The Study Of Interactions That Determine Distribution & Abundance

Question 1

What is ecology

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What can the study of ecology help us learn

Answer 2

How we can maximise agricultural yield.
How to eradicate pests
How to stop spread of disease.
How big will the world’s population get.
What will happen when the climate changes.

Question 3

What are species distribution shaped by

Answer 3

Adaptation and natural selection
Environmental and biotic change

Question 4

What is biogeography

Answer 4

Knowledge of the factors determining species distribution

Question 5

Knowledge of the factors determining species distribution can be applied to:

Answer 5

Design of marine protected areas
Predicting species response to climate change.
Manage invasive species

Question 6

What do transplant experiments show

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Why do ecologists use simulations, predictive modeling and transplant experiments

Answer 7

Ecologists use them to help identify the factors that limit distribution