Ecology
What is Ecology? In groups of 3, discuss what you think ecology is and come up with a working definition. Be prepared to share your definitions of ecology with the class.
Ecology is... the scientific study of the relationships that living organisms have with each other and with their natural environment. Science uses a systematic approach to explain the physical and natural world around us.
It is an interdisciplinary field that includes biology, chemistry, and earth science. It seeks to explain Life processes and adaptations Distribution and abundance of organisms The movement of materials and energy through living communities The successional development of ecosystems, and The abundance and distribution of biodiversity in the context of the environment.
Ecological Research
Essential Question What are obstacles faced in conducting ecological research and how do ecologist over come those obstacles?
Ecology seeks to understand how organisms interact with each other and their environment.
Biological Organization Ecological research can deal with many different areas. Organism Population Community Ecosystems Biosphere
What makes research valid? Testable hypothesis Independent and dependent variables Control group Can be replicated Seeks to answer a question
What are obstacles in ecological research? Time it takes to conduct experiment Variable control Quantifying data
How have ecologist overcome these obstacles? Field experiments Technology advancements have lead to computer modeling programs Designing mathematical models to describe and apply to a hypothesis
Ecological Interactions How do organisms interact with their environment and how does the environment affect organisms?
Underground Blackbox article Biodiversity Article
Organismal Ecology
Essential Question How does behavior influence the relationship between an organism and its environment?
Animal Behavior What is behavior? What an organism does and how it does it.
In your groups watch the assigned video. Record your observations of the animals behavior. Be prepared to share your report with the class. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_al93u qiow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tpxr2x U9zE
Share the animal behaviors you recorded. Did you learn the same amount of information about behavior from every report given today? Did some reports contain more information than others? Why were some reports more useful than others in learning about the behavior of the animals? If you were doing the observations over again, what sort of methods or guidelines would be useful?
Nature vs. Nurture Argument Is behavior due either to genes (nature) or to an organisms environment (nurture)? The answer is a combination of both.
Types of Animal Behavior Innate Imprinting Learning
Innate Behavior Inherent inclination of an organism to move toward a complex behavior. Innate behaviors play less of a role in organisms with more complex neurological systems. (inverse relationship)
Sea turtles automatically move towards the ocean after hatching Joey climbs into mothers pouch after being born Honeybees communicate food source by dancing
Horse standing up immediately after birth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl3yyd- 4Rws Youtube video loggerhead turtles hatching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ntegaoq pss Youtube video honey bee dance
Imprinting A newborn or very young animal establishes a behavior pattern of recognition and attraction towards other animals of its own kind, as well as to specific individuals of its species, such as its parents, or to a substitute for these.
There is a critical sensitive period when behaviors are learned. Imprinting cannot be undone It establishes an individuals preference for a certain species. i.e. a baby duck imprints on a human, it will prefer humans over ducks
Learned Behaviors Behavior that is shaped through experience
Migration Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one habitat to another.
Reasons to Move To find food Favorable living conditions Favorable mating/breeding conditions
Atlantic Salmon
Monarch Butterfly Begin southward migration in early Aug. Begin northward migration in early spring Only butterfly that migrates like birds No butterfly makes the entire round trip migration; females lay eggs during trip.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Loggerheads return to the same beach they were born to lay their eggs. Innate behavior
Bats
Artic Tern
Finding Their Way Landmarks Position of sun and stars Olfactory sense Earth s magnetic field Research is still being done to determine how different species follow their migration route.
Can an organism's instincts and learned behaviors be related to its environment? Think about this: In order to survive, a polar bear instinctively goes into "winter sleep" to conserve its energy when it has gone about two weeks without food, which can be scarce in the Arctic. What is the behavior-environment connection? Discuss other animals that demonstrate behaviors related to their environment.
Cricket Behavior Experiment Objective: Design an experiment to investigate the connection between environment and animal behavior.
Animal Behavior Research Looking at behavior and environment interactions. Valid Research Testable hypothesis Independent and dependent variables Control group Can be replicated Seeks to answer a question
Research the field cricket and their behaviors. Based on your research come up with a hypothesis related to cricket behavior in its environment. Lay out a procedure to test your hypothesis.