Study Notes: Ecology
Key Concepts and Definitions
1. What is Ecology?
● Definition: Ecology is the scientific study of how organisms interact with one another
and with their environment.
● Goals of Ecological Research:
1. Identify and describe patterns of distribution and abundance of organisms.
2. Understand the factors (abiotic and biotic) influencing these patterns.
2. Levels of Ecological Study
● Individual Level: How individuals interact with each other and their environment (e.g.,
behavioral and physiological mechanisms).
● Population Level: How and why population sizes change over time (e.g., factors
affecting population growth, size, and structure).
● Community Level: How species interactions affect community structure and dynamics.
● Ecosystem Level: How energy flows through and nutrients cycle within ecosystems.
3. Patterns of Distribution
● Global Scale: Factors like physical and climatic barriers (e.g., oceans, temperature) limit
the dispersal of species.
● Local Scale: Factors affecting distribution and abundance at a smaller scale are less
well understood but include both abiotic and biotic factors.
4. Range of Tolerance
● Definition: The range of abiotic conditions in which an organism can survive and
reproduce.
● Example: Daphnia pulex's tolerance for water salinity ranges from 0 to 9 ppt.
5. Intertidal Zones
● High Zone: Only submerged during high tides, exposed to air for long periods.
● Mid Zone: Submerged and exposed to air for equal amounts of time.
● Low Zone: Always underwater except during low tides.
● Subtidal Zone: Always submerged underwater.
6. Abiotic and Biotic Factors
● Abiotic Factors: Non-living factors such as temperature, water availability, light
intensity.
● Biotic Factors: Living factors such as predation, mutualism, competition.
7. Population Ecology
● Population Definition: A group of individuals of the same species living in the same
area at the same time.
● Population Size (N): Total number of individuals in a population.
● Population Density: Number of individuals per unit area or volume.
● Population Growth Rate (r): Rate at which population size changes over time.
● Carrying Capacity (K): Maximum population size that an environment can sustain.
8. Population Growth Models
● Exponential Growth: J-shaped curve, occurs in unlimited environments.
● Logistic Growth: S-shaped curve, incorporates carrying capacity (K).
9. Life History Traits
● Definition: Traits that affect an organism's schedule of reproduction and survival.
● Examples: Age at first reproduction, number of offspring, amount of parental care.
● Survivorship Curves:
○ Type I: High survival rate of young, most individuals die at old age (e.g.,
humans).
○ Type II: Constant death rate over the organism's lifespan (e.g., birds).
○ Type III: High death rate of young, few individuals survive to old age (e.g.,
plants).
10. r- and K-Selected Species
● r-Selected Species: High reproductive rate, low parental investment, adapted to
unstable environments (e.g., insects).
● K-Selected Species: Low reproductive rate, high parental investment, adapted to stable
environments (e.g., elephants).
Ecological Succession
1. Types of Succession
● Primary Succession: Occurs on newly formed or exposed surfaces where no soil exists
(e.g., after a volcanic eruption).
● Secondary Succession: Occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed a
community but left the soil intact (e.g., after a forest fire).
2. Stages of Succession
● Pioneering Species: Early colonizers that modify the environment (e.g., lichens,
mosses).
● Intermediate Species: Species that follow pioneers and further modify the habitat (e.g.,
shrubs).
● Climax Community: Stable community that remains until another disturbance occurs
(e.g., mature forest).
