The Science of Ecology

Introduction to Ecology

What is ecology?

-Greek Oikos = the home or household

-ology = study of

-The study of the distribution and abundance of organisms in relation to their environment

-Focus is on interactions

Hierarchical organisation of ecological systems

-Organism - a unique individual

-Population - group of potentially interbreeding individuals (i.e., species)

-Community - all populations within an ecosystem (i.e., multiple species)

-Ecosystem - community + physical environment

-Biosphere - ecosystems of the Earth

Galaxies

Solar system

Earth

Ecosystems

Communities

Populations

Organisms

Organs

Tissues

Cells

Molecules

Atoms

Scale

Ecosystem

ecology

Community ecology

Population ecologyBehavioral ecologyCELL

BIOLOGY

ECOLOGY

PHYSIOLOGY

BIOCHEMISTRY

Four ecological subdisciplines

• Behavioural Ecology• How does behaviour contribute to survivorship,

reproduction and population growth?

• Population Ecology• What controls the abundance of a species?• How do populations grow?• What are the controls on population growth rate?

• Community Ecology

• Interactions among organisms with and across environments

• Biodiversity on earth

• Preservation of species-rich areas

• Linkages between species richness and community and ecosystem function

• Ecosystem Ecology• Passage of energy and nutrients through communities• Effects of energy and nutrients on communities• Human alterations of global nutrient cycles

Ecology is an integrative/ interdisciplinary science

-Understanding of the biological (biotic) and physical (abiotic) sciences

-Closely tied to genetics and evolution

-Includes the role of humans in their environment (= global change)