Ecology Basics

Ecology

Definition

• Study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
• Examines the relationships between biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors

Levels of Organization

• Ecosystem: Community of living and non-living components interacting in a specific environment
• Community: Group of different species living in a specific area
• Population: Group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area
• Organism: Individual living thing

Ecosystem Components

• Biotic Factors:
  • Producers (plants, algae, etc.)
  • Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, etc.)
  • Decomposers (bacteria, fungi, etc.)
• Abiotic Factors:
  • Light
  • Temperature
  • Water
  • Soil
  • pH

Ecosystem Processes

• Energy Flow:
  • Primary production (photosynthesis)
  • Energy transfer between trophic levels
• Nutrient Cycling:
  • Carbon cycle
  • Nitrogen cycle
  • Oxygen cycle
• Decomposition:
  • Breakdown of organic matter
  • Release of nutrients

Ecological Concepts

• Niche: Unique role of a species in an ecosystem
• Habitat: Environment in which a species lives
• Symbiosis: Close, long-term relationships between different species
  • Mutualism (both species benefit)
  • Commensalism (one species benefits, the other is not affected)
  • Parasitism (one species benefits, the other is harmed)

Ecological Principles

• Species Interactions:
  • Competition
  • Predation
  • Symbiosis
• Population Dynamics:
  • Growth rates
  • Carrying capacity
• Ecosystem Services:
  • Provisioning (food, water, etc.)
  • Regulating (climate, etc.)
  • Cultural (recreation, etc.)

Ecology

• Study of interactions between organisms and their environment, examining relationships between biotic and abiotic factors.

Levels of Organization

• Ecosystem: community of living and non-living components interacting in a specific environment.
• Community: group of different species living in a specific area.
• Population: group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.
• Organism: individual living thing.

Ecosystem Components

• Biotic Factors:
  • Producers: plants, algae, etc.
  • Consumers: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, etc.
  • Decomposers: bacteria, fungi, etc.
• Abiotic Factors:
  • Light
  • Temperature
  • Water
  • Soil
  • pH

Ecosystem Processes

• Energy Flow:
  • Primary production: photosynthesis
  • Energy transfer between trophic levels
• Nutrient Cycling:
  • Carbon cycle
  • Nitrogen cycle
  • Oxygen cycle
• Decomposition:
  • Breakdown of organic matter
  • Release of nutrients

Ecological Concepts

• Niche: unique role of a species in an ecosystem
• Habitat: environment in which a species lives
• Symbiosis:
  • Mutualism: both species benefit
  • Commensalism: one species benefits, the other is not affected
  • Parasitism: one species benefits, the other is harmed

Ecological Principles

• Species Interactions:
  • Competition
  • Predation
  • Symbiosis
• Population Dynamics:
  • Growth rates
  • Carrying capacity
• Ecosystem Services:
  • Provisioning: food, water, etc.
  • Regulating: climate, etc.
  • Cultural: recreation, etc.

Learn about the study of interactions between organisms and their environment, including ecosystem, community, population, and organism levels of organization.