Review Questions
- What are three ways of sub-dividing the study of ecology? Give an example of each.
- Name four types of research studies or methods that ecologists use.
- Laboratory studies are valuable for studying ecological principles in that certain factors
can be isolated and manipulated in a laboratory setting. Give an example of how the
effect of an abiotic factor could be evaluated in the laboratory and the response of an
organism measured. - A question that an ecologist could ask at the population level is “What factors control
zebra populations?” Think of two examples in which another species might influence
the zebra population.
Further Reading / Supplemental Links
- Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition. Random House, New York, 1998.
- http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/index.cfm
- http://www.eco-pros.com/ecologykids.htm
- http://www.kidsolr.com/science/page12.html
- http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids
- http://www.southplainfield.lib.nj.us/homeworklinks/Ecology.htm
- http://www.surfnetkids.com/ecology.htm;
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
Vocabulary
abiotic Physical (nonliving) properties of an organism’s environment, such as sunlight,
climate, soil, water and air.
biome A homogeneous ecological formation that exists over a large region.
biosphere The portion of the planet occupied by living organisms.
biotic Biological (living) properties of an organism’s environment, which are other living
organisms which share its habitat.
community Populations of different species that occupy the same area and interact with
one another.
ecology The scientific study of how living organisms interact with each other and with
their environment.