Chapter 6 - Animals and Their Environment PDF

Chapter 6 - Animals and Their Environment BIO. SCI. 2 - General Zoology Cristel Joy C. Mallari Instructor I Overview I. Concept of Ecosystem II. Interaction, Association, and Distribution of Animals III. Food Chains. Food Webs and Bioenergetics IV. Concept of Biomes and Biodiversity V. Environment...

Chapter 6 - Animals and Their Environment BIO. SCI. 2 - General Zoology Cristel Joy C. Mallari Instructor I Overview I. Concept of Ecosystem II. Interaction, Association, and Distribution of Animals III. Food Chains. Food Webs and Bioenergetics IV. Concept of Biomes and Biodiversity V. Environmental Degradation & Conservation CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM Ecology interactions of living organisms with their physical environment understand the distribution and abundance of living things in the environment biochemistry, physiology, evolution, biodiversity, molecular biology, geology, and climatology Fundamental areas - ecosystem and organisms Ecosystem unit of nature, the focus of study in ecology vary in size and forms lake, log, beneath rocks all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area and their interactions Biotic Abiotic work together to form a bubble of life Ecological Niche / Niche the role of a species in its ecosystem all the ways that the species interacts food it eats how the food is obtained Birds that occupy different niches Habitat physical environment in which a species lives and to which it is adapted features determined by abiotic factors temperature, rainfall may contain many different species, but each species must have a different niche competitive exclusion principle INTERACTION, ASSOCIATION, & DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS  Levels of Ecological Study 1. Organismal Ecology - adaptations 2. Population Ecology - no.of individuals, how population changes (conspecifics) 3. Community Ecology - different species within an area (heterospecifics) 4. Ecosystem Ecology - nutrient & Figure 6.2. Ecological studies within several biological energy storage & movement levels or organization. Retrieved November 15, 2020 from bio.libretexts.org Community Relationships All organisms in an ecosystem are connected in one way or another. important factors in natural selection and help shape the evolution of the interacting species 1. Symbiosis 2. Predation 3. Competition Symbiosis relationship between two organisms of different species in which at least one of the organism benefits Mutualism - individuals from both species benefit Commensalism - one of the species benefits while the other is unaffected Parasitism - organism from one species (parasite) benefits, while an organism from other species (host) is harmed  Predation Predator and Prey consume tissues of organisms in another species Often this means killing the prey and eating all or most of the prey organism Figure 6.3. Predation wherein the snake is swallowing the live lizard whole. The snake is the predator while the large lizard is the prey. Retrieved November 15, 2020 from bio.libretexts.org Competition organisms strive for the same resources (food, water or space) in the same place Intraspecific competition Interspecific competition Species Distribution Species dispersion patterns spatial relationship between members of a population within a habitat at a particular point in time Uniform dispersion Random dispersion Clumped dispersion Figure 6.4. Species may have uniform, random, or clumped distribution. Territorial birds such as penguins tend to have uniform distribution. Plants such as dandelions with wind-dispersed seeds tend to be randomly distributed. Animals such as elephants that travel in groups exhibit clumped distribution.  Group Name/ Collective Noun 1. Embarrassment 2. Murder 3. Troop 4. Pod 5. Pack 6. Clutter/Clowder 7. Pride 8. Herd/Parade 9. School/Shoal 10.Aggregation 11.Army FOOD CHAINS, FOOD WEB, & BIOENERGETICS Productivity incorporation of energy and materials into biological systems divided into trophic levels Food chains - movement of energy from plant to organisms Food web - interconnected food chains pathways for energy transfer w/in an ecosystem  Food web in Salicomia salt marsh of San Francisco Bay area Figure 6.5. Food web in Salicomia salt marsh of San Francisco Bay area. Retrieved September 28, 2020 from biocyclopedia.com/index/general_zoology/images Trophic levels Primary producers - autotrophs fixing and storing energy from outside the ecosystem Consumers - heterotrophs herbivores, carnivores, omnivores Decomposers break dead organic matter into its mineral components Trophic levels Animal Bioenergetics balance between energy intake and utilization by the animal for different life-sustaining processes all animals must obtain their energy from food they ingest or absorb endotherm - warm-blooded animals ectotherm - cold-bloded animals Metabolic Rate amount of energy expended by an animal over a specific time basal metabolic rate (BMR) - endothermic animals at rest standard metabolic rate (SMR) in ectotherms Energy Requirements Related to Body Size Smaller endothermic animals have a greater surface area for their mass than larger ones smaller animals lose heat at a faster rate than larger animals and require more energy to maintain a constant internal temperature. Figure 6.7. The mouse has a much higher metabolic rate than the elephant. (credit “mouse”: modification of work by Magnus Kjaergaard; credit “elephant”: modification of work by “TheLizardQueen”/Flickr) Energy Requirements Related to Levels of Activity The more active an animal is, the more energy is needed to maintain that activity, and the higher its BMR or SMR. average daily rate of energy consumption is about two to four times an animal’s BMR or SMR Energy Requirements Related to Environment Torpor is a process that leads to a decrease in activity and metabolism and allows animals to survive adverse conditions. body temp, metabolism, water balance hibernation – “winter dormancy” (a)estivation – “summer dormancy” CONCEPT OF BIOMES & DIVERSITY Biomes major biotic unit bearing a characteristic and easily recognized array of plant life large units having a distinctive vegetation identified by its dominant plant formation but because animals depend on plants, each biome supports a characteristic fauna  Temperature Decidous Forest hardwood trees (beech, maple, oak, hickory) Deciduous plants - shed their leaves in the autumn. Characteristic inhabitants - Deer, raccoons, and salamanders During the growing season, this biome can be quite productive in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Mean annual precipitation is relatively high (75 to 125 cm, or 30 to 50 inches), and rain falls periodically throughout the year. Mean annual temperatures range between 5º and 18º C (41º to 65º F).  Coniferous Forest (Boreal Forest/Taiga) Conifers - spruce, firs, and jack pines. Dotted with lakes, bogs, and marshes. It is populated by an even more limited variety of plants and animals than previous In North America – the "spruce-moose" biome. Black bears, wolves, and migratory birds Before winter - mammals hibernate, and many of the birds migrate south. MAP = less than 100 cm (40 inches) Temp. range = -5º to -3º C (23º to 37º F).  Tropical Forest Relatively few tree species, contains thousands of plant species, none of which dominates Climbing plants and epiphytes occur among trunk and tree limbs. Insectivorous birds and bats occupy air above the canopy. In the middle zones are arboreal mammals (such as monkeys and sloths), numerous birds, insects, and amphibians. Climbing animals, such as squirrels and civets, move along tree trunks. MAP = more than 200 cm or 80 inches per year, high humidity, relatively high and constant temperatures averaging over 17º C (63º F), and little seasonal variation in day length  Grassland/Prairie Treeless vegetation of