Ecology+Assignment

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University of South Florida *

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2011L BSC2

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Dec 6, 2023

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iNaturalist Ecology Assignment For this assignment you will be required to research information about your iNaturalist observations and provide citations to peer reviewed sources supporting your claims. You may use the USF library search to find peer-reviews sources. You may also use peer-reviewed sources from the iNaturalist Project Journal Post "Free Online Guides," or you may find your own sources. Keep in mind that you will be graded on the scientific merit of your sources (they must be peer-reviewed), their relevance to the claim they support, and correct formatting of the citation. We will be using MLA (7th edition or later) to format citations. If you need more information, go to https://guides.lib.usf.edu/c.php?g=589849&p=8031798 for USF's library guide to MLA formatting. You can even sign up for a free non-graded tutorial in via canvas. 1. All organisms have their own role and provide ecological services to the environment. Spend some time researching and understanding the following ecological terms: Keystone species , Endemic Species , Invasive Species , Native Species , Symbiosis . Then, answer the following questions about each of your observations. Seedless Plant a. Provide the URL (web address) to your iNaturalist observation page. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186858334 b. What is the common name of your organism? Toothed Midsorus Fern c. List at least two ecosystem services that this organism provides. This can include food web relationships, habitat modifications, interactions with other species, or anything else ecologically relevant. The toothed Midsorus Fern is used for wetland restoration. The rhizomes can climb tree trunks. d. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the ecosystem services listed above. “Toothed Midsorus Fern (Telmatoblechnum Serrulatum).” iNaturalist . N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2023. e. What is the native status of your organism in Florida (native, endemic, non- native, or invasive)?

Native f. Describe the range of your organism. If your organism is non-native or invasive, describe both the native range and the non-native range. The toothed Midsorus fern is native to Florida, South America, and has been found in Malaysia and Australia. g. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the range(s) of your organism as described above. “Toothed Midsorus Fern (Telmatoblechnum Serrulatum).” iNaturalist . N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2023. Seed Plant a. Provide the URL (web address) to your iNaturalist observation page. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186859455 b. What is the common name of your organism? Cut-Leaf Philodendron c. List at least two ecosystem services that this organism provides. This can include food web relationships, habitat modifications, interactions with other species, or anything else ecologically relevant . If eaten by vertebrates, the Cut-Leaf Philodendron is poisonous. If growing in a native area, these plants tend to climb up trees. d. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the ecosystem services listed above. “Monstera Deliciosa (Ceriman, Cutleaf Philodendron, Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Mother-in-Law, Split-Leaf Philodendron, Swiss Cheese Plant) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2023. e. What is the native status of your organism in Florida (native, endemic, non- native, or invasive)? Non-native

f. Describe the range of your organism. If your organism is non-native or invasive, describe both the native range and the non-native range. The cut-leaf philodendron is native to South America, including Mexico, Panama and Brazil. Non-natively it's found all over the world as a houseplant or cultivated outside in warmer climates. g. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the range(s) of your organism as described above. “Monstera Deliciosa (Ceriman, Cutleaf Philodendron, Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Mother-in-Law, Split-Leaf Philodendron, Swiss Cheese Plant) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2023. Fungi or Lichen a. Provide the URL (web address) to your iNaturalist observation page. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186861044 b. What is the common name of your organism? Green-spored Parasol c. List at least two ecosystem services that this organism provides. This can include food web relationships, habitat modifications, interactions with other species, or anything else ecologically relevant. The Green-spored Parasol is poisonous to humans but has never resulted in death. It grows in, “ in lawns, grassy areas, and open woods” ( Espinoza and Smith). d. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the ecosystem services listed above. Espinoza, Lisbeth, and Matthew E. Smith. “THE GREEN -SPORE POISON PARASOL MUSHROOM, CHLOROPHYLLUM MOLYBDITES.” UF IFAS Extension . N.p., 6 Mar. 2019. Web. 26 Oct. 2023. e. What is the native status of your organism in Florida (native, endemic, non- native, or invasive)? Native

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f. Describe the range of your organism. If your organism is non-native or invasive, describe both the native range and the non-native range. Present all over North America, mainly the southeast though. Also found in countries with tropical climates around the world. For example, the Philippines, Brazil, Tahiti, etc. g. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the range(s) of your organism as described above? Espinoza, Lisbeth, and Matthew E. Smith. “THE GREEN -SPORE POISON PARASOL MUSHROOM, CHLOROPHYLLUM MOLYBDITES.” UF IFAS Extension . N.p., 6 Mar. 2019. Web. 26 Oct. 2023. Non-Deuterostome Animal (Parazoa, Ctenophora, Cnidaria, or Protostome) a. Provide the URL (web address) to your iNaturalist observation page. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186877757 b. What is the common name of your organism? Gulf Fritillary c. List at least two ecosystem services that this organism provides. This can include food web relationships, habitat modifications, interactions with other species, or anything else ecologically relevant. Gulf Fritillary caterpillars feed on passion vines. After going through metamorphosis, they drink the nectar from many Lantana plants. d. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the ecosystem services listed above. “Gulf Fritillary (Dione Vanillae).” iNaturalist , www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49150-Dione-vanillae . e. What is the native status of your organism in Florida (native, endemic, non- native, or invasive)? native

