Lecture 10: Ecology Flashcards
What are the different scales of Biology?
- Physiology, Cell Biology, Microbiology
- Ecology
- Molecular Biology, Biochemistry
Ecological Questions:
What is ecology? What do ecologists do?
Who is where?
- Study the distribution of organisms or biodiversity
What are they doing?
- Study nutrient and energy cycling.
Ecology
Study of the interaction between organisms & their environment
Also the study of relationships between organisms
Fact that humans are organisms causes some confusion.
It includes abiotic factors like weather, climate, seasonality and geography.
Its complexity lends itself to statistics heavy analysis.
Ecological studies often favor holistic approaches rather than traditional reductionism.
Reductionism
Idea that a complex system is the sum of its parts.
Naive reductionism is the belief that reductionism leads to a complete understanding of a phenomenon.
Holism
Idea that a complex system should be seen as a whole and not a sum of its parts.
Naive holism is the belief that a qualitative and subjective assessment leads to a complete understanding of a phenomenon.
Popular!
Holism Example and Reductionist Rebuttal
The Yankees have the best players but don’t always have the best team.
Baseball team is more than the sum of its players.
Reductionists would say you didn’t study enough parts and try to measure things like morale and esprit decor.
Systems Theory
Interdisciplinary study of systems in general with a focus on the interrelatedness of all phenomena.
The goal of systems theory is to elucidate principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research.
Something that can not be reduced to its component parts is called a System.
Systems Biology
Study of interactions within biological systems using a more holistic approach.
Systems Ecology is an interdisciplinary ecology.
Nested Levels
From the smallest to the largest:
atoms, molecules, macromolecules, cells, tissue, organs, organ systems, organism, population, communities, ecosystems, biomes, biosphere
Population
Localized group of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offsprings
Community
All of the organisms that inhabit a particular area.
An assemblage of populations of different species that can interact.
Biome
One of the worlds major ecosystem types.
Terrestrial Biomes are classified by predominant vegetation and weather.
Aquatic Biomes are classified by physical environment.
Biosphere, How big is the Biosphere?
The entire portion of Earth that is inhabited by life.
The sum of all Biomes!
Microbes have been isolated at an elevation of 41km.
Microbes have been isolated from 11km deep in the ocean and 5km deep on land.
Population Ecology, Methods?
Study of populations in relation to their environment.
Concerned with the density, distribution, size and age structure of a population.
Methods: Counting organisms, Estimating the amount of organisms by counting evidence or organisms, Estimate life expectancy of individuals, Estimate reproductive rates, Study demographics of a population.
Population Density, Dispersion
Number of individuals per unit of area or volume.
Dispersion: pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of the population.
