BIOL1003 Study Guide - Final Guide: Tropical And Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, Bush Tucker, Ecological Niche

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16 May 2018
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Ecology
Ecology - the study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of
organisms.
It considers interactions that can occur at very different scales - organism population
community ecosystem biosphere.
o Place and climate (landscape/ecosystem).
o Other organisms (plants and animals): community ecology group of populations of
different species in an area.
o Within species: population ecology a group of individuals of the same species living
in an area.
o Within organism.
Both biotic and abiotic factors eg: fire, temp, water & oxygen, salinity, sunlight, rocks & soil.
Interested in distribution, abundance, their niche and how they are successful in their
environments.
One factor that contributes greatly to the global distribution of organisms is dispersal, the
movement of individuals or gametes away from their area of origin or from centres of high
population density.
Where?
Biogeography - distribution through space and time.
Habitat - eg: primary or secondary forests.
What?
Role/niche - what does the organism do?
Ecosystem level, eg: primary consumer, herbivore, competitor, mutualist, prey.
How?
Population ecology: life history
Eg: Live until 20, one offspring per year after maturity at 6 years, undistributed populations are
maintaining numbers/increasing, decreasing where hunted for bush food.
Niche - what roles do organisms fulfil in their habitat (where).
Fundamental niche - the possible distribution of the organism as determined by its
evolutionary history.
Realised niche - the actual distribution of the organism is limited by interactions with other
organisms.
Population dynamics - shows how organisms are utilising their niches: are they thriving or
dwindling?
Biomes
Biome - vegetation and habitat that they're living in, eg: tropical forests and woodlands.
Major life zones:
Terrestrial biomes are most often characterised by main vegetation type.
Aquatic biomes by physical environment.
As a result of disturbances (eg: storms, fire, human activities), biomes are often patchy,
containing several different communities in a single area.
Eg: Tropical forest, desert, savanna, heathlands.
Biogeography
The abundance and diversity of organisms but in time and space.
Rely on the availability of resources, such as:
o Energy: light, temperature
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o Nutrients: macronutrients:
Water & air (used for sugars and fatty acids)
N & P (DNA, proteins)
K & NA (electrolytes)
Micronutrients - Cl, Fe
Limitations in Terrestrial Ecosystems
o Energy - light limited areas include bottom of forests.
o Temperature extremes include - highest temps 120 ̊C, lowest temps -45 ̊C.
Climate
Macroclimate - patterns on the global, regional and landscape level.
Microclimate - finer scale patterns, eg: community of organisms on a tree trunk.
Major components of climate = temp, sunlight, wind and precipitation.
Distribution and abundance of organisms in terrestrial environment depends primarily on the
availability of water.
Movement of air determines the distribution of water on land, eg: rain, snow and fog.
Movement of air follow some "simple" physical principals.
1. Hot air carries more water than cold air - when water is breathed out from 37 ̊C to much
lower temps: it precipitates.
2. Hot air moves up and cold air moves down - cold air is more dense (molecules closer together)
than hot air. What heats air? - energy radiating from a surface.
3. Hopkins' bioclimatic law - air cools as it rises.
4. Coriolis effect - longitudinal movement on a rotating object results in apparent latitudinal drift.
Eg: Deflection of air due to the earth's spin.
Latitudinal Variation in Sunlight Intensity
Eg: It is warmer closer to the equator (middle), because sunlight (heat energy) acts directly
rather than obliquely results in higher surface temps at equator compared to poles.
Convention of air is determined by the incidence of sunlight.
o At the equator and at 60 ̊C latitude ascending air
releases water, resulting in an abundance of vegetation.
o At the poles and at 30 ̊C latitude, descending air sucks
water away, resulting in deserts.
The direction of wind is determined by the Coriolis force.
o At the equator land rotates at 40,075km/day.
o At the poles the speed is ~ 0.
o Winds are easterly in the tropics (trade winds).
o Winds are westerly in the temperate zone.
Rain Shadows
Mountains obstructing the prevailing winds force air to move up.
Air cools down as it moves up, and loses its water content in the
form of precipitation (rain, snow).
Uses of Resources
What an organism does with available resources determines productivity, and therefore
abundance.
Use of Energy
Primary production - the conversion of energy (light) into chemical energy that is stored in
organic compounds in living organisms.
Most autotrophs (primary producers) are photosynthetic organisms.
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Document Summary

Ecology: ecology - the study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. Where: biogeography - distribution through space and time, habitat - eg: primary or secondary forests. What: role/niche - what does the organism do, ecosystem level, eg: primary consumer, herbivore, competitor, mutualist, prey. Biomes: biome - vegetation and habitat that they"re living in, eg: tropical forests and woodlands. Limitations in terrestrial ecosystems: energy - light limited areas include bottom of forests, temperature extremes include - highest temps 120 c, lowest temps -45 c. Energy radiating from a surface: hopkins" bioclimatic law - air cools as it rises, coriolis effect - longitudinal movement on a rotating object results in apparent latitudinal drift. Eg: deflection of air due to the earth"s spin. Rain shadows: mountains obstructing the prevailing winds force air to move up, air cools down as it moves up, and loses its water content in the form of precipitation (rain, snow).

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