Transcript Ecology

Ecology
What is Ecology?
• The study of the interaction of living things
with each other and with the non-living
factors in their environment/ecosystem.
An ecosystem is the set of relationships
between groups of living organisms as
well as between these groups and the
non-living components in a certain area.
Why Study Ecology?
• There is very little in the world that is not ecology:
Physiology
Genetics
Ecology
Behaviour/Psycho
logy
Evolution
• Ecology affects us and everything that is living and
non-living around us.
• It’s about relationships.
The Environment
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Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
where all living things
exist and interact
(ecosystems).
the non-living components.
Levels of Organization
Species
Population
Community
- an organism that
belongs to a group of
organisms with similar
characteristics that
can mate and produce
fertile offspring.
- all the members
of a species that
are living in the
same ecosystem
or habitat.
- a collection of all
the populations
that live in the
same ecosystem.
- all the organisms
in the ecosystem.
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M
Species example
Population example
Community example
Ecosystem example
Examples
• Can you think of an example of a:
– Species
– Population
– Community
– Ecosystem
So, where do we fit in?
• Since we are part of the biosphere, we also
interact with other species, populations, and
communities, and we are part of various
ecosystems in the biosphere.
Do we all fit?
• Good question…and it’s a question of what
makes a Sustainable Ecosystem.
Sustainable
Different Environmental Views
• Stewardship
• Ownership
• Frontier view
Stewardship View
• What is a steward?
• What do they do?
Quote from Fisheries and Oceans Canada:
“Environmental stewardship is an ethic that embodies cooperative
planning and management of environmental resources with
organizations, communities and others to actively engage in the
prevention of loss of habitat and facilitate its recovery in the
interest of long-term sustainability.”
• How can we put this concept into our own
words?
Ownership View
• What is ownership?
• Who owns the environment?
Adapted from the Nelson Science 10 textbook:
“Canadians do not own wild animals or plants just because they live
in that environment. We have no right to move them around or to
change an ecosystem whenever we feel like it, even if we believe it
is for the better good. If an ecosystem has been damaged it is best
if we leave it on its own; it will grow, move and evolve without input
from human influence.”
• How can we put this concept into our own
words?
Frontier View
• What is a frontier?
• Who is a frontier person?
Adapted from the Nelson Science 10 textbook:
“To feed ourselves and the hungry of the world, we must open up,
clear and claim wilderness areas for ranching and other forms of
agriculture. Anything that we need to do to an ecosystem to better
our communities is justified.”
• How can we put this concept into our own
words?
What’s your view?
• Think about what you’ve learned today.
• Think about your daily interactions within
your ecosystem.
• Consider your own experiences and opinions.
• Write a reflective paragraph:
– Identify the components of your own ecosystem;
– Identify what view you have;
– Back up your opinions.
– Be prepared to share your view next class.