Ch.

2 ECOLOGY
OVERVIEW:
Ecosystem and energyflow
Population size
Ecological succession
The arctic fox
Practicals:
Microscoping
Small excursion
TEST: Wed 16/9
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COMPETENCE AIMS

Investigate and describe succession

processes within an ecosystem

Elaborate on factors that influence the

size of a population

ECOLOGY and
ECOSYSTEMS
ECOLOGY:

The science of the relationships between

organisms and their environments

THE ARCTIC FOX Protected since 1930:

Slow recovering since 2010, very critical
What factors influence the numbers?

Possibility to survive
Reproduction
Growth
Distribution
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THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE ARCTIC

FOX

ECOSYSTEM:

A geographical limited area with a

uniform nature including all the abiotic
and biotic factors in the area
Abiotic
- Not-living
Biotic
- Living organisms
Biosphere - The sum of all ecosystems on the earth

DEFINITIONS:

Individual

SPECIES:
Population

All individuals that can interbreed and

produce fertile offspring together

POPULATION:
All individuals of a species within a
geographical limited area

Communit
y

COMMUNITY:
All populations together in an
ecosystem
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Ecosystem

FOOD CHAINS
Shows who is eating who
TROPHIC LEVELS:
1. Producers Plants with photosynthesis
2. Primary consumer Eats plants, herbivore
3. Secondary consumer Eats 1ary Consumers,
carnivore
4. Tertiary consumers Eats 2ndary consumers

FOOD WEBS

Food chains interacting in an

ecosystem

Includes the decomposers

- Feed on dead organic matter
Earthworms, bacteria, fungi
Recycle nutrients

The arctic fox feeds on

carrions
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FOOD
WEB

Film

ENERGY LOSS IN FOOD CHAINS

Only 5-20 % of the energy is passed on to next

level

The rest is lost by:

Indigestible matter
Faeces
Heat due to cell respiration

10

PYRAMIDS OF ENERGY

Are the most accurate in showing energy loss

on each trophic level
The energy is measured per m2 per year (kJ/
m2/yr)

11

RECYCLING OF
NUTRIENTS

We receive steadily new energy from the

sun
- This energy is soon lost again
But all atoms and molecules are recycled
Decomposers convert organic material into inorg.
material that plants can use again
The most important elements in living organisms
are:
Karbon (C)
Hydrogen (H)
Oksygen (O)

12

THE CARBON CYCLE

CO2 is taken from the air by plants
(photosynthesis)
The plants produce organic compounds
The organic compounds follow the food chains
The decomposers brake down all dead organisms
All organisms gives back CO2 to the air by
respiration
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The Carbon
Cycle
14

STORED CARBON

Org. material that were not completely

broken down was stored underground
- Turned into peat, coal, oil and gas

Disappeared from the cycle during hundreds

of millions of years

Released out again during the last 200 years

Increased CO2 in the atmosphere

15

POPULATION
GROWTH
4 Factors that decide the growth:
Births (+)
Death (-)
Number of
individuals
Immigration (+) Emmigration (-)

It is difficult to count individuals

Increase depends on how many
females each female produces:

Population
decreases

Population
increases

1,0 female = Stable population

1,2 Females = Tenfolded in 13 generations
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Tim
e

CARRYING CAPACITY

The maximum number of individuals in a

population that can be supported by the
environment over a longer time in a given
area

Is determined by limiting factors such as:

ABIOTIC:
Length of growth season
Season changes
Environmental changes
BIOTIC: Density-dependent
Parasites
Diseases

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Different developments in
population growth
J-formed growth curve:
Exponential growth
24 8 16 32

Number of
individuals

When a few individuals move

into a new area

Exponenti
al curve

No limiting factors

18

Possible developments
with exponential growth:

Reindeers were set out on the island St.

Paul
Led to a collapse

1911 4 Males and 21 Females

1938

Ca 2050

1950

8
Overgrazin
g
Carrying
capacity

19

S-Formed growth curve

F.ex. sheep on the island of Tasmania:
A flock were set out year 1814
After 40 years the population established
on 1,5 million sheep = At the areas
Carrying Capacity

20

M-formed curve Cyclic

fluctuations

Common among species with many offspring

such as lemming, mouse and also grouse
4-5 year cycles
Affect the number of predators, especially of
the arctic fox
Overcrowd
ed
Disease
Stress
Predators
Lack of
food

More space
More food
Less
predators21
Better health

Interactions between
populations
3 TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS:

1. Symbiosis
2. Competition
3. Predator-prey

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1. SYMBIOSIS:
A close life together between
species
Parasitism: Advantage for one, disadvantage
for the other one
Ex. Head lice on humans

Mutualism: Advantage for both

Ex. Mycorrhiza; a relation between trees and
fungi

Commensalism: Advantage for one, does not

affect the other one
Ex. Birdnests in trees
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2. COMPETITION
-A struggle for resources

Light, nutrition, water, space, about females

The best adapted will pass on their genes

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3. PREDATORS AND THEIR PREY

EX. Lynx and artic hare

The Lynx population follows the

fluctuation of the hare population
- Only a bit delayed

25

Arctic
hare
Lynx

26

KEY SPECIES

A species that plays a key role in an

ecosystem
Capelin, bilberry, krill, lemming
It has a great spreading effect on other
populations in an ecosystem if it disappears

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ECOLOGICAL
SUCCESSION
A slow directional change within an ecosystem
PRIMARY SUCCESSION:
Starts on barren ground
After lava flow, landslides, mudslides, dried up
rivers
SECONDARY SUCCESSION:
The changing of one community to another
Occurs where life already is present
Fallow field
After a forest fire or cut down forest
Disappearing lake

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PIONEER SPECIES

The very first species in an barren area

Lichens, algae, bacteria, some smal herbs
Can produce ther own food

EX:
1. Lichens attach to stones
2. Breaks them down to soil
3. Small plants and mosses move in
4. Insects and herbivorous animals move in
5. Predators show up
And voil An ecosystem is created!
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PHASES IN SUCCESSION
1. THE PIONEER PHASE:
Lichen, mosses, annual plants with large
seed production
- Some pioneer species, can bind nitrogen from
the air

2. THE CONSOLIDATION PHASE

Pioneer plants are outstripped
Perennial species such as rasberry and
Rosebay Willow herb take over
3. CLIMAX PHASE
Fir-, pine- and/or birch forest
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Takes ca 100 yrs to reach climax phase

during 2ary succession

31

Film: After a forest

fire

32

Succession in
Norway
Covered by ice 10 000 yrs ago
Shifting climate since then
Tree line has varied
Fir immigrated from the east
2 C warmer in the future consequenses?

Period

Last
part of
the icetime

75005500
f.Kr.

5500300 f.Kr.

300-500
e.Kr.

500
Future
e.Kr.
presenc
e

CLIMATE

Climate
improves

Warm
and dry

Warm
and
humid

Warm
and dry

Cold and
humid

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THE ARCTIC
FOX

What is the status now?

From 1930 to 2005 nothing improved
But thenFilm from miljstatus

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