What is Ecology?
Origin of the word…”ecology” Greek origin OIKOS = household LOGOS = study of…
Study of the “house/environment” in which we live.
Ecology is study of interactions between non-living components in the environment…
light water wind nutrients in soil heat solar radiation atmosphere, etc.
AND…
Living organisms… Plants Animals microorganisms in soil, etc.
To study Ecology involves… For non-living
(abiotic) Climatology Hydrology Oceanography Physics Chemistry Geology soil analysis, etc.
For living (biotic)
animal behavior Taxonomy Physiology mathematics (population studies) etc.
Ecology… views each locale as an integrated
whole of interdependent parts that function as a unit.
tundracaribou
The interdependent parts are…
Nonliving dead organic
matter nutrients in the
soil and water. Producers
green plantsTundra
Consumers herbivores and
carnivores Decomposers
fungi and bacteria
Tundra
Caribou
ECOLOGY: Levels of Organization
- a hierarchy of organization
in the environment
Levels of organization - Terms Biosphere
Surface of the earth Composed of many ecosystems
Ecosystem Large or small as we decide
Backyard, O’Melveney Park, Hedge along Room 110, etc.
Levels of organization - Terms
Population – one species live in one place at one time
Community – All populations (diff. species) that live in a particular area.
Levels of organization - Terms
Habitat – physical location of community
Organism – simplest level of organization
Very complex Can contain 100’s to 1000’s of interacting
species.
THEN…
Ecology is an integrated and dynamic study of the environment.
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