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.

caribou tundra

The interdependent parts are…

Tundra   Nonliving  dead organic matter  nutrients in the soil and water.

Producers  green plants

Tundra Caribou   Consumers  herbivores and carnivores Decomposers  fungi and bacteria

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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