CHAPTER 9 COMMUNITY ECOLOGY WHAT THE STORK SAYS

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CHAPTER 9 COMMUNITY ECOLOGY

WHAT THE STORK SAYS

A bird species in the Everglades reveals the intricacies of a threatened ecosystemWHAT THE STORK SAYSA bird species in the Everglades reveals the intricacies of a threatened ecosystem9At the end of this chapter you will know:Understanding the interconnectedness between the pieces of an ecological community may allow us to better protect and help restore damaged ecosystems..Learning Outcomes

2Main Concept9At the end of this unit you will know:Knowledge of ecological succession can help ecosystem restoration.Species interactions contribute to the overall viability of an ecosystem.Both biotic and abiotic features of a system can be negatively impacted by human activityWHAT THE STORK SAYSA bird species in the Everglades reveals the intricacies of a threatened ecosystem

Wood storks in Florida39Case study: Nesting pairs of wood storks in the Florida Everglades experienced a rapid and serious decrease in population.

In their efforts to restore the wood stork population to viable levels, scientists found that the entire ecosystem was at risk.WHAT THE STORK SAYSA bird species in the Everglades reveals the intricacies of a threatened ecosystem

4The well-being of a species depends on the health of its ecosystemTERMS TO KNOW:Community ecologyIndicator speciesEcosystems9

How does a system function the way it does? What are the characteristics that allow some species to thrive, and how do the organisms interact with each other and with the environment? These are questions asked within the field of community ecology.Community ecology also includes understanding how species contribute to ecosystems services like pollination, water purification, and trapping contaminants.

5The well-being of a species depends on the health of its ecosystem9Humans have interrupted the balance of the community and changed the way the Everglades functions. The wood stork case study has shown how minor changes in an environment can have major changes in the overall health of the ecosystem.

Ecosystem servicesCarbon processingClimate controlContaminant captureEconomic resources through raw materialsEnergy conversionFlood controlFood productionNutrient storagePhotosynthesisPollinationSeed bankingSoil fertilityStorm protectionWaste eliminationWater purificationWater storageWind buffer

6Human alterations have changed the face of the Everglades9

Former uninterrupted web of natural ecosystemsmarshes, prairies, swamps, and forests.

Human alterations to the Everglades have included resorts, sugar plantations, and urban centers.Wood storks in the 1930s numbered 15,00020,000 nesting pairs throughout South Florida; now there are fewer than 4500 pairs.

Draining and development of the Everglades was the norm throughout the middle of the nineteenth and into the twentieth century.South Florida today

7Matter and energy move through a community via the food webTERMS TO KNOW:Food chainFood websProducerConsumerTrophic levels9

Loss of a single species can disrupt species health, movement of nutrients, and energy flow through the ecosystem.8Matter and energy move through a community via the food webTERMS TO KNOW:Food chainFood websProducerConsumerTrophic levels9

Loss of a single species can disrupt species health, movement of nutrients, and energy flow through the ecosystem.9Matter and energy move through a community via the food webTERMS TO KNOW:Food chainFood websProducerConsumerTrophic levels9

Loss of a single species can disrupt species health, movement of nutrients, and energy flow through the ecosystem.Seemingly small losses lead to large impact.10Matter and energy move through a community via the food webTERMS TO KNOW:Food chainFood websProducerConsumerTrophic levels9



Energy is the basis of the food web with photosynthetic organisms capturing light energy from the sun and storing it as sugars. Primary consumersherbivoreseat these plants for energy. Most energy is released as heat, but the remainder supports metabolism and can become biomass of the consumer at the next level.

13Matter and energy move through a community via the food webTERMS TO KNOW:Food chainFood websProducerConsumerTrophic levels8

Energy is the basis of the food web with photosynthetic organisms capturing light energy from the sun and storing it as sugars. Primary consumersherbivoreseat these plants for energy. Most energy is released as heat, but the remainder supports metabolism and can become biomass of the consumer at the next level.

14Matter and energy move through a community via the food web9

Consumers are organized into trophic levels based on what they eat. Some organisms feed at more than one trophic level.15Matter and energy move through a community via the food web9

Nutrients cycle and energy flows

Producers set the budget for the food in a system through their ability to convert light energy into chemical energy.



Primary consumers eat primary producers. Most of the energy is released as heatthe rest is used to support metabolism and a small amount becomes biomass.



Secondary consumers eat primary consumers.



Quaternary consumers eat tertiary consumers. Because such a small percentage of energy becomes biomass at each successive level, most terrestrial food webs dont go higher than TL5.


Wood storks are near the top of a food chain that begins with sawgrass, cypress and mangrove trees, and phytoplankton.Nutrients cycle and energy flows20The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factorsTERMS TO KNOW:DetritivoresDecomposersGross primary productivityNet primary productivity (NPP)

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Biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of an ecosystem are key to the ecosystems entire function. In the Everglades, flooding from the rainy season allows fish to reproduce and grow over thousands of acres. As dry-down begins and the waters recede, foraging storks follow the concentration of fish. Connectedness between landscape and life is common in the Everglades.

