variability among living organisms from all sources, including diversity within species
biodiversity
Why conserve biodiversity?
- provisioning services (food, medicine, fibre, bioenergy)
- regulating services (water filtration, climate regulation, crop pollination)
- supporting services (nutrient cycling, photosynthesis, soil formation)
- cultural services (enriching, recreational, spiritual)
scientific study of interaction between organisms and their environment; branch of biology
ecology
incorporates natural science (including ecology) and social sciences, solutions
environmental science
Ecology (2 Points)
- “Balance of nature” natural systems are stable; return to state after disturbance
- Each species has distinct role in maintaining that balance
Events in nature are ______
interconnected
Most species interact indirectly through _______
resources
_____ moves thru ecosystems in a single direction; can’t be recycled
_____ are continuously being recycled from physical environment to organisms and back again
ENERGY moves thru ecosystems in a single direction; can’t be recycled
NUTRIENTS are continuously being recycled from physical environment to organisms and back again
study interactions across many levels of organization
i.e. individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems
ecologists
Levels of Biological Organization
______ –> ______ –> ______ –> ______
molecule (DNA) to cell (neuron) to tissue to organ system
Ecology is a science where ______ is important!
Ecology is a science where SCALE is important!
Two Types of Scale:
Space –> SPATIAL SCALE
- small spatial scale: soil microorganisms 1 m squared
- large spatial scale: atmospheric pollutants 100 km squared
Time –> TEMPORAL SCALE
- short temporal scale: leaf response to sunlight 10 sec
- long temporal scale: how species change over geologic time 100 000 years
