ECOLOGY
Outline 1
I. Ecology of Populations
A. Population properties
numbers
density
distribution
sex ratio
age structure
B. Population dynamics
- Why study population dynamics?
- Processes that affect population dynamics
- Models of population growth
a. exponential population growth
- pattern
- mathematical model
b. logistic growth
- pattern
- mathematical model
Outline 2
(Continued)
- Effects of population structure on dynamics
- sex ratio
- age-structure
- life tables
- survivorship
- age-specific birth rates
d. life history
Outline 3
5. growth in natural populations
a. regulated growth (density dependent)
- how does density regulate growth?
- factors that can regulate
- resource limitation
- predation
- intrinsic regulation
b. unregulated growth (density independent)
- factors that can affect growth
C. Applied population dynamics
1. managing for maximum sustainable yield
2. controlling pest populations
3. the Human population
Outline 4
II. Interactions Between Populations of Different Species
A. Classes of 2-species interactions
B. Effects of predation on population growth
- Huffaker's mites
- Moose and wolves on Isle Royal
- summary of effects of predation
C. Effects of competition between species on population
growth
- What is competition?
- Gause's paramecium
- the niche concept
- fundamental niche
- realized niche
- Connel's barnacles
Outline 5 is from Dr. Levitans lectures on Community Ecology
and Conservation Biology. (I made these outlines from Cecilias notes):
III Community Ecology
A. Definition and community properties
B. Measures of community structure
- species richness
- species diversity
a. Simpsons diversity
index
C. Factors that influence community diversity
- Insight from Island Biogeography
- The intermediate disturbance hypothesis
- the Patch model (Paine and Levin)
- The Keystone predation hypothesis
- Paines removal experiment
Conservation Biology
A. Rates of extinction
B. Kinds of extinction
- Pseudo-extinction
- Background extinction
- Mass extinction
C. Major causes of deterioration of habitats
- Pollution
- Introduced species
- example of Caribean Islands
- Habitat of species destruction
Outline 6
IV. Ecosystem Ecology
A. Energy flow
- food chains
- producers
- consumers
- decomposers
- productivity
- gross primary productivity
- net primary productivity
- ecological efficiency
- trophic pyramids
- what determines productivity?
Outline 7
B. Nutrient cycling
- a generalized nutrient cycle
- Kinds of biogeochemical cycles
- gaseous
- sedimentary
- water
- the hydrological cycle
- major components
- processes
- the carbon cycle
- source
- processes
- carbon cycling in aquatic systems
- decomposition
- the nitrogen cycle
Outline 8
V. Climate and Biomes
A. Climate
B. What determines climate?
- sunlight
- two facts about warm air
C. Major wind currents
D. Exceptions - variation in climate within a latitude
- altitude
- major land masses
- ocean currents
E. Seasonality
F. Three major types of terrestrial climate
G. Major terrestrial biomes
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