BSC 201- Midterm Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam ( 33 pages long!)
Document Summary
Ecology: science of how organisms interact with their living (biological, biotic) and non- living (phys. /chem. , abiotic environment, the study where organisms occur (distribution), how many, (abundance), how they change (dynamics) and what (interactions) determine these distributions, abundances. Multiple perspectives (ecology can be studied from different perspectives: evolutionary: investigating adaptive aspects of ecological phenomena, distribution, abundance, dynamics: investigating the contemporary processes by which these are determined. Usually concerns individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems: these levels are hierarchical and interlinked, eco. Also is interlinked with the levels below (molecules, cells, tissues) which are affected by and effect ecology: individuals: organisms. Behavior, physiology, morphology, adaptive evolution: populations (groups of individuals of 1 species) # of individuals, sex ratio, dynamics, birth rates, death rates: communities: species that interact. Competition, predation, mutualism and their feats on diversity of organisms: ecosystems: community + abiotic environment. Ecology does not = environmental issues: ecology is a base science, environment science: impact of humans on environment.
