Chapter 1
Heirchary
Biosphere- global process connecting vast continents and all of it innards
Ecosystem- “energy flux” and cycling of nutrients. Cycle of energy in an area
Community: interactions amongst species of animals in local area
Population: group of specific animas in that local area
Organism: the singular animal or thing, which interacts with land (ex. Pooping)
Approaches to studying nature
1.Organism approach:
-Emphasizes the individual organisms form, physiology & behavior. Looks at what
animals do themselves
-Look at adaptations of organisms
2. Population approach:
- Concerned with variation in the number of individuals, the sex ratio, size of age
classes and genetic makeup of pop through time
3. Community approach:
- Concerned with understanding the diversity of organisms living in one space, their
interactions and relationships
4. Ecosystem approach:
-Describes organisms and their activities in terms of amounts of energy and
chemical elements essential to life aka O2
5. Biosphere approach:
- Describe movement of air and water and the energy over the surface of the earth,
which affects the organisms in the different parts of the world.
Roles in ecological system
- Organisms within soil, water and sediment perform most energy
transformation in biosphere.
Protists
- Single celled ancestors of most complex life forms
- Singled celled eukaryotic (algae)