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1) Introduction to Ecology

Terms in this set (31)

Ernst Kaeckel
he was a German biologist that 1st coined the term ECOLOGY in 1866
what is ecology?
the STUDY (-ology) of our house (-oiko)
contemporary definition of ecology 1:
the study of the relationship between organisms and their environment. It includes relationships with other organisms.
contemporary definition of ecology 2:
the study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms
what is the order of Hierarchy in ecology:
organism-->population-->community-->ecosystem-->biosphere
Organismal ecology:
studies the adaptations of individuals to their abiotic (non-living) components of their environment.
abiotic factors
temperature, water, sunlight, soil, etc.
Organismal ecology is also known as_______
physiological ecology
population:
a group of organisms of the same species (biotic) in a certain area at a certain time.
population ecology:
studies the factors that affect population dynamics
population dynamics:
density and growth of a population
community:
all (biotic) of the organisms (all of the populations) in a certain area at a certain time.
community ecology:
studies interactions among all of the organisms (biotic) of all of the species.
what are some types of population interactions:
competition and mutualism (predation)
ecosystem:
all of the organisms (the community) in a certain area at a certain time (biotic).
--> plus all of the abiotic components of the area.
ecosystem ecology:
studies the flow of energy and the cycle of nutrients through the ecosystem (everything!).
Energy ____ and Nutrients _____!!
Flows, Cycles
where does energy come from?
SUN
describe the flow of energy (start with sun end with organisms)
Sun (solar E)--> Producers (chemical E)--> consumers(heat E).

As energy transfers, it is lost as heat & the nutrients get recylced.
biosphere:
- the entire habitable portion of Earth (biotic and abiotic)
- from ~10,000m above to ~10,000m below sea level.
biosphere ecology:
studies global processes (climate patterns) and the distribution of biomes (ecosystem types)that result.
ecologist study a range of spatial scales:
which consider just the community level in the biological hierarchy
examples of spatial scales:
1) a community could be all of the organisms in the amazon rainforest.

2) a community could be all of the organisms in a termites gut.
ecologist study a range of temporal scales:
which consider just the population level in the biological hierarchy.
examples of temporal scales:
1) ecologist may study a population of mayflies that live for just a few hours as adults.

2) they may study the changing distribution of oak trees since the end of the pleistocene (~11,500 years ago)
what are 3 methods ecologist use to conduct their studies:
1) field observations
2) field and laboratory experiments
3) mathematical models
why are field observation conducted:
are done to detect patterns in nature
why are field and laboratory experiments conducted:
are done to explain the patterns
what are mathematical models used for:
are used to make predictions about the patterns
compare and contrast ecology and environmental science (environmentalism)
ecology:
- is a pure (natural science)
- incorporates both pure science and social sciences

environmentalism:
- is an applied science
- focuses on how humans affect the environment.
- applies principals of ecology to solve environmental problems.
in the case study with amphibians, limb deformities, flukes and pesticides....what was the:

1) experimental unit:
2) treatments:
3) variable:
1) containers with tadpoles (it is the unit subjected to different treatments).

2) number of flukes

3) % of deformities (it measures the experimental unit)
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