Basic concepts
Branch of biology that studies the interactions between organisms and their environment:
ECOLOGY
Is ecolgy a natural or a social science?
IT IS BOTH
Nonliving factors are called:
ABIOTIC
The highest level of ecological organization, which includes all life on Earth
BIOSPHERE
The place where an organism lives and obtains resources
Ecology is a social science because
IT CONSIDERS HUMAN ACTIVITES AND THEIR IMPACT
Living components of the environment, like plants and animals.
BIOTIC FACTORS
A group of populations living together in an area
COMMUNITY
The role an organism plays in its ecosystem, including how it gets energy
NICHE
How does ecology relates to other sciences?
Give 3 examples of biotic factors:
Plants for food and shelter, Predators, Prey, Parasites and pathogens, Decomposers, Competitors, Pollinators
A community of living things interacting with their nonliving environment
ECOSYSTEM
The term for a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area
POPULATION
When people study how to use resources without depleting them, they are practicing:
sustainable development
These are the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil that influence the community.
EDAPHIC FACTORS
The interaction where both species benefit
MUTUALISM
The study of how humans interact with their environment and the consequences of those actions.
HUMAN ECOLOGY
Give 5 examples of abiotic factors:
Temperature, Light intensity, Air speed, Water current, Humidity, pH, Dissolved oxygen, Salinity, Nitrate, phosphate and other plant nutrients
Give and example about each level of organization for an Oak Tree
INDIVIDUAL: Oak Tree
POPULATION: All oak trees in the same forest
COMMUNITY: oak trees + other trees, shrubs, birds, insects, fungi, and mammals living in the forest.
ECOSYSTEM: community above + abiotic factors like soil, sunlight, water, air, and temperature that affect the forest.
BIOSPHERE: all forests, trees, plants, and living organisms across the planet, interacting with land, water, and atmosphere.