Exploring Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science

Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science - Biology: The study of living things - Ecology: The branch of biology that involves the study of organisms regarding them Relationship to one another and their environment - Environmental Science: The study of the impact that humans have on the ecosystem and The political, economic, and other factors that influence the effect people have on the earth What is Studied in Ecology? - Different ecosystems are studied to understand the relationships between organism within Specific habitats - The distribution and abundance of organisms - Interactions between living things and the environment - Ecologists focus on the relationships between the living things and the nonliving things Levels of Organization - Species – a group of individuals that share certain characteristics - All species are grouped into genera which are then grouped into families, orders, classes, Phyla, kingdoms, and domains - Species have common names that we typically use but each will also have an official Latin Name - All members of a species can interbreed and produce fertile offspring - New species arise due to evolution - When scientists observe new species or realize a new species has arisen then they will create A new name for them

Communities have predictable vegetation - Vegetation defines the habitat which will influence the species that live in that environment Environmental factors affect organisms - Limiting factor: Any factor that limits growth - It may be a problem of too much or too little - Law of limiting factors: Any factor outside the optimal range will - Cause stress and limit growth, reproduction, and survival of a population - Synergistic effects: Factors that interact to cause a greater effect than expected - Pollution may increase vulnerability to disease Habitat vs. Niche - Habitat: Place where a species is adapted to live - It is defined by the plant community and physical environment - Ecological niche: The sum of all condition and resources under which a species can live - What the animals eats, where it feeds and lives, how it responds to abiotic factors - Species coexist in a habitat - But have separate niches - Reducing competition by using different resources Producers make organic molecules - Producers: Convert low-potential-energy raw materials - To high-potential-energy organic molecules - Chlorophyll in plants absorbs kinetic light energy - Which powers the production of organic molecules

- Green plants use the process of photosynthesis to turn carbon dioxide, water, and light Energy into - Sugar - Oxygen is released as a by-product