Lec 2- subdisciplines

Question 1

disciplines in ecology

Answer 1

organized according to complexity level of ecological organization

Question 2

autoecology

Answer 2

• simplest
  how individual organism or species interact with its environment
• strong link b/w studies of individuals and populations
• encompasses research of physio and behavioral ecologists
• factors controlling high altitude pulmonary edema in humans at diff altitudes

Question 3

population ecology

Answer 3

• studies environment influences on population strucutre and dynamics
• processes: structure, growth, birth/death rates, immigration, emigration
  Population: group of single species individuals inhabiting a defined area
• hunting practices on survival rates of brown bear offspring

Question 4

community ecology

Answer 4

studies interaction effects of predation, parasitism, mutualism, and competition
- biotic factors
- diff populations of species
- some study evolutionary effects of interactions on species involved
- other study effects on diversity or provision of ecological services for species
- BioCon experiment in Minnesota

Question 5

ecosystem ecology

Answer 5

studies bio, chemical, physical processes and interactions that occur within location
- biotic and abiotic
- fxn of ecosystem
- goal is to understand controls exercised on nutrient cycling and energy flow through ecosystems
- wildfires affecting soil nutrient cycling in forests

Question 6

landscape ecology

Answer 6

studies exchanges of materials, energy, and organisms with other communities and ecosystems
- all natural communities and ecosystems are Open Systems subject various interactions and exchanges with other communities
- effects of roads on animals movement and plant dispersal
- fragmentation affects biodiversity and extinction

Question 7

macroecology

Answer 7

• studies regional ecology processes and patters
• new branch
• all landscapes are part of regions, subject to large-scale and long-term regional processes
• not global
• effects of global trade on biotic exchange among continents: invasive species

Question 8

global ecology

Answer 8

very top
- largest spatial scale and highest level of ecological organization
- biosphere represents portions of Earth that support life or total global ecosystem
- change in mean global temp and predictions about future trends: effects on global species extinction rates

Question 9

individual science

Answer 9

physiology

Question 10

population/community science

Answer 10

genetics

Question 11

ecosystem sciences

Answer 11

geology
atmospheric sciences

Question 12

biosphere sciences

Answer 12

physics
chem
math
geology
atmospheric sciences

Question 13

ecology sciences

Answer 13

all levels have stats, data sci, and comp sci

Question 14

temporal scales

Answer 14

either short or long timescales
short: competition, quick unfolding
long: destroyed forest, recover and regrowth

Question 15

spatial scales

Answer 15

local (macroscopic) scale- small
landscape scale: urbanization, human impact, less evident

Question 16

Method of Scientific inquiry

Answer 16

1. observation
2. question
3. hypothesis
4. prediction
5. test prediction
6. hypothesis supported or not
7. iteration time (alternative hypothesis

Question 17

null hypothesis

Answer 17

no pattern or difference for a certain observation

Question 18

alternative hypothesis

Answer 18

other factors
- not tested but considered if initially hypothesis is not supported

Question 19

characteristics of scientific hypothesis

Answer 19

• broad concept: specific phenomenon
• directionality: verb to express
• mechanism: what it is doing

Question 20

hypothesis

Answer 20

testable answer to a question about one or more observation (how or why)
- alternatives

Question 21

prediction

Answer 21

phenomenon that should be observable if hypothesis is true
if [hyp], then [pred]

Question 22

scientific method

Answer 22

inquiry takes time and effort
informs decisions in enviro management, policy-making, economy
increases accuracy and decreases biases