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Populations and Ecosystems (The Structure of Populations (Trophic Levels…
Populations and Ecosystems
Plants in Relationship to Their Habitat
Abiotic Components of the Habitat
Soil Factors
Pioneers invade soil
ABC Horizons
Latitude and Altitude
Latitude causes daylight to vary
High Altitude results in cold, windy habitats with poor soil
Climate
Temp, rainfall, relative humidity, winds, etc.
Species can't survive if the habitat is not fit.
Disturbance
A quick radical change in an ecosystem
Fire, landslides, floods, avalanches
Biotic Components of the Habitat
Other Plant Species
Competitive exclusion
Competition results in natural selection
Individuals of Different/Same species cohabitate or compete
Organisms Other Than Plants
Animals, fungi, and prokaryotes have interrelationships with plants
Fungi and bacteria described as pathogenic
The Plant Itself
Modifies habitat while being a part of it
Modification are detrimental, neutral, or beneficial.
The Structure of Populations
Age Distribution: Demography
Two factors impact population growth: generation time and intrinsic rate of natural increase
Carrying capacity
Relative proportions of young, middle-age. and old individuals
When species invade new habitats there can be to many individuals which cause many to die off
r- and K- Selection
r- Selection
r-selected species are normally annuals and shrubby perennials
Disturbances by humans are not predictable
K- Selection
K-selected species are able to survive with a scarce amount of resources
K-selected species face intense competition
Geographic Distribution
Boundaries of the Geographic Range
Limiting factor controls the plant's success
Range depends on the plants ability to adapt to abiotic and biotic components
Local Geographic Distribution
Random
Individuals have no identifiable pattern
Uniform
All individuals are equally spaced
Clumped
Space between plants is small or large, but rarely average
Allelochemics inhibition is allelopathy
The Structure of Populations
Temporal Structure
Plants change dramatically with the seasons
Changes that an ecosystem undergoes
Species Composition
Number and diversity of species that coexist in an ecosystem
Large number of species create more niches
Physiognomic Structure
Infinite number of combinations of life forms
Trees, shrubs, herbs are three categories
Trophic Levels
Feeding levels
Producers, consumers, and decomposers
Energy and Carbon flow of the ecosystem
Decomposers make sure the energy and minerals flow through the ecosystem
Niches in the Jet Age
No insecticides or herbicides can control only the introduced species
Ideal solution would be to find a pathogen, or predator
Niche- a set of conditions in which a particular species can thrive, outcompeting other organisms
