Ecology is the scientific study of the interaction between organisms and the

environment
*chopping down trees - American beaver Castor canadensis
- upper and lower incisors that keeps on growing
- need to dam a stream (beaver dam) --> slowing down of current --> still
water
- lodges as home
These interactions determine the DISTRIBUTION and ABUNDANCE of organisms
*black sea urchin
Complex interactions between species
*2 species of sea urchin in the Galapagos - a green sea urchin and pencil sea urchin
- green: in shallow, fast and active
- pencil: more widespread, slower, preferred by fish predators
Early ecology was primarily descriptive and on natural history
- naturalists
- plant ecology developed earlier
- Early ecologists studied plant associations ---gave rise---> community
ecology
Animal ecology took off later
- marine animal ecology flourished - with economic and medical importance
were studied
- *some as parasites : blood flukes Schistosoma in copula = ONLY
gonochoristic fluke
- worlds number 2 eukaryote killer
- *intestinal nematodes going out
- copepod that parasitizes horn shark => copepod being parasitized by
monogeneans
Avocado seed moth Stenoma catenifer
- larva of S. catenifer - attacked by parasitoids
- Wasp eggs inside the moth whose larva feed on the larva of the moth
(Costesia)
superparasitoid wasp --->hyper parasitoid Wasp --parasitoid wasp--> caterpillar
larva
Praying mantises [mandadangcal] caught in flagrante delicto
-male is inhibited by some compound in the brain
- female turns her head and starts EATING the head of the MALE
-male copulates and aggressively transfers the sperm
-she continues to eat him male -> meal
*the family that prey together slay together
Animals that feed on feces DUNG beetle
Ernst Haeckel German
- animal ecology

- credited as very first animal ecologist

-coined the word ECOLOGY
-very good in vertebrate anatomy
-incompitent sea invertebrate
-animal development
Victor E. Shelford American
-community succession changes in the species in an area through time
Henry C. Cowles American
-succession in dunes
-vegetation in beach in Lake Michigan
- Indiana sand dunes Indiana dunes
Charles S. Elton British
- population ecology
-invasive species introduced species becoming invasive
George Evelyn Hutchinson born in England American
-studied in Cambridge University (Top 2)
- taught in Yale, Connecticut
- polymath in Yale
- n-dimensional niche
-father of MODERN limnology/ecology
- influenced and had ecological descendants
*John Langdon Brooks
Eugene P. Odum American
- studied under V. E. Shelford University of Illinois
- After finishing PhD University of Georgia
- published first English college-level textbook on ecology Fundamentals of
ecology
-> Bible - LALABAS SA EXAM
- put up the Institute of Ecology in UGa
- pioneer in ecosystem ecology energy flow
- The ecosystem is grater than the sum of its parts
The fundamental assumptions of the concept of the ecosystem
1) the ecosystem is the basic unit of structure
got help from brother Howard T. Odum University of Florida
- Energy systems language of systems ecology
- Silver Spring model first complete analysis of a natural ecosystem
- Passive electrical equivalent
- One of Hutchinsons ecological heir
Eugene died in August 10, 2002
- William Eugene Odom son who died of drinking
Howard died in September 11, 2002

Eugene P. Odom School of Ecology

- living building same as new IB building

Salt marsh estuarine ecosystem

- during high tide, sea water covers the area
- euryhaline plants withstand high salt contents in water
- detritus all organic matter undergoing decomposition
-> Eugene Odom and Armando A. de la Cruz - pioneered in
Detritus
-> UP Professor in ecology
Modern ecology includes observations and experimentation
Microcosm: terrarium, aquarium, etc.
*population of Daphnia magna in plexiglass chambers
Environmental chambers usually for plant ecology
Mesocosm: environment with natural condition
*on Daphnia pulex
BioCON program Biodiversity Carbon Oxygen Nitrogen
- See what changes will occur
3 Factors to see how plant communities respond to changes
1) Increasing atmospheric CO2
2) Increasing N2
deposition
3) Decreasing biodiversity
Large scale experiments on effects of elevated CO2 concentration
- 6 circular plots: 3 bombarded with CO2, 3 with control
Whole ecosystem approach
- 5 great lakes
-Crater Lake in Oregon
- Experimental Lakes Area (ELA)
-with 58 small lakes = occurrence of glaciation: slow moving ice that
dig ground then
melt to become lake
David Schindler: Too much nutrient decrease water quality
Lake 226: chose due to its shape = elongated and narrow at the waist
-Divided the lake in North and South Basin by a curtain divider
SOUTH: Carbon + Nitrogen => not much cyanobacteria
NORTH: Carbon + Nitrogen + Phosphorus => CYANOBACTERIAL
BLOOMS
* confirmed hypothesis *
Oligotrophic Lake nutrients kept in check
Eutrophic Lake cultural eutrophication cyanobacterial blooms consume and
deplete oxygen even
death = low levels of dissolved oxygen choking and killing fish

