1. The interaction of an organism and its environment
Ecology
The interaction of an organism and its environment

2. Biology is multidimensional
Cell
Tissue
Organ
Organ System
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
This array is an example of what dimension?
Levels of Organization
What fields of biology are at each extreme?
Biochemistry and Biophysics
In this course our focus will be upon…
The Plant!

3. What is the white mass at the top?
Ecosphere
What is the white mass at the top?
What is the big green-brown body in the upper half?
What season is it in Connecticut?
What are the white swirls?
Where is the equator?

4. Biome: deciduous forest biome What is one source for the water?

5. Ecosystems: forest, riverine, old field, disturbed

6. Forest ecosystem: a community of trees
What are the different colors and shapes?
What are we not seeing without a closer look?

7. Forest Community: What do producer, consumer, decomposer mean?

8. Population of trees--OK only if ONE species? Is that valid?

9. Organism: one tree
Why is this one tree so different from those individuals in the previous picture?

10. Organ System: branch with stem, buds, petioles, leaves

11. Organ: one leaf blade petiole
petiole

12. Tissues: epidermis, palisade and spongy mesophyll, xylem, phloem
window, lens
palisade mesophyll
photosynthesis
xylem
water and mineral intake
phloem
sugar and amino acid export
spongy mesophyll
evaporative cooling (photosynthesis)
epidermis
regulates water loss and gas exchange

13. Cell: a mesophyll protoplast (Cell wall was digested off by cellulase)
cell membrane
import/export
chloroplast
photosynthesis
nucleus
transcription
replication
vacuole
toxic waste processing
cytosol
fermentation glycolysis

14. Organelles: endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, mitochondrion, oleosome
internal transport
nucleus
transcription, replication
DNA
zymogen granule
enzyme protein storage
and secretion compartment
mitochondrion
respiration

15. Macromolecular: DNA ribose sugar phosphate nitrogenous bases
(green white)
phosphate
(yellow red)
nitrogenous bases
(blue green white red)

16. Environmental Requirements For Plants
Water (H2O)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Sunlight and Heat
Minerals (most from soil)
Macroelements (above plus:)
N=nitrogen P=phosphorus K=potassium
Ca=calcium Mg=magnesium
Fe=iron S=sulfur
Microelements (enzyme cofactors)
Co Mn Cu Zn Si Mo B Al Cl

17. Forest Community Trophic Levels:
What do producer, consumer, decomposer mean?

18. Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
energy processed
2° Carnivores 10 kcal m-2 yr-1
1° Carnivores 400
Herbivores 4,000
Producers 21,000
Energy lost at each transition and with “life cost” at each level

19. Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
biomass
1° Carnivores 0.1 g DW m-2
Herbivores 0.6
Producers 470.0
plants outweigh all consumers combined!

20. Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
biomass
Which trophic level has the higher rates of growth and/or reproduction?
Zooplankton 21g DW m-2
Phytoplankton 4
What happens if I use “weed and feed” on my lawn?

21. Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
population size
2° Carnivores
1° Carnivores
Herbivores
Producers
This might be expected for a grasslands ecosystem

22. Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
population size
2° Carnivores
1° Carnivores
Herbivores
Producer
This might be expected for a tropical single-tree ecosystem
What is the compensating factor making this stable?
If the tree is unique in a very diverse tropical rainforest, if the associated species have obligate relationships, what happens if we “harvest” this one tree?

23. Competition: Spirodela is excluded by Lemna when grown together
Did/Will you observe competitive exclusion in the arboretum?
Spirodela
Allelopathy: chemical inhibition of other organisms nearby.
Lemna

24. Pollinator - Flowering plant Ant - Acacia Trees - Mycorrhizal fungi
Symbiosis: Mutualism
Legume - Rhizobium
Pollinator - Flowering plant
Ant - Acacia
Trees - Mycorrhizal fungi
Lichen

25. Symbiosis: Commensalism
Tree - Vitis labrusca

26. Symbiosis: Parasitism
Vitis labrusca - Phylloxera infestans

27. Ungulate or Rodent - Plant
Symbiosis: Herbivory
Ungulate or Rodent - Plant
Opuntia - Cactoblastis cactorum - Cyclura rileyi

28. Carnivorous plant - Animal
Symbiosis: Carnivory
Carnivorous plant - Animal

29. Succession: Primary
Pioneer Species colonizing rock, creating soil

30. Succession: Secondary
Successional Seres: Old Field going back to Forest
Is a Climax Community a valid concept? (Chestnut, Dogwood)

31. Terrestrial Landmarks and Photoperiod Swings
The sun passes directly overhead for more days per year than anywhere else
Minimal photoperiod swings
The sun passes directly overhead only one day per year
Photoperiod swings
Tropical Climate
The sun fails to rise at least one day per year
Extreme photoperiod swings

32. Effect of Latitude and Solar Incidence

33. Effect of Latitude, Longitude (proximity to water)
How harsh is the winter in Willimantic, Connecticut?

34. Effect of Latitude
The thin white line around the earth is its atmosphere!
Air pockets called “cells” have the circulation indicated by arrows.
Arrows coming down indicate high pressure, less precipitation.
Arrows pointing outward indicate low pressure, and high precipitation.
Pattern repeated in Southern Hemisphere (not shown) H L
30°N H
westerlies
horse latitudes
NE trade winds 0°
equatorial doldrums L
SE trade winds
horse latitudes
westerlies
30°S

35. Effect of Elevation

36. Biomes on Earth

37. Biome Temperature Precipitation Key Plants Other Features Rainforest
High
Broadleaf evergreen trees, epiphytes, lianas (vines)
The soils are infertile and the species diversity is very high
Savannas and Deciduous Tropical Forest
Seasonal Drought
Grasslands with scattered broadleaf deciduous shrubs and trees
Periodic fire is common, C4 photosynthesis
Desert
Low but a "wet" season
Succulents and some annual herbs
Small/no leaves, thick waxy cuticles, hairy epidermi, CAM photosynthesis
Grasslands
Temperate
Moderate Low
Perennial bunch and sod grasses
Land exploited for crops
Temperate deciduous forest
Moderate Even
Deciduous trees and perennial herbs
Obvious herbaceous plants vary with season
Temperate mixed and conifer forests
Moderate
Mixtures of broadleaf and conifers
Transition between temperate and taiga, soils are infertile
Mediterranean scrub
moist winter dry summer
Evergreen and summer deciduous trees and shrubs, thicket/coppice
Also known as chaparral (NW) and maquis (OW)
Taiga
Severe temperate
Coniferous forest
Soils are acid and infertile, possible permafrost
Tundra
Extreme temperate
Low
Very low shrubs, grasses, lichens, herbs
Permafrost present in soil, much plant biomass is below ground