Some Fundamental Understandings Ecology is that branch of biology which studies the significant, simultaneous interaction of two or more complex living systems and the non-living environment, in other words, it is the study of the interrelationships of plants and animals to their environment, both living and nonliving.
Most science tends to be Reductionist whereby smaller and smaller units or entities are observed, analyzed, and correlated to existing knowledge. Ecology tends to be Holistic - i.e. it surveys the big picture and deals with the more difficult aspects of simultaneous interactions among and between living and nonliving components.
http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/rbehl/earthsys.jpg
ECOLOGY'S FIRST LAW
"Everything is connected to everything else."Some basic definitions:
POPULATION - a group of individuals, usually of the same species, inhabiting (or inhibiting) a given area; usually a time frame reference is included.
COMMUNITY - localized associations of several populations of different species; again a specific time frame reference is often included.
ECOSYSTEM - the living community and the non-living environment functioning together as a living system; varying sizes from a puddle to a forest or biome.
All are units of the BIOSPHERE - the portion on, above and below the surface of the planet which supports life. It is sometimes called the ECOSPHERE because of all the interactions occurring between the different segments.
