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

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!

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? http://www.solstation.com/stars/earth.jpg

Biome: deciduous forest biome What is one source for the water? http://www.theexplorationplace.com/eforest/satellitepic.jpg

Ecosystems: forest, riverine, old field, disturbed http://www.natureconservancy.ca/images/upload/ATLNB%20-%20Saint%20John%20River%20Hardwood%20Forest%20-%20Aerial%20-%20Communications%20NB%2072%20DPI%20RGB%20JPG.jpg

Forest ecosystem: a community of trees What are the different colors and shapes? What are we not seeing without a closer look? http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/forestry/images/panama_forest.jpg

Forest Community: What do producer, consumer, decomposer mean? http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/blabea2s.jpg

Population of trees--OK only if ONE species? Is that valid? http://www.fountainforestry.com/Dunn.JPG

Organism: one tree Why is this one tree so different from those individuals in the previous picture? http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/maple_sugar/tree.jpg

Organ System: branch with stem, buds, petioles, leaves http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/images/acru6.jpg

Organ: one leaf blade petiole http://canada.culminis.com/canada/Silver%20Maple%20Leaf.JPG petiole

Tissues: epidermis, palisade and spongy mesophyll, xylem, phloem window, lens palisade mesophyll photosynthesis xylem water and mineral intake phloem sugar and amino acid export http://gecko.gc.maricopa.edu/~lsola/Leaf/Leafxs.jpg spongy mesophyll evaporative cooling (photosynthesis) epidermis regulates water loss and gas exchange

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 http://www.botany.wisc.edu/images/mesophyll-protoplast_lg.jpg

Organelles: endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, mitochondrion, oleosome internal transport nucleus transcription, replication http://www.tmd.ac.jp/artsci/biol/textbook/nucleus.gif DNA zymogen granule enzyme protein storage and secretion compartment mitochondrion respiration

Macromolecular: DNA ribose sugar phosphate nitrogenous bases (green white) phosphate (yellow red) nitrogenous bases (blue green white red) http://sbchem.sunysb.edu/msl/dna.gif

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

Forest Community Trophic Levels: What do producer, consumer, decomposer mean? http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/blabea2s.jpg

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

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!

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?

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

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?

Competition: Spirodela is excluded by Lemna when grown together Did/Will you observe competitive exclusion in the arboretum? Spirodela http://www.univ-ubs.fr/ecologie/Photos/lemna.jpg Allelopathy: chemical inhibition of other organisms nearby. Lemna http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/Lemna_graphics_New/L_gibba2.jpg

Pollinator - Flowering plant Ant - Acacia Trees - Mycorrhizal fungi Symbiosis: Mutualism Legume - Rhizobium Pollinator - Flowering plant Ant - Acacia Trees - Mycorrhizal fungi Lichen http://faculty.vassar.edu/suter/1websites/osawa/photography/images/lichenfoliose.jpg

Symbiosis: Commensalism Tree - Vitis labrusca http://www.all-creatures.org/pica/ftshl-grape-24.jpg

Symbiosis: Parasitism Vitis labrusca - Phylloxera infestans http://ohioline.osu.edu/b919/images/919_080.jpg

Ungulate or Rodent - Plant Symbiosis: Herbivory Ungulate or Rodent - Plant Opuntia - Cactoblastis cactorum - Cyclura rileyi http://www.gri.msstate.edu/research/cmdmn/images/cactoblastis.jpg http://www.oceanoasis.org/fieldguide/images/opun-lag-fruit-rebman.jpg

Carnivorous plant - Animal Symbiosis: Carnivory Carnivorous plant - Animal http://www.falle.de/scripts/fleischfresser/fallen_dionaea_z.jpg

Succession: Primary Pioneer Species colonizing rock, creating soil

Succession: Secondary Successional Seres: Old Field going back to Forest http://www.freewebs.com/kingsprovince/Old%20field.jpg Is a Climax Community a valid concept? (Chestnut, Dogwood)

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

Effect of Latitude and Solar Incidence

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

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

Effect of Elevation

Biomes on Earth

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