Table Of ContentEXAMINING ECOLOGY
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EXAMINING ECOLOGY
Exercises in Environmental Biology and Conservation
Paul A. Rees
School of Environment & Life Sciences,
University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
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CONTENTS
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xv
Chapter 1 Biodiversity and Taxonomy 1
Introduction 2
Te Naming and Classifcation of Organisms 2
Te Identifcation of Species 3
Biodiversity Hotspots Versus Cold Spots 3
Citizen Science 4
References 4
Exercise 1.1 Ecology and Taxonomy 5
Exercise 1.2 What’s in a Name? Vernacular Versus Scientifc Names 7
Exercise 1.3 Te Classifcation of Animals 9
Exercise 1.4 Constructing a Dichotomous Key 11
Exercise 1.5 Global Biodiversity: Te Numbers of Recognised Species 13
Exercise 1.6 Diversity in Chalcid Wasps 14
Exercise 1.7 Lognormal Distribution of Species Relative Abundance 15
Exercise 1.8 Te Discovery of New Species 16
Exercise 1.9 Extinctions Versus Discovery of New Species 18
Exercise 1.10 Te Historical Ecology of the Large Mammals of Ngorongoro Crater 20
Exercise 1.11 Pest Eradication in New Zealand 22
Exercise 1.12 Citizen Science: Biodiversity and Environmental Studies 25
Exercise 1.13 Te Ecological Value of Ancient Woodland 27
Chapter 2 Abiotic Factors and Ecophysiology 29
Introduction 30
Limits for Life 30
Climatic Variation 30
Temperature Regulation 31
Adaptation to Harsh Environments 31
References 31
Exercise 2.1 Climatic Variations 32
Exercise 2.2 Lake Stratifcation 34
Exercise 2.3 Carbon Dioxide and Photosynthesis 35
Exercise 2.4 Te Efect of Water Table Depth on Seed Germination 36
Exercise 2.5 Te Efect of Oxygen Level on Midge Larvae Survival 37
Exercise 2.6 Temperature Selection in Two Fish Species 38
Exercise 2.7 Adaptation to Life Underwater: Diving in Seals 39
Exercise 2.8 Surviving Salty Environments: Maintaining Osmotic Balance 40
Exercise 2.9 Living in the Desert: Temperature Tolerance in the Camel 42
Exercise 2.10 Diapause in Grapholita 44
Exercise 2.11 Te Efect of Temperature on Dusting Behaviour in an Asian Elephant 45
Exercise 2.12 Hibernation in the Black Bear 47
Exercise 2.13 Microclimate Preferences in Woodlice 48
CONTENTS
Chapter 3 Ecosystems, Energy and Nutrients 51
Introduction 53
Food Chains and Food Webs 53
Ecological Pyramids 54
Nutrient Cycles 55
Nutrient Cycles and People 55
Ecological Succession 56
References 56
Exercise 3.1 A Steppe Ecosystem: Biotic and Abiotic Factors 57
Exercise 3.2 Food Webs in an English Woodland 58
Exercise 3.3 Ecological Pyramids 60
Exercise 3.4 Energy Flow in Ecosystems 62
Exercise 3.5 A Comparison of Energy Budgets in Two Ecosystems 63
Exercise 3.6 Chemotrophism 64
Exercise 3.7 Grazing and Detritus Food Chains 65
Exercise 3.8 Energy Sources in Aquatic Ecosystems 66
Exercise 3.9 Energy Budget of a Bank Vole 67
Exercise 3.10 Wildlife Biomass in the Serengeti 68
Exercise 3.11 Assimilation Efciency in the African Elephant 70
Exercise 3.12 Capybara Farming in Venezuela 72
Exercise 3.13 Te Nitrogen Cycle 73
Exercise 3.14 Nitrogen Balance for Lake Mendota, Wisconsin 74
Exercise 3.15 Te Economics of Fertiliser Application 75
Exercise 3.16 Sewage Sludge Cake as a Fertiliser 76
Exercise 3.17 Te Efect of pH on Crop Growth 77
Exercise 3.18 Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote: An Opportunity to Study Succession 78
Exercise 3.19 Succession in Bird Species 79
Chapter 4 Determining Abundance and Distribution 81
Introduction 82
Discovering New Species 83
Mapping Distributions 83
Estimating Population Size 84
References 84
Exercise 4.1 Recording the Distribution of Organisms 85
Exercise 4.2 Problems in Determining the Historical Distribution of Organisms 87
Exercise 4.3 Community Science: Moors for the Future 88
Exercise 4.4 Bird Ringing 92
Exercise 4.5 Zonation on a Rocky Shore 94
Exercise 4.6 Te Efect of Sample Size on Population Estimates Obtained Using Quadrat Sampling 96
Exercise 4.7 Estimating the Size of a Population of Mobile Animals 98
Exercise 4.8 Estimating Population Size by Removal Trapping 100
Exercise 4.9 Studying Animal Populations Using a Calendar of Catches 102
Exercise 4.10 Population Dynamics of a Zoo Population of Chimpanzees 103
Exercise 4.11 Estimating Population Size Indirectly: Badgers and Setts 104
Exercise 4.12 Analysis of Spatial Distributions: Clumped, Uniform or Random? 107
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Exercise 4.13 Estimating the Size of a Large Mammal Population by Transect Sampling 108
Exercise 4.14 Sampling Zooplankton Populations 110
Exercise 4.15 Estimating the Size of Whale Populations 111
Exercise 4.16 Estimating Population Size Using the Lincoln Index: A Simulation 113
Exercise 4.17 Population Size and Habitat Selection in Two Species of Gulls 115
Exercise 4.18 Te Factors Afecting Plant Population Estimates Obtained by Quadrat Sampling: A Computer
Simulation 18
Chapter 5 Population Growth 121
Introduction 12
Defning Populations 122
Population Growth 122
Life Tables and Survivorship Curves 123
R- and K-Strategists 123
References 123
Exercise 5.1 Exponential Population Growth 124
Exercise 5.2 Boom and Bust Population Growth 125
Exercise 5.3 Logistic Population Growth 126
Exercise 5.4 Density-Dependent and Density-Independent Factors and Population Control 127
Exercise 5.5 Using Leslie Matrices to Model Population Growth 129
Exercise 5.6 Life Table for the Honey Bee 132
Exercise 5.7 Survivorship of Dall Sheep 133
Exercise 5.8 Types of Survivorship Curve 134
Exercise 5.9 Te Age Structure of Captive Female African Elephants 135
Exercise 5.10 Opportunity or Equilibrium: r-Strategist or K-Strategist? 136
Chapter 6 Species Interactions 139
Introduction 140
Competition and Niche Teory 140
Keystone Species 141
Predation 141
Biological Control 142
References 142
Exercise 6.1 Competition in Two Tree Species 143
Exercise 6.2 Intraspecifc Competition in Barley 144
Exercise 6.3 Competitive Exclusion 145
Exercise 6.4 Competition in Flour Beetles 146
Exercise 6.5 Do Cormorants and Shags Compete for Food? 147
Exercise 6.6 Competition Between Ants and Rodents 148
Exercise 6.7 Defning the Niche 149
Exercise 6.8 Niche Separation in Warblers 152
Exercise 6.9 Niche Separation in Tropical Monkeys 154
Exercise 6.10 Predator–Prey Simulation 155
Exercise 6.11 Predation of Foxes on Rabbits 156
Exercise 6.12 Te Efects of Disease, Climate and Vegetation Change on Large Mammal Populations 158
Exercise 6.13 Biological Control 161
Exercise 6.14 Seals and Phocine Distemper Virus 162
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