Ecology Basics

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Questions and Answers

What is the fundamental principle that governs the movement of energy and matter in ecological systems?

First law of thermodynamics

Law of conservation of matter

Law of conservation of mass and energy (correct)

Law of conservation of energy

Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship?

A weevil living in a plant without causing harm (correct)

A Spanish ibex eating plants on which the weevil is found

A parasite living in the body of its host

A predator killing and consuming its prey

What is the primary goal of the scientific method in ecology?

To develop a hypothesis and test it with data

To propose a null hypothesis and test it

To make observations and ask questions (correct)

To design an experiment to test predictions

Which level of ecological organization is the smallest unit of study?

Individual Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of organisms consuming dead organic matter?

Detritivory Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of the interactions among organisms and their environment?

Ecology Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a neutralistic relationship?

A plant growing in the presence of a weevil Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of the 6th mass extinction event?

Human activities Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic that defines a species?

ability to produce fertile offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a type of predator that feeds on its host from the inside?

Parasitoid Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of the global distributions of species driven by land, water, and climate?

Biosphere approaches Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of the distribution of species on a global scale?

biosphere approaches Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental principle that governs the movement of matter and energy in ecological systems?

law of conservation of matter Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process by which organisms evolve and adapt to their environment?

natural selection Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected?

commensalism Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment?

ecosystem ecology Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the approach to studying ecology that involves proposing a hypothesis and testing it with data?

deductive approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the type of experiment where the factor of interest is not manipulated?

control Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the current period of high species extinction rates caused by human activity?

6th mass extinction event Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the hierarchical organization of ecological systems that goes beyond the level of ecosystems?

hierarchical scales Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of ecology as a scientific study?

The interactions among organisms and their environment Signup and view all the answers

Which level of ecological organisation is the smallest unit of study?

Individuals Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in defining individuals in ecology?

Clonal plants and other organisms that blur individual boundaries Signup and view all the answers

What is the most relevant level to study adaptations in ecology?

Individuals Signup and view all the answers

What defines a species in ecology?

A group of organisms that naturally interbreed and produce fertile offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of population processes in ecology?

Spatio-temporal changes in abundance, density, geographic range distribution, and genetic makeup Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of community processes in ecology?

The diversity and composition of species within a community Signup and view all the answers

How are the boundaries of a community often defined?

By the researcher for the purposes of study Signup and view all the answers

What is the largest level of ecological organisation?

Biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the hierarchical organisation of ecological systems?

Individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary unit of study in ecology?

Individual Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in defining individuals in ecology?

Clonal plants Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a group of organisms that naturally interbreed and produce fertile offspring?

Species Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of population processes in ecology?

Spatio-temporal changes in abundance, density, geographic range distribution, composition and genetic makeup Signup and view all the answers

What level of ecological organisation is characterised by a group of populations of different species living together in a particular area?

Community Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of community processes in ecology?

Diversity and composition of species Signup and view all the answers

How are the boundaries of a community often defined?

By the researcher Signup and view all the answers

What is the largest level of ecological organisation?

Biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What influences individual processes in ecology?

Abiotic and biotic components Signup and view all the answers

What is the main level at which adaptations are studied in ecology?

Individual Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a population and a community?

A population is a group of individuals of the same species, while a community is a group of different species Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of evolution in ecological systems?

Genetic variation and natural selection Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the approach to studying ecology that involves using data to develop a hypothesis?

Indicative approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of ecosystem processes in ecology?

The movement of energy and matter between organisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits and the other is harmed?

Parasitism Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of experiments in ecological research?

To test predictions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a fundamental principle governing ecological systems?

Matter and energy can only change form Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the study of the global distributions of species driven by land, water, and climate?

Biosphere approaches Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of population processes in ecology?

Changes in population density and distribution over space Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the indicative approach in ecology?

To use data to develop a hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the hierarchical organization of ecological systems that includes populations, communities, and ecosystems?

Ecological hierarchy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of ecosystem processes in ecology?

The movement of energy and matter within ecosystems Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a manipulative experiment and an observational study?

Manipulative experiments involve manipulation of the factor of interest, while observational studies involve observation of the factor of interest Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of the diversity of life on Earth?

Evolution Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of a parasitoid?

It feeds on its host from the inside Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of a manipulative experiment in ecology?

To manipulate a factor of interest to test its effect Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of community processes in ecology?

The interactions between different species in a community Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of neutralism?

The organisms coexist without affecting each other Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the scientific method in ecology?

To understand the interactions among organisms and their environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of an ecosystem?

