of Review Lecture 1: Wildlife Tragedies
Market hunters Decimated populations
Bison, beaver, whales, white-tailed deer, turkey, marine mammals
Notable extinctions
Passenger pigeon, Stellar's sea cow, Heath hen
Predator extermination
Lecture 2: Principles of Ecology
What is wildlife? Native vs. Exotic History of Ecology Ecological Principles
Hierarchy of Levels Homeostatic Mechanisms Factors limiting population growth Adaptation Niches
Introduction to N.A. Wildlife
What is Wildlife?
Historically, animals that could be ___________
Introduction to N.A. Wildlife
More recently, "wildlife" means all native animals, especially those that can be watched and enjoyed
Native vs. Exotic Species
Wildlife generally refers to ________, wild animals that are found naturally in the region. An exception: ______________
Native vs. Exotic Species, con't.
Exotic, introduced, or naturalized species
Accidental Introductions
Accidental introductions
________________
Guam Caused extirpation of most native vertebrates
________________
U.S. Kills native ash trees Rapidly spreading
Moving __________
Intentional Releases
Mongoose
Introduced to eliminate _____ in HI Diurnal so ineffective at controlling nocturnal rats Instead kills native species
Nutria
Introduced to U.S. for ____________ No longer heavily trapped for fur Cause massive marsh loss Reduce habitat for native species
Feral Species
Domesticated species
released to the wild
Control is often controversial
Three Scientific Disciplines
Ecology (_______ Science)
The scientific study of the interrelationships among organisms, and between organisms and their environment Examples: Does species A compete with species B? Which species are the most effective pollinators of a particular plant?
Three Scientific Disciplines, con't.
Wildlife Management (______ Science)
Emphasis on manipulating or "improving" the natural word. The goal is to meet target levels of population. Examples: How do we improve habitat for species A, thereby increasing their numbers? How can we increase survivorship of Mallard ducklings?
Three Scientific Disciplines, con't.
Conservation Biology (______________)
Emphasis is on applying ecological knowledge to the problem of the loss of species to extinction Examples: Are exotic species causing the loss of biodiversity in Hawaii? How do the small native bird communities of Pacific islands react to tourism?
History of Ecology
Oikos = household or home; -ology = study of Ecology = _______________________________
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
One of first to study Ecology
Term coined by Ernst Haeckel (1866)
History of Ecology, Modern con't.
ecology began in 1920s Natural History
Plant studies on single species Then, studies on succession
E.g., Henry Cowles Indiana Dunes
First textbook: E.P. __________ Fundamentals of Ecology (1953)
Today ecologists study a wide variety of organisms and environments
Titles from Vol 84, no. 5--Ecology
COMPENSATORY GROWTH IN OCEANIC LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES: RESPONSE TO A STOCHASTIC ENVIRONMENT. Karen A. Bjorndal, Alan B. Bolten, Thomas Dellinger, Cludia Delgado, and Helen R. Martins, pages 1237 1249. COUPLING PROPAGULE OUTPUT TO SUPPLY AT THE EDGE AND INTERIOR OF A GIANT KELP FOREST. Michael H. Graham, pages 12501264. INFLUENCE OF LEAF-CUTTING ANT NESTS ON SECONDARY FOREST GROWTH AND SOIL PROPERTIES IN AMAZONIA. P. Moutinho, D. C. Nepstad, and E. A. Davidson, pages 12651276. SOIL MICROBES COMPETE EFFECTIVELY WITH PLANTS FOR ORGANICNITROGEN INPUTS TO TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS. Richard D. Bardgett, Tania C. Streeter, and Roland Bol, pages 12771287. A TEST OF ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESES FOR CHARACTER DIVERGENCE BETWEEN COEXISTING SPECIES. David W. Pfennig and Peter J. Murphy, pages 12881297. INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN THE TIMING OF ONTOGENETIC NICHE SHIFTS IN LARGEMOUTH BASS. David M. Post, pages 12981310. INDIRECT CONTRAMENSALISM THROUGH TROPHIC CASCADES BETWEEN TWO OMNIVOROUS FISHES. Osamu Katano, Yoshimasa Aonuma, Tomoyuki Nakamura, and Shoichiro Yamamoto, pages 13111323.
Principle 1--Hierarchy of Levels
Cells Individual Population
Tissues
Community Organs Ecosystem Organ Systems Biome
Human
Biosphere
Principle 2--Homeostatic Mechanisms
Homeostasis: The tendency of a biological system to resist change and to maintain itself in a state of stable equilibrium _______________________________
Example of a Homeostatic Mechanism: Deer on the Kaibab Plateau, AZ
1906: 4,000 deer; game preserve established 1906-31: ~9,000 predators killed (wolves, bobcats, lions, coyotes) 1923: 60-70,000 deer; habitat damaged 1925: 2/3 of all deer starve in one winter 1939: 10,000 deer remain
Number of Deer
Time
Principle 3--Limiting Factors
What halts population growth? Limiting factors may be living (biotic) or nonliving (abiotic)
Biotic Abiotic
Limiting Factors cont.
Carrying capacity
Maximum number of individuals the environment can sustain
Reproductive potential
r vs. k selected species
________ vs. ________
Principle 4--Adaptation
Organisms are welldesigned with respect to their environments
Principle 5--Niche
Organisms evolve to "fit" their environment The niche is _____________________ _________________________________
Habitat it lives in Food Temperatures it can endure The time it is active
Niche Example