Essay On Principles Of Ecology

Essay On Principles Of Ecology.

Ecology is closely related to environmental studies. There are plenty of diversity even within the discipline. From statistical ecologists, marine ecologists, environmental ecologists, and many other subjects share or borrow terms with ecology. What is interesting is what differentiates them as their own paths of study. It is a matter of focus. Ecology is concerned with a number of factors that environmental studies does not. Ecologists put their focus on studying (general) a particular population within a particular area, and environmental studies is more concerned with the area. Further, this will be elaborated with more detail.

Putman and Wratten’s work does a good job of providing uniform, textbook definitions within the science of Ecology. According to them there are five basic things that an Ecologist concerns him/herself with. These are “1) explaining different life processes and understanding these lead to adaption to an environment. 2) Distribution of organism, 3) the movement of material and energy through living communities 4) the successional development of ecosystems and 5) the abundance and distribution of biodiversity.” (Putman, Wratten, 1984).

“The Environment” is a fluid concept. Broadly speaking it can mean a very large area. It could also be an area as small as beneath a stone. Generally geographical areas are differentiated through a set of “physicochemical characteristics such as soil composition, climate, and mineral deposit in the area. (Putman, Wratten 1984).

The “biosphere” is a way of viewing the earth as one single environment. Or it could be called the sum of all environments. It is not the entire earth, but the parts of the earth that are livable. This includes mountains with bacteria living beneath the snow and warm jets of underwater springs miles below the surface of the ocean where species have found their “niche” and managed to survive despite harsh conditions.

There are two factors to consider when talking about the environment: Abiotic and biotic. Abiotic are non living components to an environment and biotic is the opposite, the living organisms inhabiting a place. Much work is done on the study of macro and micro environments and their effect upon organisms living in them.