Lecture 02 Eco Experiments PDF

What are some common disciplines in ecology? What is an ecosystem? How to scientists ask and attempt to answer questions? Lecture 2 – September 6, 2024 What is ecology? “Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment in a hierarchy of le...

What are some common disciplines in ecology? What is an ecosystem? How to scientists ask and attempt to answer questions? Lecture 2 – September 6, 2024 What is ecology? “Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment in a hierarchy of levels of organization: individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystem”. (both definitions provided in Lecture 1 are fine)  How we organize organismal life Fig. 1.1 Living entities that are genetically and physically discrete. Group of interbreeding individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area in space and time. Population of species that occur together in the same space and time. (= association of interacting species) Biological community together with its associated physical and chemical environment. Exchange of materials, energy and organisms among ecosystems. Portions of the Earth that support life, including land, waters and atmosphere. Disciplines in ecology organized according to the complexity level of ecological organization Textbook, Fig. 1.1 Ecology of Individuals (Autoecology) = A branch that focuses on the interactions between individuals (or individual species) with their environment. Ecology of Individuals often (but not always) examines the behaviour or physiology of individuals (or individual species). [more on that in Lectures 7-13] Textbook, Fig. 1.1  Example. What do caribou eat, and when? In the winter, lichen In warmer seasons, vascular plants Bering Land Bridge National Park National Parks Gallery Webber et al. 2022 Can J Zool Population ecology = focuses on understanding processes that influence population structure and dynamics, such as birth and mortality rates [more on that in Lectures 14-19] Textbook, Fig. 1.1  Example. How does hunting affect wildlife? Effect of hunting on grizzly bear populations in British Columbia Brodie Guy Mclellan et al. 2017 Wildlife Manag Community ecology = focuses on understanding interactions between species or factors that influence the structure of entire communities (e.g. diversity, productivity) [more on that in Lecture 24, 29, 30] Textbook, Fig. 1.1 Example BioCon experiment in Minnesota: How does plant community composition change in response to rising CO 2? “FACE” technology elevates atmospheric CO2 in experimental plots using natural wind conditions. Has been running since 1997! Example: Bison in the Prairies How does bison influence plant community structure in grasslands? Example: Bison in the Prairies Ecosystem ecology = focuses on understanding how organisms and chemical & physical processes interact. Energy flow and nutrient cycling are key study areas of this discipline. [more on that in Lecture 25-28] Textbook, Fig. 1.1 Example How do pest outbreaks and wildfires affect soil nutrient cycling in forests? Landscape ecology = study on how landscape patterns influence ecological processes, and how ecological processes in turn modify the landscape Key study area: how human-altered landscapes influence organismal movement. [more on that in Lecture 31] Textbook, Fig. 1.1 Example Effects of roads on animal Effects of natural areas on movement. agroecosystems Macroecology = study of processes at large spatial scales, such as a region, a continent, or several continents. Focus often on organismal abundance, distribution, and diversity. [more on that in Lecture 32] Textbook, Can 5 th ed. Fig. 1.1  Example Distribution of wild bee abundance in the US What are the drivers of wild bee diversity in the US? Insu Koh et al. PNAS 2016;113:1:140-145 Wang et al. 2011 Proc. R. Soc. B Global ecology = study of processes at the global scale, with relevance for all life on our planet. Global climate change is a key study area. [more on that in Lecture 33] Textbook, Fig. 1.1 Example Effect of different CO2 emission scenarios and associated warming on global species extinction rates. Ecology is interdisciplinary! Physics, Geology, Chemistry Atmospheric sciences Statistics, Data science, Computer science Genetics biosphere ecosystem Physiology community population individual Patterns and mechanisms ~ temporal scales 100 years Short timescales Long timescales Patterns and mechanisms ~ spatial scales Local (macroscopical) scale Landscape scale What is an ecosystem? Key Concept! What is an ecosystem? An arbitrarily defined geographic volume containing interacting biotic and abiotic factors, connected to other ecosystems by a series of inputs and outputs. Additionally, they have a time dimension, and humans may or may not be a part of the system An arbitrarily defined geographic volume... The BC temperate rainforest as The deep ocean floor as an ecosystem an ecosystem An arbitrarily defined geographic volume... A tropical beach shore as The urban environment in an ecosystem Edmonton as an ecosystem Abiotic factors Biotic factors non-living parts of ecosystems living parts of ecosystems water plants light animals temperature fungi air bacteria salinity unicellular eukaryotes heavy metals Ecosystems are connected by A series of inputs and outputs. Ecosystems change through time Example: Regeneration of vegetation in a forest ecosystem after a wildfire Time t Humans may or may not be part of the system Example: Humans influence a lake Example: People use traditional haying ecosystem through fishing activities. in Eastern Europe which preserve meadows as biodiversity hotspots EcoBreak! Kelp forest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3W4OCnHyCs&feature=youtu.be Accessibility note: click on the “CC” button in the right corner to see subtitles How do scientists ask (and attempt to answer) questions? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? The method of scientific inquiry or How to do science? Example of scientific inquiry in ecology Why is bee diversity and abundance decreasing in urban ecosystems? Maybe bees don’t have enough food resources to thrive in urban landscapes. Null hypothesis: ≠ Alternative hypothesis:  Gardens with high diversity and abundance of flowers will provide pollen and nectar to bees and increase the numbers of pollinators = Experiment: - Set up a garden with annual and perennial flowering plants. - Choose other sites for comparison Lawns Bushes - Set up traps to sample pollinators. Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Iteration time! Scientific inquiry takes a lot of time and effort … … but it’s worth it since science helps inform our decisions in environmental management, the economy, policy, etc. Next lecture: How do environments vary, and how does this influence organisms?