Introduction to the Discipline of Ecology

Question 1

What is the definition of ecology?

Answer 1

-Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms (Charles J. Krebs)

Question 2

Why is it important to study ecology

Answer 2

-Maximize agriculture
-Eradicate pests
-Stop disease spread
-World population
-Climate change

Question 3

When did ecology come to prominence?

Answer 3

1960s

Question 4

Where can the origins of ecology be traced to?

Answer 4

Ancient Greece

Question 5

Who introduced the word ecology into English?

Answer 5

Ellen Swallow Richards (1842-1911)

Question 6

Who coined the concept of ecology of nature?

Answer 6

Carl Linnaeus (1707 - 1778)

Question 7

What occurred in the 1960s in relation to ecology?

Answer 7

-Rapidly increasing human population
-More awareness of pollution and environmental
-Increased interest in ecology
-Birth of environmentalism

Question 8

When was Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson?

Answer 8

1962

Question 9

Describe environmentalism

Answer 9

-Social and political movement
-Concerned with human impact on environment
-Seeks to minimise human impacts

Question 10

Describe ecology

Answer 10

-Scientific discipline
-Concerned with interactions between all living things and their environment
-Removed from ethical considerations

Question 11

What is the order of living things (etc. cells - tissues -organs)

Answer 11

-Individual organisms
-Populations
-Species
-Communities
-Ecosystems

Question 12

What happens with an increase of complexity?

Answer 12

A decrease of scientific understanding

Question 13

What are the principles of ecology?

Answer 13

-Factors that determine the distribution of organisms
-Questions of abundance
-Ecological communities
-Ecological energetics

Question 14

Describe factors that determine the distribution of organisms

Answer 14

Is the spread of exotic species

Question 15

Describe questions of abundance

Answer 15

Population growth
Regulation and limitation
Carrying capacity

Question 16

Describe ecological communities

Answer 16

Natural succession, keystone species, biodiversity

Question 17

Describe ecological energetics

Answer 17

How energy and nutrients move through ecosystems

Question 18

What is species distribution shaped by?

Answer 18

-Adaptation and natural selection
-Environmental and biotic change

Question 19

Why is it important to have understanding of factors that affect species distribution?

Answer 19

-Design of Marine Protected Areas
-Predicting species responses to climate change
-Managing invasive species

Question 20

Species could survive outside its current range but its absent because…

Answer 20

1. It can’t get there dispersal
2. It does not recognise it as suitable habitat (habitat selection)

Question 21

Species could not complete its lifecycle outside of its current range because of….

Answer 21

1. Interactions with other organisms
2. Impacts of physical and chemical factors (temperature, light moisture)

Question 22

How can factors that limit distribution by identified?

Answer 22

Oceanographic modelling
Ecological niche modelling
Transplant experiments

Question 23

What information does oceanographic modelling provide?

Answer 23

Simulates dispersal trajectories

Question 24

What information does ecological niche modelling provide?

Answer 24

Predicts suitable habitats

Question 25

What information does transplant experiments provide?

Answer 25

Provides empirical evidence of species ability to survive outside its current range

Question 26

What is the general principle of ecology?

Answer 26

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms

Question 27

What is the distribution of species determined by?

Answer 27

Biotic factors (species interactions)
Abiotic (environmental)

Question 28

What does ecological understanding aid?

Answer 28

Issues in conservation and resource management