Mercury levels in water

Mesocosms (enclosures) Inorganic Hg methylmercury
- Mercury will eventually disappeares

HBEF Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

- Focus on nutrient cycling in forest ecosystem
1) Trees were cut down and sprayed with herbicide to make sure it wont
grow back
2) Clear cut watershed = undisturbed (control)
3) Construct dam to monitor mineral and nutrient loss
Results : 60% precipitation exits through streams 40% lost by
evapotranspiration
30-40% greater water loss in deforested compared to undisturbed
forest
Nutrient loss much greater in deforested = 60x more Nitrate lost to
run off water
Modern ecology has become more and more experimental and quantitive
Modern ecology has become more and more experimental and quantitive
- long-term
- large scale
- multidisciplinary, enhanced by powerful computing, statistical analyses
- data shared, disseminated
- extensive use of instruments = EXPENSIVE
*Secchi disk measures depth of effective light penetration in water
(photosynthesis)
*measuring abiotic factors using portable meters dissolved oxygen
meter, pH meter,
thermometer, YSI data sonde, Orion VERSA
STAR,
*The River Thames in Britain heavily polluted before, now very clean
- Stations for monitoring water quality multiparameter probe
transmitter
- YSI data sonde yellow springs instrument w multiple parameter
sensors
- PAR photosynthetic radiation, fDOM fine dissolved organic matter
- dissolved oxygen, pH, blue-green algae, ammonia, turbidity
Data sonde relayed via cables; via telemetry : energy source solar power
The aquatic ecologist look at data
Plankton: small organisms, floating, weak swimmers
2 groups: producers phytoplankton
consumers zooplankton Daphnia
Freshwater : Cladocerans
Marine : Copepods
*standard plankton net conical shaped net with 2 opening ONLY for
zooplankton

*plankton nets today measures volume of seawater filtered; winch and

cable
*marine plankton net
*Clarke-Bumpus plankton sampler most advanced
*Satellites FIGURE 55.7
- float descends to 1000m and parks
- O2 concentration recorded as float ascends
- Measuring primary production from above
*Moored Autonomous pCO2 (MAP-CO2) Buoy
- ocean acidification research
-buoy engineered and deployed by the US National Oceanic and
Atmosphereic (NOAA)
- with sensor that collects pCO2 and temp data every hour and
transmits them via satellite
Aquatic robots, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), in icy water off the
Antartic coast gather data on the state of the ocean
*Long-term monitoring of a grizzly bear population
- puts a collar on a sedated bear with transmitter that relays messages to
receiver
- no need to follow bear
---------------------------- back to slides ----------------------------------Both biotic and abiotic factors influence species distribution
Abiotic factors : temperature, water [physical factors important to terrestrial
environment], solar radiation, nutrients [physical factors important to aquatic
environment], rocks and soil
Biotic factors: predation, herbivory, carnivory
*student left to Costa Rica [high biodiversity] harlequin toad Atelopus varius
What threatens this amphibians survival?
- Thought to be extinct by experts
- Various factors making amphibians extinct
*Yellow-legged frogs Rana muscosa already dead
Why? Chytrids parasites of amphibians
- unique with their FLAGELLATED spores zoospores
Chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
California treatment lake frogs treated with fungicides
The scope of ecological research
-different levels of ecological research: Global, Landscape, Ecosystem,
Population, Organismal ecology
Organismal ecology
- studies how an organisms structure, physiological and behavior
- focus on single species
Population ecology population dispersion
a) clumped adjacent sea star
b) uniform spread but with pattern or near one another - penguins
c) Random spread but no pattern/ some near others far - dandelions

- more individuals of same species = population

- focus on factors affecting population size over time
*locust/grasshopper population
*African elephant population
- poaching of African elephants
- placed in Kruger National Park, South Africa protected exponential
growth
GOOD OR BAD? Too much population decline of food supply culling
(deliberate killing)
*Bacteria growth curve bacteria culture divides asexually : fission doubles
after 20 mins
LAAAAAG phase to LOG phase = exponential growth
Forever growing? NO, due to limited resources = carrying capacity(K)
maximum number of individuals the environment can carry
* plague of locust (tipaklong)
* European starling flying together
*marine seaweed (lumot) algal blooms in China exponential growth Jshaped

