The BIOTIC Component Ecology = the study of organisms and their interaction with their environment Environment includes abiotic components and processes: light rainfall temperature humidity topography but also biotic components and their interactions among each other and with the physical environment: parasites mates predators competitors
Environmental Sciences is the study of the biotic and abiotic components and their interactions in particular places or areas. So what does it mean to be living? active maintenance of disequilibria of chemical and energy gradients with the external environment. While entropy always increases in a closed system, organisms are open systems that intake energy and matter in order to decrease internal entropy and maintain a high degree of order and complexity. able to metabolize organic (and/or some inorganic) compounds to provide energy for: self-organizing growth and allocation able to replicate (reproduce) because of the way genetic information is transmitted during reproduction, life is also able to evolve new forms.
Characteristics of Five Kingdoms of Life on Earth Based on 1. Cell structure 2. Nutrition
Procaryotes: Single-celled organisms that lack internal specialized membrane-bound compartments (organs) and in which the genetic material is not contained in a nucleus (one such organ). Eucaryotes: Single- and multi-celled organisms that have internal specialized membrane-bound compartments (organs) and in which the genetic material is contained in a nucleus (one such organ).
Cell Structure: Procaryotes & Eucaryotes
A. Cyanobacterium B. Red alga chloroplast
Nutrition all life requires: Energy (autotrophy vs. heterotrophy) sunlight (phototroph) reduced inorganic compounds (H 2 S, FeS, NH 4+ ) (chemotroph) organic matter (heterotroph) Electrons (e - and H + ) Carbon CO 2 organic matter
Unlike crystalline structures that release energy as they grow, organic polymers require the input of energy for creation. Breaking the polymers back down into simpler structures releases the energy for use by cells. Photosynthesis : creates simple carbohydrates (sugars) from CO 2 and H 2 O in presence of photon energy in sunlight. (inhibited by O 2 ) Respiration : breaks down carbohydrates, proteins, & lipids in presence of O 2 to produce CO 2 & H 2 O & energy for growth and maintenance of the cell. Fermentation : incompletely breaks down same polymers in absence of O 2 to produce CO 2, energy, & alcohols.
Aerobes = require O 2 for respiration Anaerobes = don't require O 2 for respiration or are fementors
The Five Kingdoms
1. Monera 2. Protista 3. Fungi 4. Plantae 5. Animalia
1. Monera = Eubacteria & Archaebacteria single-celled organisms cell structure = all procaryotes nutrition = heterotrophs or autotrophs (photosynthetic and chemosynthetic)
2. Protista single-celled organisms cell structure = eucaryotes nutrition = heterotrophs & autotrophs
Sacrodina (Amoeboid Protozoa)
Sarcodina - Foraminifera
Diatoms
Ciliates
Paramecium
Slime Molds
3. Fungi multi-celled organisms cell structure = eucaryotes nutrition = heterotrophs
4. Plantae multi-celled organisms cell structure = eucaryotes nutrition = autotrophs (photosynthetic)
Green Algae
Brown Algae
Red Algae
Liverworts and Mosses
Vascular Plants (Tracheophytes) a. Gymnosperms (e.g., cone-bearing plants) b. Angiosperms (e.g., flowering plants)
5. Animalia multi-celled organisms cell structure = eucaryotes nutrition = heterotrophs
Coelenterata or Cnidaria (jellyfishes, hydras, sea anemones, corals)
Platyhelminthes (Flat worms) Planarian
Mollusca 2nd largest animal group 100,000 living & 35,000 fossil species
Annelida (segmented worms)
Annelida (segmented worms)
Arthropoda The Largest animal group: 800,000-900,000 known species. Estimates of 2-3 million yet undiscovered (esp. in tropical rainforests) Over 500,000 are beetle species [God] must have an inordinate fondness for beetles. ---Naturalist J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964) said to a clergyman who asked what a life of studying biology revealed about the character of the Creator.
Echinodermata
Chordata (all vertebrates [backbones and spinal cords]) Fish Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals
Classification of Organisms = Taxonomy Category Hairycap Moss Red Oak Barnacle Human Kingdom Plantae Plantae Animalia Animalia Phylum or Division Bryophyta Tracheophyta Arthropoda Chordata Class Musci Angiospermae Crustacea Mammalia Order Bryales Fagales Thoracia Primate Family Polytrichaceae Fagaceae Balanideae Homindae Genus Polytrichum Quercus Balanus Homo species commune rubra balanoides sapiens
The evolutionary tree the way it s usually taught in school Human/mammalcentric Plants and bacteria don t even count!
Evolutionary relationships based on DNA/RNA similarity The more closely related 2 groups are, the smaller the branching between them. You, me, oak trees, and mushrooms are all more closely related than most bacteria are to each other!