L1- introduction to ecology

Question 1

what is ecology

Answer 1

Derived from the Greek word :

Oikos = household and

Logos = study that make the house habitable

Study of the environmental home = organisms and functional processes – patterns/ relationships between/ within organisms

Question 2

define ecology

Answer 2

the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms (1972)

Question 3

where do interactions occur

Answer 3

Between plants and animals

Between/within animals species

Between living organisms and environmental factors

Question 4

define distribution

Answer 4

geographical range/ location of organisms – tropical/ temperate/ polar regions, water or land

Question 5

define abundance

Answer 5

hierarchy of organizations and individual, a population, a community, an ecosystem or the entire biosphere

Question 6

define function

Answer 6

describes the response of organisms to physical conditions and resources available to them

Question 8

what are the hierarchical levels in ecology

Answer 8

individual
population
community
ecosystem
biosphere

Question 9

what is the history of ecology

Answer 9

1700 – Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
Premier microscopist who pioneered the study of food chains and population regulation

1945 – Frederic E. Clements
American plant ecologist, pioneered the biotic community concept

1991 – Geoge Evelyn Hutchinson
‘‘father of modern ecology’’
Contributed to diverse studies un lake ecology and worked with other scientists to bring a unified field of general ecology

Question 10

what does a condition do to a receiver

Answer 10

A condition places a demand on the receiver – criteria and constraints necessary for the fulfilment of such conditions

Question 11

what is a resource

Answer 11

A resource is a stock or supply of materials or other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order for them to function effectively

Question 12

what do conditions impact

Answer 12

Conditions affect the niche of organisms

Question 13

what are abiotic factors

Answer 13

pH

Temp

Salinity

Current velocity (m/s)

wind (m/s)

soil structure

Question 14

describe how pH impacts an ecosystem and the biodiversity present

Answer 14

Extremely low pH = acidophiles

e.g. picrophilus ashimae = species of archaea found in a fumarole in Japan – 0.03 pH

Extremely high pH = Alkaliphile

e.g. cyanonacterium Spirulina sp = found at Lake Chad, W Africa – pH 10 in alkaline lake

Question 15

explain how salinity affects biodiversity present (example)

Answer 15

40% salt conc = Lake Retha, Senegal

Halophiles e.g the green micro algae Dunaliella salina

Question 16

what resources are available for living organisms during its growth and development

Answer 16

carbon oxide, water, light, micro and macronutrients, food, space

Conditions: High, optimum and low (fitness vs survival)

Question 17

what are the Threats to biodiversity in ecological systems

Answer 17

Overexploitation – intensive agricultural practices

Rising human population/ urbanization

Habitat destruction

Pollution from industrial effluents

Each of these challenges present complex ecological questions e.g. human health

Question 18

Why do we need to conserve biodiversity

Answer 18

Slow down or reverse the loss of species and biodiversity

Explore conservation actions – individual or whole species

Classify the risks

Approaches to conservation in practice

Question 19

ecology is a interdisciplinary subject, what does this mean?

Answer 19

understand complex problems and to know how to apply different disciplines to solve them

Question 20

what methods/ approaches could we use to tackle threats to biodiversity

Answer 20

Observations/Scales
Temporal scales : Weeks to years;
Spatial scales: between small locations or large areas

Ecological evidence comes from a variety of sources and approaches

Experiments, in the laboratory and/or in the field

Mathematical models that capture some component of ecological interactions, function and structure

Interpretation

Stakeholders, Stewardship, Communication

Question 21

how does this course link with the UNSDGs

Answer 21

Conservation and maintenance of biodiversity patterns and dynamics

Sustainable protection of natural resources

Prevent exploitation and minimize human impact on environmnet