1. Donald Winslow, Zoology
Animal Ecology
Donald Winslow, Zoology
26 January 2011

2. Ecology (Ernst Haeckel)
An organism’s relationship to its biotic and abiotic environment.
Ecologists study factors that affect spatial distribution and abundance of organisms.

3. Biological hierarchy Cell Tissue Organ Organ system Organism
Population
Community
Nine-banded armadillo

4. Ecological hierarchy Organism Population Community Ecosystem Landscape
Biome
Biosphere
Agricultural corridor within forested landscape in southern Indiana.

5. A population
American coots (Fulica americana) at Lake Thunderbird. Photo by Zac Ottis

6. A community
Ruddy Ducks and Eared Grebes at Great Salt Plains Lake

7. (biotic and abiotic components interacting)
An ecosystem
(biotic and abiotic components interacting)
Coast Live Oak forest at Camp San Luis Obispo, California

8. A landscape
Coastal oak woodland and chaparral at Camp San Luis Obispo in California

9. A biome
Sonoran desert near Phoenix, Arizona

10. Broad fields in ecology
Physiological ecology
Population ecology
Community ecology
Ecosystem ecology
Landscape ecology
Biogeography

11. Physiological ecology
Energy budgets
Endothermy
Metabolic thermoregulation (bird or mammal)
Ectothermy
Behavioral thermoregulation (e.g. reptile)

12. Population ecology Demes and metapopulations Demographic parameters
Population dynamics and regulation
Role of resources
Metapopulation dynamics
sources & sinks

13. A metapopulation
Sink
Source

14. Demographic parameters
Population abundance and density
Age structure
Sex ratio
Growth rate
Survivorship

15. Age structures of human populations in Afghanistan and Belgium
From Hickman, et al Integrated Principles of Zoology, 13th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.

16. Exponential and logistic models of population growth
From Hickman, et al Integrated Principles of Zoology, 13th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.

17. Community ecology Species interactions Species diversity Competition
Niche, tolerance ranges, habitat
Predation & parasitism
Models & mimics
Keystone species—starfish & mussels
Species diversity

18. Ecosystem ecology Gross and net productivity
Trophic levels and food webs
Producers, consumers, decomposers