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File: Ecology Pdf 160582 | Block 2
environmental sustainability block 2 fundamentals of ecology 89 fundamentals of ecology block 2 fundamentals of ecology ecology is the study of the environment in which an organism lives ecology is ...

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                                                   Environmental Sustainability
                            BLOCK 2
              FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY
                                                              89
         Fundamentals of Ecology        BLOCK 2 FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY
                                        Ecology is the study of the environment in which an organism lives. Ecology is
                                        the study of the interactions of organisms with their surrounding environment.
                                        Every living species whether plant, animal or microbe along with their physical
                                        and chemical environment could be part of ecological studies. The study of
                                        ecology is of quite significance which can help in better understanding of
                                        consequences of human interventions at various levels and can also suggest
                                        suitable solutions for the unsustainable changes occurring in nature. The study
                                        of ecology includes levels of organization in ecology, environmental factors and
                                        different types of biotic relationships. Ecology is studied at various levels of
                                        organization from species level to biome. The population is studied as a collective
                                        group of organisms of the same species which occupy a particular space at a
                                        particular time. The population parameters include density, natality, mortality,
                                        age distribution, biotic potential, dispersion, and growth form. As regards the
                                        community organisation, a group of populations of different species interact in a
                                        given area. Various interspecific and intraspecific interactions occur among
                                        organisms. The world’s major communities, called biomes are classified according
                                        to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to
                                        that particular environment.
                                        Unit 5 “Ecology” discusses the concepts in ecology, its scope, levels of
                                        organization in ecology, environmental factors and different types of biotic
                                        relationships.
                                        Unit 6 “Population Parameters and Regulation” discusses the parameters of
                                        population estimation, demographic techniques, various approaches employed
                                        for population regulation and evolutionary implications of natural regulation.
                                        Unit 7 “Community Organisation and Interaction among Organisms” deals with
                                        the processes that affect community organisation and also various interspecific
                                        and intraspecific interactions among organisms.
                                        Unit 8 “Ecological Succession and Climax” discusses the causes of succession,
                                        types of succession, processes of succession and the ecological adaptation in
                                        hydrophytes, mesophytes, halophytes and animals.
                                        Unit 9 “Major Biomes of the World” delves on the major biomes of the world and
                                        characteristic features of the aquatic and terrestrial biomes.
                                        We hope that after studying this block, you will acquire an understanding of the
                                        concept and scope of ecology, biotic relationships, population parameters and
                                        community organization.
                                        Wishing you success in this endeavour!
         90
          UNIT 5           ECOLOGY                                                                           Ecology
          Structure
          5.1   Introduction
          5.2   Objectives
          5.3   Basic Concepts in Ecology
          5.4   Scope of Ecology
          5.5   Levels of Organization in Ecology
          5.6   Applied Ecology
          5.7   Environmental Factors
                5.7.1  Climatic Factors
                5.7.2  Topographic Factors
                5.7.3  Edaphic Factors
                5.7.4  Biotic Factors
          5.8   Biotic Relationships
          5.9   Let Us Sum Up
          5.10 Key Words
          5.11 Suggested Further Reading/References
          5.12 Answers to Check Your Progress
          5.1      INTRODUCTION
          Ecology word has its origin in two Greek words; ‘Oikos’= house and ‘Logos’= to
          study. Ecology is the study of environment in which an organism lives. Reiter (1868)
          has coined the term for the first time. Haeckel (1886) first used the word ‘Ecology’
          and defined its meaning as relations of organisms to their surrounding outer world and
          to organic and inorganic conditions of existence which now could be called as biotic
          and abiotic factors to which organisms interact with. Among so many definitions of
          ecology available, the most common could be considered is the study of interactions of
          organisms with their surrounding environment. Every living species whether plant, animal
          or microbe along with their physical and chemical environment could be part of
          ecological studies.
