Structure &

Diversity
(Ecosystem Dynamics I)
NR216 Ecology Lecture
February 1, 2011
 What is Ecology?
A science,
– the study of ecosystems,
– that looks at the abundance, dynamics,
& distribution of organisms and their
interactions
with their living & non-living
environment…
– with no value judgements.
 What is Ecology?
+ society’s value judgements
about the environment

→ basis for the development of

successful conservation &
sustainable resource management

= “Environmental Science”
 What is an Ecosystem?
Kimmins, Balancing Act, p.28 :
“The total assemblage of living organisms
along with the non-living environment in a
particular area.”

 Biotic factors +
 Abiotic factors +
 Processes.
Look at Biodiversity
 Biodiversity

“ Variation in the biotic

community…”

“ The diversity of life in all its

forms and all its levels of
organization…”
Patrick Moore on Biodiversity

5
 Types of Biodiversity
Genetic Diversity (species level)
won’t discuss in this class much

Biotic Diversity (ecosystem level)

Ecosystem Dynamics I

Temporal Diversity (change over time)

Ecosystem Dynamics II

6
 Assess Ecosystems
1. Structure
2. Function
3. Complexity
4. Biotic Diversity
5. Interdependency (at different levels)
6. Tendency to change over time
(Ecological Succession)
 Biotic Diversity
1. Alpha Diversity
• stand level diversity
• local species richness & evenness
2. Beta Diversity
• diversity across a local
environmental gradient
• ie. elevation, moisture
3. Gamma Diversity
• Landscape level or regional diversity
• ie. watershed
8
 1. STRUCTURE
1. Vertical Structure (Alpha diversity)
► within an ecosystem
eg. coniferous forest :
overstory (dominant trees)→
understory (suppressed trees) →
woody shrubs →
herbs (forbs, graminoids[grasses & sedges], ferns &
fern allies) →
bryophytes (mosses, lichens,
liverworts & hornworts)

[We will Look at this in Lab this week]

 1. STRUCTURE

2. Horizontal Structure (Beta Diversity)

► between ecosystems
 changes along an ecological gradient
 changes after a disturbance
 2. FUNCTION
Ecosystems are “natural biomass factories”

Energy source
(solar radiation, stored as chemical energy)
+
Essential nutrients
(from atmosphere & soil)
=
Biomass
 carbohydrates (sugars, starch, cellulose)
 proteins
 lipids (fats)
 nucleic acids
 3. COMPLEXITY
► Many individual components interact, so
hard to predict future events or
conditions.
► Complexity determined by :
– regional climate,
– soil,
– topography &
– the diversity of the local “biotic community”
 4. BIOTIC DIVERSITY
E&FB p.388ff

4.1 Species richness :

# of species

4.2 Species evenness :

relative abundance of each species

4.3 Dominant versus Keystone Species

4.4 The concepts of “niche”

 4.1 Species Richness
Biotic Diversity E&FB p.555

~ 1.4 million different species ID’d & named world-

wide to date
~ distinct geographic patterns of “species richness”:
↓ from Equator to poles
↓ from low to high elevations in mountains
↓ species as ↑ isolation (ie. peninsulas, islands)
↑ # species as ↑ topographic diversity (ie. mts.)
 4.1 Species Richness
Biotic Diversity E&FB p.555

Why these patterns?

Lots of factors, can’t quantify exactly why :
o ecosystem productivity
o topographic differences
o stability &/or moderation of climate
 4.2 Species Evenness or
Composition
Biotic Diversity

Dominant Species (E&FB p.388)

not necessarily the most important; may be :
 most numerous
 have largest biomass
 take up the most space
 make the largest contribution to energy flow
 4.3 Keystone Species
Biotic Diversity

…is the most important species.

?
The one whose presence is
critical to the integrity
of the whole community or ecosystem.
examples
bees
 4.4 Niche
Biotic Diversity (E&FB pp.257ff)

?
4.4.1 Ecological niche (habitat, role etc.)
4.4.2 Fundamental niche (potential)
4.4.3 Realized niche (actual)

shrimp...
 4.4.1 Ecological Niche
Biotic Diversity

Broadly Used :
 Habitat
 Functional role
 Food habits
 Morphological traits

Restrict to 1 or 2 dimensions :
eg. ◊ feeding niche
◊ space niche
◊ tolerance niche
 4.4.2. Fundamental Niche
Biotic Diversity

Fundamental role
of an organism in a community IF
no competition for space or resources.

“…total range of environmental conditions

under which a species can survive.”
E&FB p. G-7
 4.4.3 Realized Niche
Biotic Diversity

Conditions
under which organism
really exists.

“…portion of fundamental niche space

occupied by a population in face of
competition from populations of other
species.”
E&FB p. G-14
 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

…is areflection of the overlap of

niches, with or without
competition.
Loss of a keystone species would
lead to radical change in the
structure of an ecosystem –
“collapse”.
 5. INTERDEPENDENCY
Interaction of Components of an Ecosystem :
Climate reflected in
vegetation & soils of an area.
BUT …
◊ Different soils, different vegetation
◊ Different vegetation, different animals &
microbes
 5. INTERDEPENDENCY
Disturbance?
∆ in one component → ∆ in others
Eg. ∆ in climate (drier, warmer) → ∆ in vegetation
∆ in soil (fire = fast decomposition) → ∆ in vegetation
∆ in animals (insect cycles, grazers) → ∆ in vegetation
 CHANGE OVER TIME
Ecosystems are Dynamic NOT PERMANENT

DISTURBANCES :
 Fire
 Windstorm
 Soil erosion
 Disease
 Insect cycles
 Human activities
 CHANGE OVER TIME
Ecosystems are Dynamic NOT PERMANENT

PROCESSES :
Change conditions of an ecosystem
Until relatively stable,
Self-replicating stage reached.
• “equilibrium”
• “climax”
• “old-growth” (E&FB p. G-12 old growth…forest that
has not been cut for decades or disturbed by
humans for hundreds of years.)
Ecological System Disturbance Type

UNIQUE RESULT :

Ecosystem
AQUATIC
TERRESTRIAL