Ecology Question

Assignment 2 Total points: 10 Submit assignment as MS Word file or PDF 1. Find two teleological statements in an ecology textbook. Quote them verbatim and explain why they are teleological. Provide an alternative statement that conveys the most likely intended meaning without being teleological. Do not forget to list any references used. (2 points) 2. Below, you will find data for two communities at Sandilands Forest in Manitoba: one is the community of trees and the other one is the community of herbaceous plants and saplings (young trees). Use the data to answer the following questions: 1. What is the species richness of each community? (1 point) 2. Estimate the Shannon diversity index for each community? Show the equation used. (3 points) 3. Which community is more species rich? Which one is more diverse? (1 point) 4. On a single graph, show the rank-abundance curves that correspond to each community. (2 points) 5. Interpret the rank-abundance graph. What relevant ecological information does it convey? (1 point) On the lists below, some species names are abbreviated and others are given a temporary designation. Tree community Species Individuals Abies balsamifera 1 Acer negundo 4 Betula papirifera 2 Betulaceae 1 2 Fraxinus nigra 3 Picea glauca 20 Picea mariana 1 Populus balsamifera 2 Populus tremuloides 16 Quercus macrocarpa 1 Ulmus americana 9 1 Community of herbaceous plants and saplings Species Individual Species Individuals Abies balsamifera 4 Picea glauca 1 Acer spicata 2 Plantago 1 Amelanchier 8 Populus balsamifera 1 Anemone 33 Prunus virginiana 12 Aralia 26 Pyrolaceae 45 Aster sym 12 Quercus macrocarpa 3 Betulaceae 2 3 Rosa 3 Bracken fern 8 Rosaceae 5 Circea 11 Rubus 43 Clintonia borealis 30 Rubus pubescens 55 Cornus canadensis 52 Ranunculus 60 Corylus americana 1 Sanguinaria canadensis 1 Corylus cornuta 21 Smilacina 1 Epilobium 3 Symphoricarpus 42 Equisetum 4 Taraxacum 1 Fragaria 91 Thalictrum 21 Fraxinus pennsylvanica 1 Toxicodendron radicans 18 Galium boreale 54 Trientalis 12 Galium triflorum 27 Ulmus americana 18 Gaultheria sp. 30 Unknown 3 1 Juniperus communis 6 Unknown 4 46 Lathyrus 13 Unknown 5 2 Rhododendron groenlandicum 17 Vaccinium 18 Linnaea borealis 39 Viburnum 13 Maianthemum 208 Viola 56 Mentha arvense 5 Zizzia aptera 7 Mitella nuda 270 Ostrich fern 10 Osmorhiza 5 2