Logistic growth - S shaped

-Slow phase slowing at point of inflection maintains at the carrying
capacity
-Microcosm: sigmoidal growth
-Daphnia declined beyond the carrying capacity
*Human lag phase for hundreds of years log phase
Estimated 8 B by 2028
*Indians, Duggar family of Arkansas USA w/ 17 children = brother molested 2 sisters
Humans multiply like bateria
Community ecology species diversity, population interaction, community
succession
- Which forest is more diverse, predation, competition
- American snowshoe hare Lepux americanus, fox Lynx calaksdjflksfjasf
- Barnacles
-whole array of interacting species in a biotic community
- facultative mutualism
*Acacia tree and ants Pseudomyrmex
Ecosystem ecology energy flow, nutrient cycling
- emphasize on energy flow and chemical cycling
- community of organisms in an area and the physical factors with which they
interact with
Living world Nonliving world
*spring-fed pool in cave
Landscape ecology

- 2 or more adjacent ecosystem

Global ecology biosphere thin layer of all ecosystem
- global ecocsystem = sum of all ecosystems
- influence of energy and materials on organisms
- interconnected events: corals die why? Because BURGERS eaten by
Xianthe; cattles are fed corn; trees cut for corn plantation; Xianthe to McDo cars
burn ethanol; CO2 accumulate traps heat; CO2 acidifies sea = sea heats up
concentrated sea water, melting of ice caps; EARTH goes under(water)
*tracking a deadly threat tagging a gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus graduate student
= keep track of migration
- may carry H5N1 avian flu highly contagious virus of birds
H (16) Haemagglutinin N (9) Neuraminidase glycoproteins

Jared Diamond The Third Chimpanzee

Rodney Barker And the Waters turned to blood
Baby Business
Eugene P Odum Fundamentals of ecology

Conservation Biology and Global change

Scientists have named and described 1.8 M species
Biologist 10 200 Million species
- Tropical rainforest, humans
Bruce M. Beehler
-Indonesia, West New Guinea
- wattled smoky honeyeater Melipotes carolae
- newly discovered bird species
- not for long = tropical deforestation
International Institute for Species Exploration Arizona State University
- newly discovered species
- the larger the word, a greater number of species in that category
-Lyre sponge Chondrocladia lyra
-Lesula monkey Cercopithecus lomamiensis
-external light mushroom Mycena luxaeterna emits bioluminescent fungi
(greenish-yellow)
- monitor lizard Varanus bitatawa - found in Northern Sierra Madre Forest,
Luzon, Philippines
- newly discovered beetle Hydraena ateneo
Human activities threathen Earths biodiversity

- rate of extinction increasing

- Tropical forest being destroyed at an alarming rate
- Humans rapidly pushing many species to extinction
** Tropical rainforest, coral reef greatest biodiversity
Age of dino: 1 species lost for every 1000 years
Before human: 1 species lost per 1 Million each year
**99% of all species that have existed, are now extinct
Conservation biology
- ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, evolutionary biology
- conservation molecular genetics (WOW)
3 main levels: Genetics, species and ecosystem diversity
Genetic diversity comprises genetic variation within a population and between
populations
- mammal: vole (rodent)
- source of variations that enable population to adapt to its environment

*worlds sexiest fruit unmistakably phallic (phallus) look BANANA ;)

- no SEX for a long time
- propagated in the jungles of SEAsia 7000-10000 yrs ago
- from the jungles of Vietnam
- origin: giant wild herb Musa acuminate w hard seeds and inedible
- mutation banana without seeds (asexual)
- edible but sterile
- no sexual?! = genetically OLD, lacks genetic DIVERSITY attacks by fungi
- Panana disease and black Sigatoka
- fungicides ineffective, costly and harms growers
WHAT TO DO? Breeding programs w disease-resistant WILD VARIETIES
(expernsive); sequence of resistant genes from inedible tissue cultures of cells of
edible banana
- INIBAP International Network for the Improvement of Banana and
Plantain Emile Frisson
- GMO BANANA?!
- NUMBER 4 food crop
* top 3: wheat, rice, corn
- Demand for more bananas loss of genetic diversity and rise of crop
diseases; damage to the environment arising from converting forest to plantation
- 2 bits of trivia: 1) research on bananas keeps geneticist excited = genome
evolution is rarely observed, static genome of bananas sexual mixing 2) forbidden
fruit = apple?! Evidence from Judeo-Christian and Islamic holy text = BANANA
Biography of Banana: Banana. The Fate of the Fruit that changed
the world by Dan Koeppel
Species Diversity the variety of species in an ecosystem or throughout the
biosphere
- ecosystem: coastal redwood forest: narrow strip of land Oregon California
- largest living organisms tallest trees coastal redwood tree

