Transcript What is Ecology? Origin of the word…”ecology”     Greek origin OIKOS = household LOGOS = study of… Study of the “house/environment” in which we live.

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