- logy—logos; study of

- eco— oikos=house

- the scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environments (Haeckel)

- NOT activism

- Key concept:

  • ecological systems vary over space and time
  • Solar energy input and topography shape the Earth's physical environments (Climate)

- Scales of Ecological Organization

  • Organism—survival and reproduction
  • Population—groups of individuals of the same species interacting
  • Community—Interactions among populations of different species
  • Ecosystem—communities plus their abiotic environment
  • Biosphere—all organisms and environments of the planet

- What determines the environment where organisms live?

- Variations in Solar energy drive patterns of weather and climate

- Climate

  • long term trends in temperature, wind, precipitation based on averages and variation measured over decades
  • Determines where organisms live
  • resource availability
  • rate of pop. growth
  • key to understanding all ecological phenomenon

- Weather

  • temperature, wind, humidity and precipitation at a particular time and place (short term)

- Earth's energy budget

  • energy in-solar radiation
  • incoming radiation-mostly short wave-visible
  • 31% reflected by clouds/surface
  • 20% absorbed by atmosphere
  • 49% absorbed by earth
• Transpiration-water loss from plants
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