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Ecology: the biology of interaction. 4.01. Populations and their properties
Chapter 4. Population Ecology The concept «population» — one of the most important in biology. As often happens with key terms, it is used in various senses. To the definition of the concept «population» formal, concrete and theoretical approaches are possible. Formal...
Ecology: biology of interaction. 3.16. (supplement) Biomes and human culture
The features of the natural environment determine the characteristic relationships between it and human society, and therefore also the characteristic features of the society. Humans have evolved as a species with extremely plastic behavior, capable of occupying diverse ecological niches (i.e., being in various relationships with ...
Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 3.15. (supplement) Ecosystem Efficiency and Energy Subsidies
Ecosystems can be assisted by external energy inputs. To prevent weeds from choking wheat in a wheat field, humans invest additional energy. In primitive agriculture this energy can be muscular (for example, hand weeding), while in modern agriculture energy needs are mainly met through...
Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 3.14. (supplement) Flora, Fauna, and Consortia
When describing the living world of specific territories, the terms fauna, flora, and several related concepts are often used. Flora is the totality of plant species associated with a particular geographic area. The composition of flora is determined both by modern conditions and by geological...
Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 3.13. Ecological Pyramids
Charles Elton proposed a graphical way to express relationships among trophic levels that became almost a symbol of ecology as a science. This refers to ecological pyramids. When ecological pyramids are constructed, measures of the abundance of representatives of different trophic levels are shown as horizontal...
Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 3.12. Ecological Efficiencies
The simpler the task of energy transformation that organisms perform, the lower their losses. Thus, carnivorous animals solve a relatively simple task: they obtain energy from high-quality food that is relatively easy to process and from which they can build their own tissues...
Ecology: The Biology of Interactions. 3.11. Trophic Links and Levels
Autotrophs obtain biogenic elements and the necessary energy from the environment and create organic matter. The organic matter produced by autotrophs is consumed by some heterotrophs; those heterotrophs are consumed by others, and so on until the organic matter synthesized by autotrophs is almost completely decomposed. These re...
Ecology: the biology of interaction. 3.10. Nature and characteristics of communities
{"title":"","summary":"","body":"Naturally, the most vivid and interesting part of ecosystems are communities — the assemblages of their living components. Are communities clearly distinct separate objects? Occasionally — yes, more often — no. The debate is still unresolved. Communities can be characterized by a number of ..."}
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.09. Trends in Successions
In the typical case, during succession (for example in an artificial system—a microcosm—or during colonization of a new habitat in primary autotrophic succession), the following is observed: first, production and turnover rates grow rapidly...
Ecology: the biology of interaction. 3.08. Succession. Basic concepts
{"title":"","summary":"","body":"Succession is the sequential replacement of communities in a single habitat. It is a directed, community‑controlled process leading to a certain climax. Succession in biogeocenoses is a longer process than seasonal changes, but not as prolonged as ecological evolution..."}
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.07. Productivity of Different Biomes
Net primary production on land per year is 110–120 billion tons of dry organic matter, and in the ocean 50–60 billion tons. Roughly speaking, the ocean provides about one-third of the planet’s production while occupying about 70% of its surface...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.06. Ecosystem Production and Its Measurement
In 1964–1974, coordinated global data collection was conducted on ecosystem productivity and the factors influencing it within the UN International Biological Programme. These results remain valuable to this day...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.05. Ecological Balance
Our planet is inhabited by two groups of living beings, for each of which the resources are the wastes or products of the other group. We are talking about autotrophs as a whole (including phototrophs) and heterotrophs, which use their products...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.04. Classification of Biomes
A biome is a large type of biogeocoenosis characterized by a similar type of vegetation and occupying certain regions of the planet. Biomes are regulated by macroclimate and, first of all, by precipitation and temperature...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.03. Examples of Ecosystems
Examples of ecosystems include a pond and a meadow, a city and a field. Living organisms and their environment are inseparable both in a pond and in a meadow. Most organic matter is in soil or the solid phase. In water, microproducers dominate...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.02. Components of Ecosystems
Into what components can an ecosystem be divided? On one hand, we can use the same subdivisions as for a biogeocoenosis: biocoenosis (phytocoenosis + zoocoenosis + microbocoenosis) + geocoenosis (edaphotope + climatotope). On the other hand...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 3.01. Ecosystems and Biogeocoenoses
Chapter 3. Biogeocoenology and Community Ecology. Ecology studies different levels of biosystems, from the organismal (or even lower) to the biospheric. Yet the level most characteristic for the biological science of interactions is the ecosystem/community level...
Ecology: biology of interaction. 2.17. (supplement) Anthropogenic paradox
Studying the features of humanity's relationship with its environment, we take our existence as a given fact. Could it have been otherwise? Nevertheless, according to modern views, the existence of humanity, as well as life on Earth in general — the result of the combination of a whole range of …
Ecology: the biology of interaction. 2.16. (supplement) The search for life in the Solar System
Most contemporary efforts to search for life are based on the notion that extraterrestrial life will resemble terrestrial life. There is even a concept—“water‑carbon chauvinism”—the idea that alien life must have the same basis as Earth life. And if chem...
Ecology: the Biology of Interactions. 2.15. (Supplement) Venus, Earth, Mars
We can only rejoice that, situated between “frozen” Mars and “feverish” Venus, our native Earth provides quite suitable conditions for life.