Welcome to Ecology 101
Premise of
course:
Ecosystems approach
a. Physical attributes
b. Energy flow
c. Productivity
Readings:
Required:
The Diversity of Life, Edward O. Wilson
Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold
Ecology: A Bridge Between Science and Society,
Eugene P. Odum
Recommended:
Science Times
Science
Nature
Grading
1. Midterm: 50%
2. Final: 50%
Examination format:
Multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay
Schedule:
September
Introduction
Basic Principles I - Evolution of Ecosystems
Basic Principles II – Species and the Niche Concept Basic Principles III –
Energy Flow and Trophic Levels ` Biogeochemical Cycles I
October
Biogeochemical Cycles II
Rivers
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Lakes
Estuaries and Wetlands
November
The Oceans
Coral Reefs
Rain forests
December
Hardwood and Boreal Forests
FINAL EXAMINATION
Websites:
Required:
www.http://ci.columbia.edu/ci/eseminars/1111s_detail.html
www.http://streamecology.org
www.http://IES.org (Institute for Ecosystems Study)
Recommended:
www.medicalecology.org
www.http://NASA.gov
, then go to Earthwatch
www.http://NOAA.gov
Is That All There Is?
Slide 8
The Diversity Of Life
Slide 10
“Drifting Apart”
Slide 12
Life Without The Sun’s Help
Extremophiles Rule!
GAIA Hypothesis
Slide 16
Some General Ecological
Principles
Ecosystem Ecology
Describing
Ecosystems
1. Identify a definable geographic region (e.g. grassland prairie)
2. Identify all plants and animals within that region (i.e., the biodiversity index)
3. Study how these disparate groups form associations of food chains and
food webs (i.e. form ecosystems).
4. Study the flow of energy through these associations (i.e., measure
productivity)
Levels of Complexity
Slide 21
Slide 22
Slide 23
Slide 24
Slide 25
Slide 26
Slide 27
Slide 28
"Why is this man
sleeping"
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Why is this man sleeping? |
Slide 30
Slide 31
Slide 32
Slide 33
Lymphocyte
Nuclear Envelope
Chromosomal DNA
We have come a long way in just 20 years
What Is A Species?*
How Many Species of Dogs
And Cats Are There?
One!
Two Species Or One?
Study: Human DNA
Neanderthal-Free
By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News
Cro-Magnon vs. Neanderthal
May 12, 2003 — Neanderthals did not contribute to the gene pool of modern
humans, according to a recent study that compared the DNA of two ancient
Cro-Magnons with that of four Neanderthals.
While Neanderthals and early humans coexisted in Europe for a few thousand
years 40,000 years ago, the findings suggest they did not interbreed, an action
that would have made Neanderthals a direct ancestor of modern humans.
The study also supports the "Out of Africa" theory. According to this
view, modern humans evolved in East Africa and then spread into Europe and Asia
through the Middle East.
Speciation Drives the
System
The Concept Of Niche*
Slide 45
There Can Be No Ecosystems
Without Plant-Animal Interactions
It Takes Two To Tango
General Scheme For Most
Life On Earth
Slide 49
from Odum, Fundamentals
of Ecology Saunders, Pubs.1971
Slide 51
Trophic Levels And Energy
Flow
Trophic Relationships
from Odum, Fundamentals
of Ecology, Saunders, Pubs. 1971
The Galapagos Islands
Genetic Relationships Among
Darwin’s Finches
Beak Size and Shape
Evolution of Darwin’s
Finches
An Early Food Web
Trophic Levels and Food
Webs
"Trophic Levels and
Food Webs"
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Trophic Levels and Food Webs: |
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The Complexity of Interactions |
Food Pyramid
Food Pyramids
Slide 63
Biogeochemical Cycles:
Oxygen
Carbon
Sulfur
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
Calcium
Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Sinks:
1. Marine viruses and phytoplankton
2. Forests
3. Coral reefs
Carbon Cycle
Nature Is “Re-shuffling”
The Deck
As The Environment Changes
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur Cycle
Slide 81
“What the…. “
Sulfur Cycle
Slide 84
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle*
Corn is not a legume
Nitrogen Cycle
Slide 89
No clouds
Hydrological Cycle
Hydrological Cycle
Hydrological Cycle
Hydrological Cycle
Slide 95
Annual Mean Precipitation
Ecozones
Slide 98
Slide 99