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Running head: ECOLOGY

Ecology
Chapter Summary

Sharmori Richardson
The International College of the Cayman Islands

BI 104
Instructor: Melody Protacio

Running head: ECOLOGY

Ecology is defined as the study of how organisms interact with each other and with their
environment (Simon, 2014). The terms answers question like why do polar bears live in this
environment. Although ecology focuses on the interaction in the environment, it is not
environmentalism. The difference between Environmentalism and Ecology is that
environmentalism is a broad philosophy and social movement that seeks to maintain
environmental quality and ecology provides the basis for understanding environmental problems.
Ecology can be studied at many levels. The levels of ecology are Organismal ecology,
Population ecology, community ecology, ecosystems ecology and global ecology (Simon,
2014). The biosphere includes both biotic and abiotic factors. Examples of abiotic factors include
wind, water availability, temperature and fire. The energy flow through the ecosystem is
transferred through four tropic levels. In order, the four levels are producers, Primary
consumers, Secondary consumers and tertiary consumers (Simon, 2014). As energy is passed
from one tropic to the next, most of the energy is lost. One word that describes the transfer of
organic material from on tropic level to the next is the food chain and food webs.
Elements move from abiotic reservoirs such as rocks and oceans, to biotic components of
ecosystem (producers, consumers, and decomposers) in a biogeochemical cycle. Types of
biogeochemical cycles can include the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. The global water
cycle connects ecosystems by its procedures, which are precipitation (the transfer of waters from
the atmosphere to the land, evaporation and transpiration (Simon, 2014).
A biome is a type of ecological community that occupies a particular zone (Simon,
2014). A biome is characterized by differences in temperature, rainfall, and the prevalence of
wildfires. The Earths

Running head: ECOLOGY

surface can be separated into series of biomes. The different types of biomes are: aquatic
biomes, terrestrial biomes, freshwater biomes, marine biomes and intermediate aquatic biomes
(Simon, 2014).
In a community species interact with members as they compete for food, water, sunlight,
or living space (Simon, 2014). Types of interactions can include competition, mutualism,
predation, herbivory, parasites and pathogens (Simon, 2014). The different types of successions
are: primary succession and secondary succession. An example of primary succession can be
places that have seasonal floods will depend on the disaster to create new soil and nutrients for
the soil in order for plants to grow. An example of secondary succession can be a wild fire in the
forest. This will burn dead crops, which can bring nutrients for new plants to grow. Without these
occurrences the environment will struggle.
Biodiversity is a general term for the variety of living things on Earth. This includes
genetic diversity which refers to the collection of genes within a population; species diversity,
which refers to the number of different species including species that are extinct; and ecological
diversity, which refers to the variety of ecosystems found on Earth. The causes of biodiversity
loss can include habitat destruction, Invasive species, Over harvesting, pollution and global
climate change.
Ecologists have developed idealized models to help us better understand changes in
population size. The two models to understanding population size are the exponential growth
model and the logistic growth model (Simon, 2014). Although humans are made for the earth,
they are the main cause of the ecological problems. Some of the impacts we do to impact the
environment are forest destruction and freshwater shortages. Although these are harmful effects

Running head: ECOLOGY

to the environment, humans can work together to solve the ecological problems. Humans can use
conservation biology to reverse the loss of biodiversity and they can use restoration ecology to
help repair degraded areas. Organisms adapt to their environment through physiological
responses, anatomical responses and behavioural response (Simon, 2014).

Running head: ECOLOGY

REFERENCES
Simon, E. J. (2014). Biology: The Core (1st Edition ed.). New Hamphshire: Pearson Education.