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1
Q

what is ecology

A

the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

2
Q

environment

A

all factors outside the organisms that influence it

3
Q

environmental factors

A

abiotic (physical and chemical)

biotic (other organisms)

4
Q

goal of ecology

A

how do abiotic and biotic factors influence the distribution and abundance of organisms?
-where are the organisms found?
-how many organisms are there?
-what do the organisms do?
Want to explain/understand the ecological processes - most interested in the processes of birth, death and migration

5
Q

2 explanations

A
  • proximal

- ultimate

6
Q

proximal

A

patterns explained by the present environment

-how did the weather this summer influence plant growth in the region?

7
Q

ultimate

A

patterns explained by the past environment

-how has the climate over the past 1000 years influenced the plant species present in the region?

8
Q

ecology is a science

iterative process

A
  1. observation/discovery
  2. question
  3. hypothesis
  4. test hypothesis
  5. conclusion
  6. communicate results
9
Q

observation/discovery

A

discover patterns and interconnections through observation

10
Q

question

A

question the pattern and interconnections that are observed
what, why, how

11
Q

what

A

questions that describe patterns or relationship

12
Q

how

A

questions whether there are causes of these patterns and relationships
-proximal

13
Q

why

A

questions why a system functions the way it does; examines the evolutionary basis of the pattern and relationships (ultimate)

14
Q

hypothesis

A

develop possible answers/explanations to questions and express ideas about how a system works

  • a prediction that can be tested
  • declarative sentence
  • reject or not reject (never accept)
15
Q

null hypothesis

A

no change or relationship Ho

16
Q

alternate hypothesis

A

prediction of change or relationship Ha

17
Q

test hypothesis

A

evaluate hypothesis to determine if it can be rejected

  1. sampling/observational
  2. experimental studies
  3. mathematical modeling
18
Q

sampling/observational testing

A

-descriptive studies
-collect some measurable features of the natural world
features = variables
-natural experiment = unmanipulated
problem : does not establish cause and effect

19
Q

experimental studies

A
  • natural processes are allowed to proceed under conditions that are controlled (or manipulated)
  • experimenter must fully understand the natural history of the organisms under study
20
Q

mathematical modeling

A

examine the fit of natural processes to mathematical relationships

  • high variation in nature
  • mathematical models are representations of nature
  • the importance of a model lies in its ability to accurately represent the essence of the relationship
  • models have heuristic value
21
Q

representations of nature

A

relationships may be generally but not exactly true

22
Q

heuristic value

A

-may reveal unexpected patterns or serve as a guide to new discoveries

23
Q

conclusion

A

draw inferences about ecological processes

  • high variation in nature = high uncertainty in results
  • statistics = study and analysis of quantitative data
  • rely on statistics to provide levels of certainty (or uncertainty)
  • without quantifying the level of uncertainty - results are meaningless
24
Q

ecology hierarchy

A
  1. individuals
  2. populations
  3. communities
25
Q

individuals

A

– interactions with their biotic and abiotic environment

  • evolutionary ecology
  • physiological ecology
  • behavioural ecology
26
Q

Evolutionary Ecology

A

individuals are the units of evolution

– Assumes: specializations imposed by evolutionary history

27
Q

Physiological Ecology

A

individual responses to abiotic environment

28
Q

Behavioural Ecology

A

individual responses to other individuals (biotic)

29
Q

Populations:

A

– abundance/distribution patterns of groups of organisms: processes of birth, death,
migration
– evolutionary change occurs at the population level
• Interactions of organisms of the same species
• Interactions of two populations of different species

30
Q

Communities:

A

– interactions of multiple populations of different species
• Structure and species interactions
- Ecosystem Ecology

31
Q

Ecosystem Ecology

A

energy, nutrient, chemical pathways

32
Q

Conservation Ecology

A

– blend of evolution, population, community and ecosystem ecology → apply to
conservation issues