A community of organisms interacting with their environment Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ecological Systems

Ecological systems exist in a hierarchical organization, comprising individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
Individuals are living beings separated from their environment by a membrane or other boundary.
Individual processes (morphology, physiology, behavior) can be influenced by the environment, mediating how the individual responds to abiotic and biotic components of its environment.

Populations

A population is a group of individuals of one species living in a particular area.
A species is a group of organisms that naturally interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Population processes involve spatio-temporal changes in abundance, density, geographic range distribution, composition, and genetic makeup.

Communities

A community is composed of all populations of species living together in a particular area.
Community processes involve diversity and composition of species, as well as interactions among species (coexistence or exclusion).

Ecosystems

An ecosystem consists of one or more communities interacting with their abiotic environment.
Ecosystem processes involve the movement of energy and matter (not only looking at living organisms).

Biosphere

The biosphere is all ecosystems on Earth.
Biosphere approaches involve global distributions of species driven by land, water, and climate.

Ecological Principles

Ecological systems are governed by physical and biological principles.
Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only change form (law of conservation of matter, first law of thermodynamics).
Ecological systems can be in a dynamic steady state when gains and losses of mass and energy are in balance.

Evolution

Evolution is key to understanding the diversity of life and how organisms interact with each other and their abiotic environment.
Evolution requires individual organisms to vary in their phenotype, phenotypic traits to be heritable, and trait variation associated with variation in fitness.

Interactions among Organisms

Predation: organisms that kill and consume individual animals.
Parasitoidism: special types of predators that feed on the host from the inside.
Herbivory: organisms that consume producers.
Parasitism: organisms that live in or on another organism, causing damage.
Commensalism: organisms that live in or on another organism without causing damage or providing benefit.
Mutualism: organisms that interact with each other, providing benefits.
Neutralism: organisms that coexist but do not affect each other.
Amensalism: organisms that interact, damaging another without damage or benefit.

Scientific Method in Ecology

The scientific method involves observations leading to questions, hypotheses, predictions, and experiments.
Approaches to studying ecology include the deductive approach, inductive approach, and experimental methods.

Human Impact on Ecological Systems

Humans influence ecological systems, leading to the 6th mass extinction event.
Hierarchical scales go beyond ecology.

Ecological Systems

Ecological systems exist in a hierarchical organization, comprising individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
Individuals are living beings separated from their environment by a membrane or other boundary.
Individual processes (morphology, physiology, behavior) can be influenced by the environment, mediating how the individual responds to abiotic and biotic components of its environment.

Populations

A population is a group of individuals of one species living in a particular area.
A species is a group of organisms that naturally interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Population processes involve spatio-temporal changes in abundance, density, geographic range distribution, composition, and genetic makeup.

Communities

A community is composed of all populations of species living together in a particular area.
Community processes involve diversity and composition of species, as well as interactions among species (coexistence or exclusion).

Ecosystems

An ecosystem consists of one or more communities interacting with their abiotic environment.
Ecosystem processes involve the movement of energy and matter (not only looking at living organisms).

Biosphere

The biosphere is all ecosystems on Earth.
Biosphere approaches involve global distributions of species driven by land, water, and climate.

Ecological Principles

Ecological systems are governed by physical and biological principles.
Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only change form (law of conservation of matter, first law of thermodynamics).
Ecological systems can be in a dynamic steady state when gains and losses of mass and energy are in balance.

Evolution

Evolution is key to understanding the diversity of life and how organisms interact with each other and their abiotic environment.
Evolution requires individual organisms to vary in their phenotype, phenotypic traits to be heritable, and trait variation associated with variation in fitness.

Interactions among Organisms

Predation: organisms that kill and consume individual animals.
Parasitoidism: special types of predators that feed on the host from the inside.
Herbivory: organisms that consume producers.
Parasitism: organisms that live in or on another organism, causing damage.
Commensalism: organisms that live in or on another organism without causing damage or providing benefit.
Mutualism: organisms that interact with each other, providing benefits.
Neutralism: organisms that coexist but do not affect each other.
Amensalism: organisms that interact, damaging another without damage or benefit.

Scientific Method in Ecology

The scientific method involves observations leading to questions, hypotheses, predictions, and experiments.
Approaches to studying ecology include the deductive approach, inductive approach, and experimental methods.

Human Impact on Ecological Systems

Humans influence ecological systems, leading to the 6th mass extinction event.
Hierarchical scales go beyond ecology.

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Description

Learn about the fundamentals of ecology, including the hierarchical organization of ecological systems, individuals, populations, and their interactions with the environment.