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1: Introduction to Ecology

Last updated

Aug 1, 2023
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- 1.1: Biology and The Scientific Method

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Learning Objectives

Introduce the scope of ecology.
Review the nature of science and ecology's place as a branch of the natural sciences.
Define the key levels of ecological organization: population, community, and ecosystem.
Outline the history and expansion of ecology.

1.1: Biology and The Scientific Method
In simple terms, biology is the study of living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments. This is a very broad definition because the scope of biology is vast. Biologists may study anything from the microscopic or submicroscopic view of a cell to ecosystems and the whole living planet.
1.2: What is Ecology?
Ecologists study the interactions of organisms with their environment. A core goal of ecology is to understand the distribution and abundance of organisms in the environment. This requires integrating many scientific disciplines, such as biochemistry, physiology, evolution, biodiversity, molecular biology, geology, and climatology. Some ecological research also applies aspects of chemistry and physics, and it and it frequently uses mathematical models.
1.3: History of Ecology
1.4: Subdisciplines of Ecology
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1.5: An Overview of Essential Mathematics Used in Science
Mathematics and statistics are vital for science. They are especially important in ecology to make sense of the large quantities of variable data researchers collect. Ideally, ecologists could collect data from every individual in the population, but this is rarely possible. As a result, ecologists must use data collected from a representative sample of individuals to draw inferences about basic biological phenomena for a population. This is where mathematics and statistics joins the party.

Summary

Ecology is the study of living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments. This is a very broad definition because the scope of ecology is vast, from the interactions of bacteria and viruses in the human gut to the ebb and flow of carbon dioxide through all the plants of the world. While ecology is a relatively young scientific discipline, it grew rapidly and now contributes to many issues important to society, such as the management of wildlife, conservation of endangered species, and mitigation of the impacts of climate change.

Learning Objectives

Summary

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