AP Biology Discussion Notes
Tuesday 4/28/2015
Goals for the Day
• Understand how we influence the
environment & organisms around us
• Be able to tie together multiple
disciplines in biology
Question of the Day
4/28
• Why do different proteins or pigments
absorb different wavelengths of light,
from what do they derive this property?
Color Vision – DAY 2
What is Ecology?
• Ecology
– The study of interactions among organisms
and among organisms and their
environment
The Organization of the Living
World
Organelle
Cell
Tissue
Organ
Organ System
Organism
Species
Population
Community
Ecosystem (B & A
factors included)
Biome
Biosphere
Many interactions are related to how an
organism gets its ENERGY!
Producers vs. Consumers
Producers:
• Organisms that first capture energy
(produce their own food)
• What type of factors do they
rely/depend on for energy?
• RELY ON ABIOTIC FACTORS FOR
ENERGY
Consumers:
• Organisms that consume other
organisms
• What type of factors do they rely/depend
on for energy?
• RELY ON BIOTIC FACTORS FOR
ENERGY
Consumers:
Herbivores:
– Organisms that consume
plants only
– Ex. cows
Carnivores:
– Organisms that consume
other consumers.
– Ex. Mountain lions
Consumers:
• Omnivores:
– Organisms that consume both plants and other
consumers
– Ex. Humans
• Detritivores:
– Organism that consume dead organic material
– Ex. Vultures
• Decomposers:
– recycle nutrients in the ecosystem (nature’s
recycler)
– Bacteria and fungi that cause decay
Food Chain
• Should always start with a
____________.
• Arrows show the direction of energy
flow.
The Circle(s) of Life
• Describe the flow
of energy
• Describe the
“gas exchange”
that takes place.
The Food Web
Concept
Food webs consist of
trophic levels—or “feeding
levels”. Examples are
producer, primary
consumer, secondary
consumer, tertiary
consumer, etc. Label the
trophic level(s) of each
organism in this food web.
What would be the effect on
the food web if:
• The frogs disappeared?
• There was a huge
increase in the number of
mice?
The Great Energy
Pyramid
90-10 rule!
90% of the energy is “lost” and only 10% is available
to the next trophic level.
The 90% is “lost” because it takes energy to live.
Cellular respiration burns food, captures some energy
in ATP and the rest is given off as heat.
• If there were 10,000 lbs of peaches
(the only food source in this
particular ecosystem) would there be
more or less lbs of consumers?
Explain your answer.
The Pyramid of Energy or
The Pyramid of “Biomass”
“Biomass” is the
mass of all of
the organisms
at a particular
trophic level.
There CANNOT
be more
biomass or
energy at a
higher trophic
level.
Discuss with Group
The Ecology of
Color Vision in Monkeys
Ecology: Why Trichromatic Vision?
DICHROMATIC VISION
One of the above leaves has black fungus on it.
Can you tell which one?
Ecology: Why Trichromatic Vision?
TRICHROMATIC VISION
Leaf with black
fungus
Ecology: Why Trichromatic Vision?
DICHROMATIC VISION
In the above picture, the red leaves are not
palatable but the green leaves are nutritious.
Which leaves are which?
Ecology: Why Trichromatic Vision?
DICHROMATIC VISION
TRICHROMATIC VISION
With trichromatic vision, distinguishing between
important colors becomes possible.
#3 & 4
Food Selection –
The Driver of Trichromacy
Evolution?
Food Selection
• Research has linked
color vision with the
ability to select ripe
food when foraging.
Which peaches are ripe?
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
A
B
Both A and B
Neither A nor B
I can’t tell
A
B
Which peaches are ripe?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
A
B
Both A and B
Neither A nor B
I can’t tell
A
B
Food Selection – The Research
Part
I
DICHROMATS
TRICHROMATS
Given choice of food…
vs
.
Selected ripe
fruit 53% of the
time.
Selected ripe
fruit 37% of the
time.
F 1,10 = 8, p < 0.05, Smith et al., 200
Food Selection – The Research
Part II
Caine and Mundy, 2000
Food Selection – The Research
Part II
Caine and Mundy, 2000
Predict: What was the result of the Kix
experiment?
1. There was no difference in dichromat and
trichromat ability to find the Kix in both
environments.
2. Trichromats were superior to dichromats in finding
orange Kix; there was no difference in ability to find
green Kix.
3. Trichromats could find orange AND green Kix
better than dichromats.
4. Trichromats were superior to dichromats in finding
orange Kix; dichromats were superior to
trichromats in finding green Kix.
Food Selection – The Research
Part II
Caine and Mundy, 2000
Food Selection – The Research Part II
Trichromats are more effective than dichromats selecting orange
food in a green environment…
… but dichromats are more effective than trichromats selecting
green food in a green environment.
Could there be an advantage to being dichromatic in certain
environments?
Caine and Mundy, 2000
If you were in a food-foraging competition,
would having color vision give you an
advantage over someone who was colorblind?
A) Almost certainly.
B) Sometimes.
C) Unsure.
D) Probably not.
E) Absolutely not.
If you were in a food-foraging competition,
would having color vision give you an
advantage over someone who was colorblind?
Let’s investigate further…
Go to: http://www.evo-ed.com/Pages/Primates/PatchGame/PatchGame.html
Online Color-Vision Game
• Visit the online color vision game at:
http://www.evo-ed.com/Pages/Primates/PatchGame/PatchGame.html
Dichromatic Vision
Trichromatic Vision