1. Ch 1 Ecology, Environmental Science and the Big Picture

2. Night shot of earth…

3. What is Ecology? Basic Terminology
Ecology = study of organisms and how they interact with each other and their environment (ecologist)
Eco from Oikos
“Oikos”= Greek for “house”
Ecology = study of the “house” we live in

4. What is Ecology? Basic Terminology
Relationships/interactions are the key (feeding, competition, symbiosis, etc…)
Environmentalism= concern for how the natural world is affected by human activity
Environment= things that surround and/or affect an organism

5. Levels of Life Organization
Organism = any living thing (characteristics of life)
Species = group of organisms that look alike and can breed to produce viable offspring
The organism is the fundamental unit of life in ecology
Many individuals of the same species living together in the same area = population

6. Levels of Life Organization
Community = all the populations living together (interacting) in the same area

7. Levels of Life Organization
Ecosystem = a biotic community plus the abiotic factors in its environment
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic?
Can it be decomposed further?
Can anything obtain energy from it?
…If no then it is abiotic

8. Levels of Life Organization
Biome = a category of related ecosystems found around the world (rain forest, coral reef)

9. Levels of Life Organization
Biosphere = layer of earth containing all life
Extends into atmosphere
Extends down into lithosphere (crust)
Overlaps hydrosphere (all water)

11. Landscape = patchwork of ecosystems that cover a given area
More ecologists are shifting focus away from ecosystems and into landscape in recent years

12. Habitat vs Niche
Habitat = physical surroundings
Niche = Lifestyle

13. Biomass = the total mass of living tissue present in an area
More biomass = more stored energy in system
More sunlight tends to lead to more biomass

14. 5 steps of scientific method
Observation generates a question
Question or problem
Hypothesis = possible answer or explanation, must be testable, usually stated as cause & effect (if…then…)
Experimentation = test the hypothesis, collect data (evidence)
Conclusion/next steps = always 2 items
is hypothesis supported by the data or not? What should be investigated next?

15. Variables in experiments - graphing
Why is water temp on the y-axis in this graph?

16. Variables in experiments
Scientists attempt to keep all conditions in an experiment constant except 2: Independent (manipulated) variable: changes are under the control of the scientist (x-axis on graph) Dependent (responding) variable: changes occur in response to changes in the independent variable (y-axis on graph) Control group – a set of trials are subjects that experience no changes in the independent variable

17. Variables in experiments - graphing

18. Types of Data Categorical (Qualitative) = not involving numbers
A. Nominal Data – categories do not exist in any particular order
Example: Classifying land-lab plants into families
B. Ordinal Data – categories in which order is important
Example: Reproductive status categories in deer:
Pre-reproductive (fawns)
Reproductive
Post-reproductive (too old)

19. Types of Data Numerical (Quantitative) = involving numbers
A. Discrete – only certain values are possible
Example: counting numbers, integers, population size
B. Continuous – any value within a range is possible
Example: Temperature, Height, etc…
Make sure you do quantifying ecology 1.1 correctly. Also answer the questions under figure 1.5 on p. 6

20. Types of Data - Graphing
Histogram (Bar Graph) – use when data are categorical
allow bars to touch when data are ordinal
bars should not touch when data are nominal

21. Types of Data - Graphing
Scatter Plot – use when data are completely numerical
connect the dots to show continuous changes over time (based on a math function or equation)
use best fit line or no line to show general trends or relationships (more common)
Be sure to complete Quantifying Ecology 1.2 on pp. 8-9

22. Types of Experiments Lab Experiments Field Experiments
Much easier to control all potential variables
Uses less space
Results may not be true to the way nature actually works
More difficult to control all potential variables
Requires more space
Results are much more true to the way nature really works