Bio Section 3-1. What is Ecology

Ecosystem

A collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place. Abiotic and biotic.

Biome

A group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communites

Population

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.

Species

A group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and reproduce fertile offspring. Similar DNA and genetic makeup.

Community

Assembles of different populations that live together in an identified area. Only biotic things.

Why are many ecological phenomena difficult to study?

B/c they occur over long periods of time.

What does the biosphere contain?

The biosphere contains water, air, or atmosphere. Where life is found in the land, air, water.

What is the highest level of Organization that ecologists study

The entire biosphere itself.

What are the 3 basic approaches scientists use to control modern ecological research?

Observing, Experimenting and modeling.

What is ecology?

The Study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

Why do ecologists make models?

To gain insight to complex phenomenons.

Why might an ecologist set up an artificial environment in a lab?

To intimidate and manipulate conditions that organisms would encounter in the natural world.

Why do ecologists ask questions about events and organisms that range in complexity from an individual to the biosphere?

To understand relations in the biosphere.

True or false: An ecological model may consist of a mathematical formula?

True