What is Ecology? Flashcards
What is ecology?
a science studying the interactions between organisms and the environment
What are the components of environment?
2 components: biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living)
Order the 4 hierarchical levels of ecology from largest to smallest
ecosystem > community > population > organism
What is organismal ecology?
how individual organisms meet the challenges of the environment
What is an example of organismal ecology?
marine organisms optimizing their salt update and water loss
What is a population?
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area
What is population ecology?
factors that affect population size and distribution
What is an example of population ecology?
over-harvesting, captive breeding programs, etc.
What is a community?
group of populations of different species living in the same area
What is community ecology?
studies the interactions between species
What are the 3 big interactions between species?
predation, competition, mutualism
What is an ecosystem?
a biological community and its interactions with the abiotic world
What is ecosystem ecology?
energy flow and nutrient cycling
What is an example of ecosystem ecology?
the carbon cycle (nutrient cycling) and the trophic pyramid (energy flow)
What are the 2 approaches to science?
reductionism and holism
What is reductionism?
seeking answers lower in the hierarchy, focusing more on the physical and literal
What are the negative connotations of reductionism?
the reductionist approach can be seen as too narrow outside of science (ex. only using drugs to stop an illness)
What is holism?
seeking answers at the same or higher level, focusing more on the possible and psychological (in applicable cases)
What are the negative connotations of holism?
the holistic approach can be seen as touchy/feely and not super intelligent outside of science
What is ecosystem thinking?
thinking about the whole and connections
(thinking about reductionism, holism, and connections at the same time)
What is Holism or Systems thinking?
study of the connections between parts
What are some characteristics of Holism or Systems thinking?
aware of unintended consequences (ex. using DBT to kill bugs, but the chemical also kills birds unintentionally)
search for emergent properties → invisible to the reductionist
(looking for more than just the sum of the parts)
What are emergent properties?
properties that are not evident in the individual components of a system, but show up when combining those components, so they might also be called surprises
What are the emergent properties of human beings?
personality, aptitudes, agility, etc.
