14 Questions
What is a major concern in human activity as it relates to ecology?
Eradication of the existence and life of others
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted
What is ecology concerned with?
The study of the natural world and human impact on it
What is the opposite of autecology?
Synecology
What is a key concept in ecology?
Levels of organization
What is a major goal of sustainability?
To conserve and preserve natural resources
What is the term used to describe the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment?
Synecology
Which type of organism is responsible for producing energy through photosynthesis?
Autotrophs
What is the term used to describe the movement of individuals from one population to another?
Dispersal
What is the term used to describe the total amount of energy produced by an ecosystem?
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
What is the term used to describe the pyramid of energy transfer from one level to the next in an ecosystem?
Energy Pyramid
What is the term used to describe the pattern of distribution of individuals in a population?
Pattern of Distribution
What is the term used to describe the rate of birth in a population?
Natality
What is the term used to describe the study of the structure and function of ecosystems?
Ecosystem Ecology
Study Notes
Rediscovering Life in Science
- Etymology of science: derived from Latin words "sciens" meaning "to know"
- Science involves studying the natural world to gain knowledge and understanding
Ecology and its Triangular Relationship
- Ecology is the study of relationships between living organisms and their environment
- Triangular relationship: human activity, sustainability, and neglect of fellow humans, plants, and animals
Key Concepts in Ecology
- Biodiversity: variety of species, genes, and ecosystems
- Ecology is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, chemistry, physics, and geology
- Levels of organization in ecology: organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
Ecosystems
- Ecosystem: interactions between living organisms (biotic factors) and non-living elements (abiotic factors)
- Types of ecosystems: terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and atmospheric
- Energy flow: producers (autotrophs), consumers (heterotrophs), and decomposers (saprotrophs)
Ecological Interactions
- Autecology: study of individual species in an ecosystem
- Synecology: study of groups of species in an ecosystem
- Types of interactions: symbiotic (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism), predation, competition
Ecosystem Services
- Provisioning services: food, water, medicine, and other resources
- Regulating services: climate regulation, water purification, soil formation
- Cultural services: recreation, tourism, education
Biomass and Energy Transfer
- Gross Primary Productivity (GPP): total energy fixed by producers
- Net Primary Productivity (NPP): energy available to consumers
- Energy pyramid: energy available at each trophic level
Population Ecology
- Population: group of individuals of the same species in a specific area
- Traits of population: size, density, distribution, growth rate, natality, mortality
- Dispersal: movement of individuals from one area to another
- Migration: seasonal or long-distance movement of populations
Discover the basics of ecology, including the etymology of science, key terminologies, and the triangular relationship between ecology, human activity, and the environment.
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