- banana slugs, redwood forest frog, vole

- important in maintaining structure of communities and food webs
Categories: 1) vulnerable 2) rare 3) common 4) threatened - likely to be
endangered
5) endangered in danger of becoming extinct
*irreversible extinction
12% birds 20% mammals 32% amphibians threatened w extinction
Hundred Heartbeat Club Prof Edward O Wilson Harvard University Professor
- list of critically endangered species:
- Lord of the Ants the worlds LEADING biologist on ants
- Biography: Naturalist
- James D. Watson colleague possible structure of DNA looked
down on taxominist
- I found him to be the most unpleasant human being .
- idol ni Mamaril

In the list:
Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi
- down to 3% of rainforest remaing
- Sierra Madre Mt. Apo
Yangtze River dolphin Lipotes vexillifer
- worlds only FRESHWATER dolphin
Javan Rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus
- Indonesia
- officially extinct as of 2006
Mindoro tamaraw Bubalus mindorensis
- FEU mascot
Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis
Philippine crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis
The local extinction of one species can have an negative impact on other species in
an ecosystem
- Marianas flying fox bat Pteropus mariannus (bats) important
pollinators
Biodiversity and Human welfare
- Human Biophilia value of biodiversity for its own sake
- practical benefits
- loss of species = loss of genes and genetic diversity
Benefits of species and Genetic Diversity
- plant breeders bred virus resistant commercial rice by crossing with WILD
population

- Rosy periwinkle Catharanthus roseus can save lives alkaloids

lymphoma cancer
Ecosystem Diversity provides life-sustaining services such as nutrient cycling
and waste decomposition
- human activity = reducing ecosystem diversity
- more than 50% wetland ecosystems lost
Ecosystem services
- purification of water and air
- detoxification and decomposition of water
- cycling of nutrients
- moderation of weather extremes
*Okefenokee National Wetland Reserve in Georgia
- dry in the summer but still with water just below ground
- converted for commercial use
- salt marsh estuary
Wetlands
- haven for biodiversity
- filter off pollutants
- help prevent flooding
- store nutrients
- for the adventurous get WET and WILD and get bitten by nosee-ums, varmints
- get away from the world
- get away from her
- inner peace
Threats to biodiversity
- Habitat destruction (1)
- introduced species
- Overharvesting
- Global change
1) Habitat Loss
- greatest threat to biodiversity and throught out biosphere
- 93% of coral reefs have been damaged
- prairie (grassland) occupiers <0.1% of its original
- Habitat fragmentation loss of biodiversity
2) Introduced species
- humans that move from native to new location
- without native Predators, Parasites, Pathogens and competitors
- Introduced Invasive species
- may be accidental: brown tree snake Boiga irregularis (family
Colubridae) Pacific region Guam by the US Military after WWII
- many birds in Guam before arrival of (nocturnal, colubrid)brown tree
snake - PREYED on birds
And No Birds Sing by Mark Jaffe

- annihilate them bombed with poison mice w/ compound

ACETAMINOPHEN
- PETA mad about it
Humas have deliberately introduced some species with good intention but
DISASTROUS effects
- kudzu Pueraria lobata (pea family Fabaceae) introduced to southern US
- WHY: food for their cows (cattle fodder), prevent soil erosion
- fast growing and strangle trees and structures plant that ate the
South
STORY: left his beetle car, disappeared = covered by kudzu
STORY: Mamaril detained in Honolulu airport
Our own exotic species: snail that would be the Filipinos escargot
- golden apple snail golden kuhol Pomacaea canaliculata brought by
Filipino travelers from Taiwan
- rich in proteins, and very expensive
- found out to be too tough if overcooked = parang Adidas
- Filipinos naumay threw them away REVENGED = overran fields of rice
- thought to have displaced native kuhol Pila conica
Is a Sixth Mass Extinction under way?
- current rate : 100-1000 times the typical rate of extinction
- human-caused
Field Notes From a Catastrophe, The sixth extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
First : Ordovesian
Worst:
Milder:
Fifth: end of Mesozoic era = Cretaceous extinction by asteroid Chichxulub crater
killed most dinosaurs 65 MYA
3) Overharvesting
- gathering of wild plants and animals at rate exceeding the ability of
populations of those species to recover
-large organisms with low reproductive rate *African elephant Loxodonta
africana for ivory
- illegal hunting and poaching
- tusks hacked and its hide streaked with vulture droppings after being
shot by poachers
- lucrative industry
-DNA from illegally harvested (ivory) can be used to trace the original
population (of elephants)
- obtained from elephant feces = DNA database mostly from Zambia
Terms: Feces = fecal material, fecal pellets, droppings, manure, cow pat,
dung, poop, scat
Wild cats scat analyzed
- sequencing of their DNA tiger data bank
Nepal Tiger Genome Project (NTGP)