Introduction to Ecology

the study of relationships among organisms and between organisms and the physical environment

ecology

enumerate importance’s of ecology

1. understands nature: how living thing interact

2. protects environment: prevents pollution and climate change

3. maintains balance in nature: ecology shows how plants animals and humans depend on each other to survive

4. prevents disease spread: understanding ecology helps stop the spread of disease between animals, humans, and plants

5. aids conservation: protects endangered species

enumerate the ecosystem services

supporting services: these are the basic processes that make life possible
provisioning services: these provides things we use from nature

regulating services: these keep nature balanced and protect us

cultural services: these give us enjoyment, knowledge, and spiritual value

focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their needs

ex: using water wisely so it doesnt run out

sustainability

• is about long-term balance

• is the goal of maintaining natural resources and the environment for future generations

connotes a process by which human potential is improved and the environment (the resource base) is used and managed to supply humanity on a long-term basis
ex: building eco-friendly houses using renewable energy

sustainable development

• is about actions taken to achieve sustainability
  - is the process of meeting human needs while protecting nature

why is ecology as an interdisciplinary science?

ecology is an interdisciplinary science because it combines knowledge from different fields to understand how living things interact with their environment

what are the other sciences ecology relates to?

• physiological ecology

• evolutionary ecology

• political ecology

• behavioral ecology

• ecological genetics

• ecological climatology

• system ecology

• landscape ecology

concerned with how the individual organism meets the challenges of its physicochemical environment and how the organism’s limits of tolerance for environmental stresses determine where it can live

physiological ecology

studies the evolutionary histories of species and their interactions ex. distribution and abundance of organisms are products of long term evolutionary changes as well as ongoing interactions with the environment

evolutionary ecology

connects politics and economy to problems of environmental control and ecological change

political ecology

examines the roles of behavior in enabling an animal to adapt to its environment

behavioral ecology

studies the extension of our modern knowledge in molecular genetics to studies of viability, gene expression and gene movements in natural environments

ecological genetics

examines how ecosystems are affected by climate

ecological climatology

focuses on the study, development and organization of ecological systems from a holistic perspective

system ecology

concerned with spatial patterns in the landscape and how they develop, with an emphasis on the role of disturbance, including human impacts. The goal is to predict the responses of different organisms to changes in landscape, to ultimately facilitate ecosystem management

landscape ecology

is the study of individual organisms in their environment or simply the ecology of the individual organisms

autecology

what are the subdivisions of ecology

synecology and autecology

is the study of interrelationships between groups of organisms (populations or communities) and the environment

synecology

enumerate the hierarchy of biological organization

1. cell- the basic unit of life

2. tissue- a group of similar cells working together

3. organ system- a group of organs performing specific functions in an organism

4. organisms- a single living individual

5. population- a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area

6. community- different populations interacting in the same environment

7. ecosystem- the interaction of communities with abiotic (non-living) factors

8. landscape- a collection of ecosystems in a region

9. biome- large- scale ecosystems categorized by climate and dominant vegetation (e.g desert, rainforest)

10. ecosphere (biosphere)- the sum of all ecosystems on earth, including all life and environments
    
    ecology starts at the organisms level and extends to the biosphere (ecosphere)

focus on: physiology and behavior
- this looks at how a single living thing (an organism) interacts with its environment

ex: how a penguin survives in the cold

individual ecology

centered on the factors influencing population structure and process

• this focuses on a group of the same species living in one area and how they grow, reproduced, and survive.

• ex: studying why a deer population is increasing or decreasing

population ecology

concentrates on the organisms inhabiting an area

• this studies how different species in area interact with each other.

• ex: how bees pollinate flowers, or how wolves hunt deer

community ecology

includes physical and chemical factors influencing the community

• this looks at how living things (plants, animals, bacteria) interact with non-living things (water, air, soil, sunlight)

• ex: how a forest recovers after a wildfire

ecosystem ecology

study the exchanges between ecosystem

• this studies how multiple ecosystem are connected and affect each other

• ex: how cutting down a forest affects nearby rivers and animals

landscape ecology

this focuses on large areas with similar cilmates and life forms, like deserts, rainforests, and tundras

• ex: how climate change affects the amazon

biome ecology

a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities

biome ecology: biome

this looks at the earth as a whole and how different ecosystems interact worldwide

ex: How pollution in one country affects the entire planet’s climate

global ecology

is a characteristics an entity gains when it becomes part of a bigger system

ex: a single neuron cant think, but a network of neurons creates thoughts

emergent property

• emergent properties help living organisms better adapt to their environments and increase their chances of survival

means the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, making emergent properties possible

ex: one musician plays a melody, but an orchestra creates a symphony

• basic functions that operate at all levels in the hierarchy (happens when something goes beyond its original purpose or limits to create new abilities or effects)

• ex: a smartphone was made for calling, but it now serves as a camera, GPS, and computer-going beyond its basic function

• positive and negative feedback controls are universal

transcending functions

why are this transcending functions

Homeorhesis

Homeostasis

Homeostasis

• is the way living things keep their internal conditions stable, like keeping body temperature or blood sugar at the right level

• it helps organisms survive by adjusting to changes in the environment

what is the negative feedback loop?

• helps bring things back to normal when they go too high or too low.

• ex: if your body gets too hot, you start sweating to cool down. If it gets too cold, you shiver to warm up. This process stops extreme changes and keeps balance inside the body

Homeorhesis

what sis Homeorhesis?

is the way living things adjust their internal conditions over time to stay on the right path for growth and development. Unlike homeostasis, which keeps things stable, homeorhesis allows change to happen in a controlled way

• For example, a growing baby doesn’t stay the same size—it keeps changing but follows a natural pattern. Similarly, a river might change its shape over time but still flows in the same general direction. Homeorhesis guides changes in a smooth and balanced way instead of just keeping things the same.