1. What is Ecology?

2. Origin of the word…”ecology”
Greek origin
OIKOS = household
LOGOS = study of…
Study of the “house/environment” in which we live.

3. Ecology is study of interactions between
non-living components in the environment…
light
water
wind
nutrients in soil
heat
solar radiation
atmosphere, etc.
AND…

4. Living organisms…
Plants
Animals
microorganisms in soil, etc.

5. 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.

6. Ecology…
views each locale as an integrated whole of interdependent parts that function as a unit.
caribou
tundra

7. The interdependent parts are…

8. nutrients in the soil and water. Producers
Nonliving
dead organic matter
nutrients in the soil and water.
Producers
green plants
Tundra

9. Consumers Decomposers herbivores and carnivores fungi and bacteria
Tundra
Caribou

10. ECOLOGY: Levels of Organization
- a hierarchy of organization
in the environment

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Levels of organization - Terms
Habitat – physical location of community
Organism – simplest level of organization

14. Very complex
Can contain 100’s to 1000’s of interacting species.

15. Ecology is an integrated and dynamic study of the environment.
THEN…
Ecology is an integrated and dynamic study of the environment.

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