Eco Chapter 1

scientific study of interactions between organisms and enviroment

study of inter. that determines the distribution and abundance

interdiscipline field incorporating natural science with social science

1. balance of nature: return tonormal after disturbance

2. each species has a distint role in maintaining balance

• natural systems may not return to normal after disturbance
• , plays a important role

• different species react different ways
• events in nature are interconnected

• 1.you can never do one thing
• 2.everything goes somewhere
• 3.no population can increase in size forever
• 4.no free lunch
• 5.evolution matters
• 6.time matters
• 7.space (location) matters
• 8.life would be impossible without species interaction

living

non living part of enviroment, rocks, wind temp

time and space determined in a study to collect observations

group of individuals of a single species that live in a particular area and interact with one another

an association of interacting population of different species in that same area

abiotic and biotic in same area

areas that vary substantially from one place to another, include multiple ecosystems

all living organisms on earth and the enviroment in which they live, highest level of biological organization

• change in genetic characteristics of population over time
• descent with modification

characteristics of organisms that improves its ability to survive or reproduce with in enviroment

individuals survive/reproduce at higher rate because of adaptations

• the amount of energy that producers capture by photosynthesis or other means minus amount lost as heat in cellular respiration
• change in NPP can have large effects on ecosystem fxn
• energy is eventually lost from ecosystem as heat
• nutrients are recycled from physical enviroment to organisms and back again- nutrient cycle

greater than or equal to 3 years

• 1.observe nature and ask question about observations
• 2.use previous knowledge or intuition to develope possible answer (hypothesis)
• 3.evaluate hypothesis by experiment (observation/model)
• 4.use results to pose new question or draw conclusion about natural world