2. Ecology: Sustainable Ecosytems
The study of the interactions of living organisms with each other and with the non-living components of 
their environment.
Abiotic Factors: non-living
e.g. sunlight, temperature, wind
Biotic Factors: living
e.g. interaction of plants and animals

3. Why study Ecology?
to understand the connections and what happens when things change.

4. What are the most important things for life on Earth?
1.    air     =     atmoshphere
2.    water =     hydrosphere           
3.    land    =    lithosphere
4.    sun            (energy)
(How much of each are available to us?)
                                            

6. ENVIRONMENT ABIOTIC BIOTIC "non-living" "living" Habitat niche (job)
individual
population
sun
rocks
community
water
ECOSYSTEM

7. Ecosystem:
a system of all the interacting biotic and abiotic parts of a certain place
examples:  
terrestrial (land)
forest
grassland
tundra
aquatic (water)
lake
river
swamp
3 min

9. Biodiversity: the number of different species in an ecosystem
more biodiversity = likely more sustainable / stable (less likely to be "harmed”)
example: 
Arctic - low biodiversity  
Rainforest - high biodiversity