Habitat •The place in which an organism lives •provides the kinds of food and shelter, the temperature, and the amount of moisture the organism needs to survive

DesertBig Horn

KEY FEATURES OF POPULATIONSPopulation size is limited

• Density-dependent factors– Disease– Competition– Predators– Parasites– Food – Crowding– Old Age

• The greater the population, the greater effect these factors have.

• Ex. Black plague in the Middle Ages – more deaths in cities. Elk vs. Bison population in Yellowstone National park

KEY FEATURES OF POPULATIONSPopulation size is limited

• Density-independent factors– Volcanic eruptions– Temperature– Storms– Floods– Drought– Chemical pesticides– Major habitat disruption (as in the New Orleans flooding,

tsunami in Japan and Indonesia)

• Most are abiotic factors

KEY FEATURES OF POPULATIONS

Other factors effect the population? •Accidents •Hunting •Encroachment by development resulting in loss of habitat •War• “No man's land” – WWI• PTO – WWII• Agent Orange – Vietnam War

• 2,4,5-T, 2,4-D, 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin•. Nuclear weapons

•Tsar Bomb – 57,000 megaton

Carry Capacity (K)

• Maximum number of individuals that the environment can support without the environment being consequently degraded to the point where it can no longer support that number of individuals

Carry Capacity (K)

Competition

•When species or population compete for limited resource. • Resource includes food, nesting site, living space, light, mineral nutrients, and water.

Examples: • Plants – sunlight• Birds – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y• Little evidence of competition in the evolution of the larger groups- reptiles, amphibians and mammals.

Niche• is the functional relationship of an organisms to its physical and biological environment.• multidimensional – wide variety of aspects of the environment which must be considered.• 3 sets of parameters:

I. Range of physical factors for survival and reproduction: temperature, humidity, pH, soil, sunlight, etc.

II. Biological factors: predators, prey, parasites, competitors, etc.

III. Behavior: seasonality, diurnal patterns, movement, social organization, etc.

• Bristlecone pines

•Thermophiles

Whenever two niches overlap, competition ensues between organisms.

1) Intraspecific - competition occurs within the species. • overlap is nearly 100%• major factor affecting the carrying capacity of a population• Strongest type: same species competing for exact same thing.

2) Interspecific - is waged between species.• Fierce, if the competing species are similar.

•Exsample• Forest• Canis spp. – Fox and weasels spp. vs wolf, bear, mountain lion.

•Interference competition : fighting over the same resources• Allelopathy – one or more biochemicals that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms. Mostly found in plants.

•black walnut (Juglans nigra) – produces Juglone•Exploitative competition•Apparent competition•Scramble competition•Competitive exclusion•Niche differentiation•Local extinction

Parasitism• Relationship between two species where one benefits while the

other is harmed.• Parasite does not necessary kill its host• Parasites can be divided into:

– Ectoparasites that remain outside of the host's body– Endoparasites that enter the host's body– Microparasites that reproduce in the host and are usually single-celled– Macroparasites that release juvenile stages to the world outside of the host– Holoparasites (used for plants only) plants that parasitize other plants and

no longer photosynthesize but get all water and food from the host (ex: Dodder, Dutchman's Pipes)

– Hemiparasites (used for plants only) plants that parasitize other plants for water and minerals, but photosynthesize to make their own food (ex: Mistletoe)

• Come from almost all taxonomic groups – parasitic bacteria. plants, fungi, protists, and animals

• Attack all kingdoms, including bacteria (which have viruses)

Parasitism

• Parasitoids – smaller than their host– protozoa (45,000 species) • Amebic dysentery – most common

– helminths• Trichinella spiralis – uncooked meat, pork

Parasitism

• Brood parasitism

Mutualism• Relationship between two organisms that benefits both. It can be plant-animal, plant-plants, animal-animal.•mutualisms carry both costs to each partner and benefits as well.•Obligatory - organisms cannot survive in the absence of the other partner

•Facultative - organism can lead an independent existence•Plants developing fruits where birds eat the seeds to spread

•Many feel that some mutualisms get their start as parasitic relationships and that evolution of the system may, under certain conditions, favor mutualism as the final outcome

Obligatory - organisms cannot survive in the absence of the other partner.Algae ,fungi, Lichen?

Facultative - organism can lead an independent existenceTambalacoque and Dodo Birds

Examples of Mutualisms Pollination

Dispersal MutualismsCleaning MutualismsDefense Mutualisms

Bacteria - Aphid MutualismAnt - Aphid Mutualism

Ant - Fungus MutualismLichens

Plants - MycorrhizaePlants - Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Hard Corals - AlgaeGiant Clam - Algae

Yeast-Drosophila Mutualism

Commensalismsrelationship between two species where one species derives a benefit from the relationship and the second species is unaffected by it.• Commensalism is much more difficult to demonstrate than mutualism. For true commensalism, the second species must be unaffected by the presence of the first.• Types

•Phoresy•Inquilinism•Metabiosis

Commensalisms

Commensalisms

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