Introduction to Global Systems

Biosphere-includes all parts of life of Earth in which life exists.

​Ecology: Studying Our Living Planet

​The Science of Ecology

Ecology: Scientific study of interactions among organisms, populations, and communities and their interactions with their environment.​

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​Why Study Ecology?

• When human populations were small, humans only had a local effect on the environment.

• ​As human populations have grown, our impact has increased

• Humans depend on healthy ecological systems

• Understanding ecology can help design sustainable human economies​

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​Levels of Ecological Organization

• Species: a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

• Population: group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area

• Community: assemblage different populations that live together in a defined area.​

• Ecosystem: all the organisms that live in a place, together with their nonliving environment​

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​Gathering Ecological Data

Generally there are 3 approaches

1. Observation

2. Experimentation

3. Modeling​

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​Observation

Examples:

• Identifying the number of species in a community

• Seeing the effect of the introduction of a species into a new area

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​Experimentation

Experimentation on natural systems often is difficult.

Why?

• Some variables cannot be controlled- such as weather

• Artificial environments can be used to control variables​

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Modeling

• Many ecological processes occur over long periods of time

• Ecologists make models to help understand phenomena

  • Ex. Impact of hurricanes on ecosystems

    • Use mathematical equations based on data from previous occurrences or experiments to make predictions

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​Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Biotic factors: any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact

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Abiotic factors: any nonliving part of the environment​