Introduction to Ecology
INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY
I. Definition - Greek words: oikos = family household logy = study of by Ernst Haeckel in 1866
- 1866 Ernst Haeckel: the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment
- 1927 Charles Elton: scientific natural history
- 1963 E. P. Odum: the study of the structure and function of nature
- 1972 C. J. Krebs: the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms
To summarize:
- Scientific study between organisms and their environment
- Study of economics of nature
Characteristics:
1. Multidisciplinary
2. Integrated
3. Dynamic
4. Use scientific methods
II. Branches
Chemical, Molecular, Physiological, Behavioral, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Landscape, Evolutionary, Theoretical, Conservation and Management, Biodiversity
III. Ecology vs. Environmental Science
Environmental science
- study of man and the environment
- focuses on the effect of the activities of man to the environment
- anthropogenic/ man made phenomenon
- based on principles of ecology
IV. Applications
1. to understand responses of organisms
2. to make models for predictions
3. to address environmental issues
5 KINGDOM SYSTEM
Levels of organization:
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Latin – used in naming organisms because it is a dead language
- genus and species are taken = scientific name
5 Kingdoms:
I. Monera = bacteria
- Among the first forms of life over 3.5 billion years ago
- Cyanobacteria contributed to formation of our oxygen atmosphere by photosynthesis.
- Include eubacteria and archaebacteria
- Most abundant/diverse kingdom
- Prokaryotic organisms: ONLY KINGDOM lacking an organized nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
Eubacteria (“True bacteria”) have 3 methods of energy acquisition:
a. Chemosynthetic bacteria : autotrophic, obtain energy from oxidation of inorganic compounds (ammonia, sulfur)
I. Definition - Greek words: oikos = family household logy = study of by Ernst Haeckel in 1866
- 1866 Ernst Haeckel: the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment
- 1927 Charles Elton: scientific natural history
- 1963 E. P. Odum: the study of the structure and function of nature
- 1972 C. J. Krebs: the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms
To summarize:
- Scientific study between organisms and their environment
- Study of economics of nature
Characteristics:
1. Multidisciplinary
2. Integrated
3. Dynamic
4. Use scientific methods
II. Branches
Chemical, Molecular, Physiological, Behavioral, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Landscape, Evolutionary, Theoretical, Conservation and Management, Biodiversity
III. Ecology vs. Environmental Science
Environmental science
- study of man and the environment
- focuses on the effect of the activities of man to the environment
- anthropogenic/ man made phenomenon
- based on principles of ecology
IV. Applications
1. to understand responses of organisms
2. to make models for predictions
3. to address environmental issues
5 KINGDOM SYSTEM
Levels of organization:
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Latin – used in naming organisms because it is a dead language
- genus and species are taken = scientific name
5 Kingdoms:
I. Monera = bacteria
- Among the first forms of life over 3.5 billion years ago
- Cyanobacteria contributed to formation of our oxygen atmosphere by photosynthesis.
- Include eubacteria and archaebacteria
- Most abundant/diverse kingdom
- Prokaryotic organisms: ONLY KINGDOM lacking an organized nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
Eubacteria (“True bacteria”) have 3 methods of energy acquisition:
a. Chemosynthetic bacteria : autotrophic, obtain energy from oxidation of inorganic compounds (ammonia, sulfur)