Biology 11 Enriched: Ecology Unit

Name: _______________________________

1

Biology 11 Enriched: Ecology Unit

Chapters: 52.2, 53.1-53.6, 54.1-54.5, 55.1-55.5, 56.1, 56.4, this is required reading.

Big Ideas:

Big Idea Chapters Illustrative Examples2. Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. Essential knowledge2.a.1 All living systems require constant input of free energy

53.3, 53.4 55.2, 55.3

• Change in the producer level can affect the number and size of other trophic levels • Change in energy resources levels such as sunlight can affect the number and size of the trophic levels

2.d.1 All biological systems from cells and organisms to populations, communities, and ecosystems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic interactions involving exchange of matter and free energy

52.2 53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.4, 53.5 54.1-54.5 55.1-55.4

• Cell density • Biofilms • Temperature • Water availability • Sunlight • Symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism) • Predator–prey relationships • Water and nutrient availability, temperature, salinity, pH • Water and nutrient availability • Availability of nesting materials and sites • Food chains and food webs • Species diversity • Population density • Algal blooms

2.d.3 Biological systems are affected by disruptions to their dynamic homeostatis.

56.1 • Invasive and/or eruptive species • Human impact • Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,

2

volcanoes, and fires • Water limitation • Salination

2.E.3: Timing and coordination of behavior are regulated by various mechanisms and are important in natural selection.

54.1 • Niche and resource partitioning • Mutualistic relationships (lichens; bacteria in digestive tracts of animals; and mycorrhizae) • Biology of pollination • Migration

4. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties4.A.5: Communities are composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.

53.1, 53.2, 53.3, 53.5, 53.6 54.1, 54.2

• Predator/prey relationships spreadsheet model • Symbiotic relationship • Graphical representation of field data • Introduction of species • Global climate change models

4.A.6: Interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the movement of matter and energy.

54.2 55.1, 55.3, 55.4, 55.5

No illustrative examples listed in the Curriculum

4.B.3: Interactions between and within populations influence patterns of species distribution and abundance.

54.1 • Loss of keystone species • Kudzu • Dutch elm disease

4.B.4: Distribution of local and global ecosystems changes over time.

25.4 56.1, 56.4

• Dutch elm disease • Potato blight • Small pox [historic example for Native Americans] • El Nino • Continental drift • Meteor impact on dinosaurs

4.C.3: The level of variation in a population affects population dynamics.

23.1, 23.2, 23.3 Campbell Biology offers many examples:• California Condors

3

• Black-footed ferrets• Prairie Chickens• Potato blight causing the potato famine• Corn rust affects on agricultural crops• Tasmanian devils an infections cancers• Not all animals in a population stampede• Not all individuals in a population in a disease outbreak are equally affected.

4.C.4: The diversity of species within an ecosystem may influence the stability of the ecosystem.

54.2 56.1

No illustrative examples listed in the Curriculum

Ecology: Introduction and the Biosphere

Text Chapter: 52

4

Purpose: To understand the scope of Ecology, its importance in science and learn the necessary vocabulary to explain the place of organisms in ecosystems.

-The amphibian pictured right is a variable harlequin toad (Atelopus varius) and its historic range is depicted in the map below.

-Amphibians in Central America have been devastated by the Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), with roughly two-thirds of the 82 known Harelquin Toad having vanished during the 1980s and 1990s.

-As a budding ecologist you are keen to confirm if Atelopus varius is one of the species to have gone extinct or whether it might still exist in some refuge habitats.

a) How would you go about addressing this question?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

b) Where would you look for remaining Atelopus varius populations? Why?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c) If you did find a population of Atelopus varius, what factors would you need to consider when assessing the future of the species?

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

-As of 2009, Atelopus varius was found as a single population consisting of fewer than 100 invididuals.

*Learn more about the amphibian of Central America at: goo.gl/aDwxYx

5

-All of the questions you considered above are the subject of ecology. Use your textbook to find a good definition of the term Ecology

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

-Through their studies, ecologists try to determine:

a) What limits the distribution of a species?

b) What limits the abundance of a species?

-Give some examples of abiotic components of the environment which could affect species distribution and abundance.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

-Give some examples of biotic components of the environment which could affect species distribution and abundance.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

-Ecology can be studied at many different levels. Both of the images above represent Biospheres (in which the study of Ecology occurs), but on different scales. Use the information in Figure 52.2 to describe the components that make up a Biosphere and the study of Ecology:

a) Organismal Ecology:

6

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Population Ecology:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Community Ecology:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

d) Ecosystem Ecology:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

e) Landscape ecology:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Concept 52.1: Earth’s climate varies by latitude and season and is changing rapidly -What is the biosphere?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

-What is biogeography?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

7

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

-If researchers can determine the climatic limits of current geographic distributions for species, they can predict how that species’ distribution will change with global warming.

*Read page 1149 and 1150 to see how some populations are responding to climate change:

a) What will happen to the range of the American Beech as the climate warms?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

b) The Pacific diatom recently colonized the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in 800,000 years. How has climate change made this possible?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Do some research to find one species whose range is being affected by climate change. You will present this informally to your peers next class.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Concept 52.4: Interactions between organisms and the environment limit species distribution

What factors limit the geographic distribution of any particular species? -Climate: -Long-term, prevailing weather conditions in a given area. Most significant influence!

8

-Includes temperature, water, sunlight, and wind.

-Temperature and water are the major climatic factors determining the distribution of organisms: (light and wind to a lesser extent) (remember this from grade 10)

a)

Sometimes humans affect distribution of species by introducing species into a new geographical region:

-Zebra mussels were introduced into the great lakes via boat bilges and then spread to the rivers of North America.

9

*Complete the Invasive Species Assignment.

b) Behaviour of individuals in selecting habitat may limit distribution of a species:

-When individuals seem to avoid certain habitats that are suitable for them to live in distribution may be limited by habitat selection behavior.

-Behaviour can even influence the distribution of a population within a habitat!c) Biotic factors affect the distribution of organisms. For example: Food resources, predators, diseases,

competitors

-A predator removal experiment can be done to determine the relative effect of various predators on a species:

-Comment on the Inquiry in Fig 52.20 Does feeding by sea urchins limit seaweed distribution?

10

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

e) Abiotic factors affect the distribution of organisms.

Concept 52.2: The structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by climate and disturbance.

-Climate plays an important role in determining the nature and location of Earth’s biomes, major life zones characterized by:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

-Because there are latitudinal patterns of climate over Earth’s surface, there are also latitudinal patterns of biome distribution.

-A climograph plots ___________________________________________________________________

11

-You must read and understand the general features of Terrestrial Biomes.

-Also examine Figure 52.9 for the colour map of major terrestrial biomes.

-Terrestrial biomes are based mainly on regional variations in climate. See Figure 52.12 for photos and descriptions of the major terrestrial biomes.

-Try Activity: Terrestrial Biomes on Mastering Biology.Concept 52.3: Aquatic biomes are diverse and dynamic systems that cover most of Earth

-Try Activity: Terrestrial Biomes on Mastering Biology.

12

-What are some of the major aquatic biomes?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

-What are the main five abiotic factors affecting aquatic biomes? The image below can help you think of a few…

13

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

*Watch The Gulf Stream Explain by Kurzgesagt to explore the Great Ocean Conveyer Belt.

Discuss some of the effects of large bodies of water on Global Climate.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

*Complete the Stream Survey Lab

14