Ecology
A Middle School Level Website
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What is Ecology?
Ecology is a branch of science. It draws from many of the older sciences, such as biology, chemistry,
physics, geology, meteorology, and genetics, to name a few. It investigates the relationships between
the living organisms found in an area and their environment.
The word ecology is derived (comes from) two parts: eco and logy. Eco comes from the Greek word
oikos, which means house. -logy originally comes from the Greek. In this usage it means "the study of"
or "the science of." Ecology, strictly speaking, means the study of OUR house, or all of nature around us.
physics, geology, meteorology, and genetics, to name a few. It investigates the relationships between
the living organisms found in an area and their environment.
The word ecology is derived (comes from) two parts: eco and logy. Eco comes from the Greek word
oikos, which means house. -logy originally comes from the Greek. In this usage it means "the study of"
or "the science of." Ecology, strictly speaking, means the study of OUR house, or all of nature around us.
What does it cover?
Ecology is the study of the relationship between organisms (living
things) and their environment (where they live). The area of the
Earth where we find life is referred to as the biosphere. Some
other terms that describe where we find life interacting with the
environment are biomes, ecosystems, and habitats.
Compared to the volume of Earth, the biosphere is a thin layer
capable of supporting life. This zone begins at the base of our
deepest ocean trenches and extends upward through the oceans
and into the atmosphere to around 15,000 feet(?).
Ecology is the study of life in this major zone, the biosphere.
Ecologists, scientist that study the ecology of particular
organisms in an area, generally study things from an ecosystem
or habitat approach. To consider understanding the complex
workings of a whole biome would be mind-boggling for most of
non-experts.
things) and their environment (where they live). The area of the
Earth where we find life is referred to as the biosphere. Some
other terms that describe where we find life interacting with the
environment are biomes, ecosystems, and habitats.
Compared to the volume of Earth, the biosphere is a thin layer
capable of supporting life. This zone begins at the base of our
deepest ocean trenches and extends upward through the oceans
and into the atmosphere to around 15,000 feet(?).
Ecology is the study of life in this major zone, the biosphere.
Ecologists, scientist that study the ecology of particular
organisms in an area, generally study things from an ecosystem
or habitat approach. To consider understanding the complex
workings of a whole biome would be mind-boggling for most of
non-experts.
View of Earth from Apollo 17. Credit: NASA
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Where to go from here:
[Note: I am taking the approach: from largest-to-smallest. I begin with the biosphere, move on to biomes,
then to ecosystems and habitat. It can be done just as easily from smallest-to-largest.]
Biosphere (next page)
then to ecosystems and habitat. It can be done just as easily from smallest-to-largest.]
Biosphere (next page)
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