21The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factorsTERMS TO KNOW:NicheHabitatResilienceSpecies diversitySpecies richnessSpecies evennessEcotonesEdge effectsEdge speciesCore species9Ecosystem complexity increases as more interactions exist and become part of stable functioning. With more complexity come more niches and greater survival potential for many species. Along with more possible niches, a complex community is generally more resilient to change.

Diversity is qualified by richnessthe variety of speciesand by evennessrelative abundance of each species.

22The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors9

Species of low abundance - more likely to die out.To measure richness and diversity, the state is divided into blocks. For each block, the number of species present and the representation (abundance) of each species is compared.

With greater evenness, survival of each species and of the community is more stable.

In the example, each block has 423 species, but the relative abundance of each species is closer in the east coast example than in the west coast.23The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors9

To measure richness and diversity, the state is divided into blocks. For each block, the number of species present and the representation (abundance) of each species is compared.

With greater evenness, survival of each species and of the community is more stable.

In the example, each block has 423 species, but the relative abundance of each species is closer in the east coast example than in the west coast.

East coast greater diversity due to more even abundance

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Ecotomes occur when two distinctive ecosystems meet. The physical differences between the two areas create edge effects, which either attract or repel some species. Some species use a part of each community.

The mangrove trees and seagrass beds provide an example of an ecotome and its use by snapper.The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors259

Ecotomes occur when two distinctive ecosystems meet. The physical differences between the two areas create edge effects, which either attract or repel some species. Some species use a part of each community.

The mangrove trees and seagrass beds provide an example of an ecotome and its use by snapper.

The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors269

Ecotones occur when two distinctive ecosystems meet. The physical differences between the two areas create edge effects, which either attract or repel some species. Some species use a part of each community.

The mangrove trees and seagrass beds provide an example of an ecotone and its use by snapper.

The Everglades are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors27Changing community structure changes community composition9

Mangrove trees were a keystone species that development and other changes to land use eliminated.

Change to keystones has a greater impact on the ecosystem than might be predicted.28Changing community structure changes community composition9

Mangrove trees were a keystone species that development and other changes to land use eliminated.

Change to keystones has a greater impact on the ecosystem than might be predicted.

29Species interactions are extremely important for community viability9TERMS TO KNOW:Keystone speciesCompetitionIntraspecific competitionInterspecific competitionSuccessful communities are those where a certain balance has evolved between all the organisms living there.

Purposes of interactions include population and controls to maintain carrying capacity.

More diversity means more potential relationships.Adaptations may bind one species to another through competition for resources.

Other strategies also keep ecosystems working. The interdependencies include various levels of benefit to one or more members of the community.

30Species interactions are extremely important for community viability9TERMS TO KNOW:Keystone speciesCompetitionIntraspecific competitionInterspecific competitionSuccessful communities are those where a certain balance has evolved between all the organisms living there.

Purposes of interactions include population and controls to maintain carrying capacity.

More diversity means more potential relationships.Adaptations may bind one species to another through competition for resources.

Other strategies also keep ecosystems working. The interdependencies include various levels of benefit to one or more members of the community.

31Species interactions are extremely important for community viability9

TERMS TO KNOW:Resource partitioningSymbiosisMutualismCommensalismParasitismRestoration ecology







35Ecologists and engineers help repair ecosystems9

1992 The Water Resources Development Act enlisted the Army Corps of Engineers to investigate damage to the Everglades.

Canals and levees had dramatically altered water levels, ecosystems were being starved, affected by hypersalinity, excessive nutrients, and non-native species.

2000 The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) began a 30-year plan for Everglades restoration through 60 construction projects.36Ecologists and engineers help repair ecosystems9

4000 square miles in historic EvergladesDisruption and drainage with negative ecosystem resultsCERP goal to restore flow to historic wetland areas37Community composition changes over time as the physical features of the ecosystem itself change9New species move into an area where they hadnt been before and become established.

These pioneer species set off a series of additional changes as the plant community grows and impacts abiotic conditions such as shade and nutrient levels.

As one ecological community replaces another, the changes are largely predictable.

Change continues over time as plants and animals progressively replace their predecessors.

38Community composition changes over time as the physical features of the ecosystem itself change9New species move into an area where they hadnt been before and become established.

These pioneer species set off a series of additional changes as the plant community grows and impacts abiotic conditions such as shade and nutrient levels.

As one ecological community replaces another, the changes are largely predictable.

Change continues over time as plants and animals progressively replace their predecessors.

39Community composition changes over time as the physical features of the ecosystem itself change9

TERMS TO KNOW:Ecological successionPrimary successionPioneer speciesSecondary successionClimax speciesClimax community







46PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://fws.gov/news/blog

947UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE

948UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE

949ANALYZING THE SCIENCE

950EVALUATING NEW INFORMATION

951

MAKING CONNECTIONS

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CHAPTER 9 COMMUNITY ECOLOGY WHAT THE STORK SAYS

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