          Humans are affecting environment in myriad ways. In this regard, study of ecology is of
          quite significance which can help in better understanding of consequences of human
          interventions at various levels and can also suggest suitable solutions for the unsustainable
          changes occurring in the nature. In this unit, we would be discussing the concepts in
          ecology, its scope, levels of organization in ecology, environmental factors and different
          types of biotic relationships.
          5.2      OBJECTIVES
          After studying this unit, you should be able to:
          •    explain the basic concepts of ecology;
          •    describe the various levels of organization in ecology;
          •    explain different environmental factors; and
                                                                                                                 91
         Fundamentals of Ecology        •    describe different types of biotic relationships.
                                        5.3       BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY
                                        According to Misra (1991), there are four basic concepts in ecology. These are
                                        explained briefly:
                                        1.   Holism: This term was coined by J.C. Smuts in 1926 in the book ‘Holism
                                             and Evolution’. W. Ophuls (1974) suggested that Holism is the base of
                                             Ecology. The various units of ecology from lower to higher levels are as
                                             follows: individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere.
                                             Holism suggests that each unit is built as a whole by interactions of lower-
                                             level wholes into higher level wholes.
                                        2.   Ecosystem: This term was coined by A.G. Tansley (1935). Ecosystem forms
                                             the structural and functional unit of nature where both biotic and abiotic
                                             components interact and work in a complex.
                                        3.   Succession: It is a long-term process where an ecosystem is converted into
                                             a higher biomass rich and trophically diverse stable ecosystem. This occurs
                                             due to change in environment which influences development of organisms
                                             and in turn, organisms also affect the environment by their activities. Due to
                                             this dynamism in both environment and organisms, process of succession
                                             starts and keeps going on till a stable community is developed. The final
                                             stabilized stage is known as climax.
                                        4.   Conservation: It is the necessity for living in a sustainable manner. Various
                                             factors of ecosystem interact with each other and regulate themselves in
                                             order to keep the ecosystem healthy for long. Due to degrading environment,
                                             pollution, climate change and some other problems, conservation strategies
                                             are required for their effective solution and maintenance of a healthy planet.
                                        5.4       SCOPE OF ECOLOGY
                                        Ecology is a multi-disciplinary science focusing on diverse spatial and temporal
                                        scales. Study of ecology could be done at various levels starting from nucleic
                                        acids and proteins in biochemistry and molecular biology, cells in cellular biology,
                                        organisms in botany, zoology, microbiology with details in morphology,
                                        physiology, taxonomy, genetics, evolution, developmental biology, toxicology,
                                        etc. and other sub-division levels such as phycology, mycology, bacteriology,
                                        virology, ornithology, etc. Ecology could also be studied at the level of population,
                                        community and ecosystem. Human ecology itself is a vast field of investigation
                                        and so is “Biome Ecology”.
                                        Ecology not only involves biotic components but also the abiotic components
                                        such as various environmental factors, thus study of geography, geology,
                                        meteorology, pedology. geochemistry and paleoscience are also under scope of ecology.
                                        Study of an organism with respect to its environment such as changes in behavior or
                                        changes at genetic level are part of ecology. An ecologist must also have knowledge
                                        about mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry and computational biology. Further,
                                        applied ecology is studied along with theoretical ecology to solve various
                                        environmental problems of an area. Thus, Ecology is rightly considered as a
                                        “Holistic Science”.
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...Environmental sustainability block fundamentals of ecology is the study environment in which an organism lives interactions organisms with their surrounding every living species whether plant animal or microbe along physical and chemical could be part ecological studies quite significance can help better understanding consequences human interventions at various levels also suggest suitable solutions for unsustainable changes occurring nature includes organization factors different types biotic relationships studied from level to biome population as a collective group same occupy particular space time parameters include density natality mortality age distribution potential dispersion growth form regards community organisation populations interact given area interspecific intraspecific occur among world s major communities called biomes are classified according predominant vegetation characterized by adaptations that unit discusses concepts its scope regulation estimation demographic tec...

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