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Chapter 3.1 What is Ecology?
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Interactions and Interdependence
Ecology – the scientific study of interactions between organisms and between organisms and their environment (surroundings). The largest level in ecology is the biosphere – the portions of the Earth where life exists, including land, water, and air (atmosphere).
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All organisms have interdependence on other organisms and the environment. There is not a single living creature that is not impacted by other organisms and the place where they live.
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Levels of Organization
Species – a group of similar organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring. Example – horses, a good example of NOT the same species is when you breed a horse and a donkey you get a sterile (nonfertile) mule. Therefore, a horse and donkey are not the same species. Levels of Organization
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Populations – groups or individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.
Example – a wolf pack
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Communities – Different population that live in the same area.
Example - All of the living organisms that live in a forest, so all of the plants, the animals, and bacteria in that forest.
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Ecosystem – all of the organisms that live in a particular area as well as the non-living, physical, environment. Example – the forest again but now take in all the rocks, weather, river (or water), fallen logs, and anything else that makes up the environment.
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Biome – a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.
Example – Marine biomes – all the salt water on Earth.
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Ecological Methods Ecologists use 3 basic approaches for studying ecology: Observing – watching what is take place and asking questions. Experimenting – to test hypotheses. Can be in a lab or in the natural world. Modeling – models help to look at processes that happen over long periods of time. They are based on observation, experiments, and mathematical formulas.
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