f. Describe the range of your organism. If your organism is non-native or invasive, describe both the native range and the non-native range. Found across Southern USA and even in some parts of South America. g. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the range(s) of your organism as described above? University of Florida. “Common Name: Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Scientific Name: Agraulis Vanillae (Linnaeus) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).” Featured Creatures , Dec. 2007, entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/gulf_fritillary.htm. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023. Deuterostome Animal a. Provide the URL (web address) to your iNaturalist observation page. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186878030 b. What is the common name of your organism? Cuban Tree Frog c. List at least two ecosystem services that this organism provides. This can include food web relationships, habitat modifications, interactions with other species, or anything else ecologically relevant. They are predators of anything and everything that can fit in their mouths. They threaten native frog species by eating them and their food sources. Unlike other species, Cuban Tree Frogs tolerate brackish water. d. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the ecosystem services listed above. “Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus Septentrionalis).” iNaturalist , www.inaturalist.org/taxa/24382- Osteopilus-septentrionalis . Accessed 26 Oct. 2023. e. What is the native status of your organism in Florida (native, endemic, non- native, or invasive)? Invasive f. Describe the range of your organism. If your organism is non-native or invasive, describe both the native range and the non-native range.

The native range of Cuban Tree Frogs includes Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. It is invasive in Florida and Puerto Rico. It is thought that they came over on cargo ships. g. Provide a citation to a peer-reviewed source describing the range(s) of your organism as described above? “Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus Septentrionalis).” iNaturalist , www.inaturalist.org/taxa/24382- Osteopilus-septentrionalis . Accessed 26 Oct. 2023. 2. Consider one of your observations that you classified as non-native or invasive. (If you did not observe an organism that is classified as non-native or invasive, discuss one that can be found in Florida.) a. Are the ecological services provided by this organism equivalent to the services provided by native species? The Cuban Tree Frog provides similar ecological services as native frog species, including controlling mosquito and pest populations. However, the Cuban Tree Frog also harms ecosystems. It eats the native frog populations and is resistant to predation which could lead to an out-of-control population. b. What do you think would happen to the ecosystem if the non-native or invasive species were to replace a native one? (i.e., what if an invasive lizard replaced a native lizard?) If the Cuban Tree Frog replaced native frog species, there could be various negative effects. They would deplete food sources for other organisms, such as birds and snakes causing a decline in populations. Their population would increase and take over ecosystems. 3. The ecological services that keystone species provide is disproportionally large relative to their abundance or biomass. This is because keystone species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem, and helping to determine the types and numbers of various other species in the community. a. Are any of your observations keystone species? If not, provide an example of a keystone species found in Florida. An example of a keystone species in Florida is the Gopher Tortoise. b. Include a reference listing this organism as a keystone species.

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“Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus).” iNaturalist , www.inaturalist.org/taxa/40085- Gopherus-polyphemus . Accessed 26 Oct. 2023. c. The loss of a keystone species to an ecosystem usually results in major changes or total collapse. Why would a loss of the ecosystem services provided by this keystone species negatively impact their ecosystem? The loss of the Gopher Tortoise would negatively impact their ecosystem because they create habitats through burrowing for numerous other species in Florida such as snakes, frogs and owls. Without Gopher Tortoises we would see a decline in over 300 other species populations due to loss of habitat. 4. Consider one of your observations that forms a symbiotic relationship with another species. (If you did not observe an organism that forms a symbiotic relationship, discuss one that can be found in Florida.) a. List the two (or more!) organisms involved in the symbiotic relationship. Gulf Fritillaries and flowers b. Is this relationship parasitic, commensalistic, or mutualistic? Mutualistic c. What does your organism gain or lose in this relationship? Gulf Fritillaries gain food. d. What does the other organism gain or lose in this relationship? The flowers are able to reproduce due to the butterflies distributing pollen. e. If your observation was not able to form this symbiotic relationship, would it still provide the same ecological services? The symbiotic relationship exists because butterflies need to eat. If they couldn’t distribute pollen, flower populations would decrease and, in turn, so would butterfly populations. f. Include a reference listing your observation or example as a part of a symbiotic relationship.

Martínez- Adriano, Cristian A., et al. “Flower -mediated Plant-butterfly Interactions in an Heterogeneous Tropical Coastal Ecosystem.” PeerJ , vol. 6, PeerJ, Inc., Sept. 2018, p. e5493. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5493 .

Ecology+Assignment

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