How does ecology help the environment

Water capture by a desert beetle. Nature , Pringle, R. Spatial pattern enhances ecosystem functioning in an African savanna. PLoS Biol 8 , e Riedman, M.

Schlesinger, W. An analysis of global change. In Biogeochemistry. New York: Academic Press, World Health Organization. Washington, DC: Island Press, To fully understand ecology, you must first be able to grasp the underlying concepts of evolution, genetics, and biodiversity. Articles in this room introduce you to these underlying concepts. Also included are articles on using molecular techniques to study ecology.

Physiological ecologists study how an organism's physiology meets the challenges posed by its environment. Articles in this room introduces you to these challenges that include how organisms maximally adapt to varying temperatures and are able to obtain the energy, nutrients and water that they need to live, grow, and reproduce.

Ecological communities are associations of species that co-occur in the same location and at the same time. Communities can cover large or small areas, and they can differ greatly in terms of the numbers and types of species found within them. Community ecology is a field that examines the effects of living and non-living features on the structure of a community.

Restoration ecology is the scientific study of repairing disturbed ecosystems through human intervention. Whereas conservation biology is often focused on assessing and preventing ongoing degradation, restoration ecology seeks to actively reverse such degradation. Articles in this room serve as resources for faculty interested in new ways to reach their students, or who want to learn more about teaching and learning. Ecosystem ecology is the study of questions about the living and nonliving components within the environment, how these factors interact with each other, and how both natural and human-induced changes affect how they function.

The biosphere is the ultimate determinant of where organisms can live, grow, and reproduce. The biosphere includes climate, which consists of long-term trends in temperature and precipitation and soils. A population is a group of individuals of a single species that live in a particular area and interact with one another. Many of the central issues in ecology concern questions about how and why the locations and abundances of populations change over time.

Global and regional ecology considers the application of the science of ecology to the management of natural resources. Articles in this room introduce these emerging fields. Animal behavior is a rapidly growing and advancing area of study. Articles in this room introduce you what we know about why animals behave the way they do. Citation: Malmstrom, C. Nature Education Knowledge 3 10 From tiny viruses and bacteria, unrecognized for millennia, to blue whales weighing tons, and fungi that spread for hundreds of hectares underground, the diversity and extent of life on Earth is dazzling.

In its life and reproduction, every organism is shaped by, and in turn shapes, its environment. Ecological scientists study organism-environment interactions across ecosystems of all sizes, ranging from microbial communities to the Earth as a whole.

Aa Aa Aa. The Web of Life. Scientists estimate that there are between five to fifty million species of organisms on Earth, of which less than two million have been officially named May Many organisms are small: including microbes that inhabit almost every crevice of the Earth; tiny worms that help build soils; and insects that spend their entire lives in tree tops. Alongside these small denizens coexist larger, flashier species that have drawn human attention throughout the ages: multicellular plants and fungi, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fellow mammals.

These species, as well as many smaller ones, are consumers that depend for sustenance on energetic biochemical compounds generated from light energy by photosynthesizing producer species, or from inorganic chemical reactions by chemosynthetic species. The diversity of producer species, on which all life depends, is immense, and ranges from cyanobacteria to towering trees in tropical and temperate rainforests.

Nutrients from terrestrial systems wash into lakes and oceans, where additional primary production by phytoplankton and algae helps support large communities of zooplankton, fish, sea mammals, and birds. Over time, nutrients are returned from the oceans to the land through the movements of organisms, atmospheric gaseous exchange, or slower geological processes, such as the uplift of ocean sediments Schlesinger Approaches to Ecology.

Figure 1: A flock of Ibis visits a flooded rice field in California. Years of ecological research have helped rice farmers adopt cropping strategies that simultaneously promote rice production and expand habitat for waterfowl. The Environment Shapes Organisms. Figure 4: Gibbon demonstrating the use of flexible forelimbs for swinging in trees. Organisms Shape the Environment.

References and Recommended Reading Beerling, D. Burger, W. Flowers: How They Changed the World. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, Cowen, R. History of Life. Gaston, K. Global patterns in biodiversity. May, R. How many species are there on Earth? Sea Otters. Article History Close. Fortunately, researchers have used ecological studies to advise on the effects land-conversion has on native species.

Mangroves play a number of ecological roles from fixing sediments to acting as nursery site for young fish. Mangrove forests are also a source of food, medicine and firewood for local populations.

Support our mission and help develop the next generation of ecologists by donating to the British Ecological Society. We use cookies to make our website work properly and get anonymous information about how the site is used. Diversity and the BES What is ecology? What is ecology? Like what we stand for? Share this on.

Natural resources are living and nonliving materials in the environment that are used by humans. There are two types: renewable wildlife, fish, timber, water and nonrenewable fossil fuels and minerals. A group of seals lay atop a rock. If you are interested in learning more about ecology, or would like to know what you can do to become involved, a number of resources are at your disposal.

Public and university libraries offer articles, journals, and books on a range of ecological research. Many environmental organizations have developed educational materials that focus on species and ecosystems, and offer tips on becoming involved in community activities that relate to the environment. Finally, professional ecological organizations can connect you with scientific experts in all types of ecological study, from those that specialize in wetland ecology, to those that focus on endangered species, to those whose work emphasizes city environments.

This series of reports providing key scientific information on current environmental issues is published by the Ecological Society of America with support from the Pew Foundation and from the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities. Skip to main content. Home About What Is Ecology? What Is Ecology? What does ecology have to do with me? Who are Ecologists? The Role of Ecology in Our Lives The many specialties within ecology, such as marine, vegetation, and statistical ecology, provide us with information to better understand the world around us.

Natural Services Wetland clean up site at Ft. Biomedical Contributions Ecologists have discovered that many plants and animals produce chemicals that protect them from predators and diseases. Lyme Disease An adult deer tick Ixodes scapularis sits on a leaf.

Natural Resource Management Endangered Species Protection Black-masked member of the weasel family once occurred in central grasslands and basins from southern Canada to Texas but is now one of the most endangered mammals in North America.

Forestry Solutions Graduate student Christina Bielski recorded data during a high intensity prescribed fire burning through juniper-invaded grassland on private property. Agricultural Solutions Glyphosate fields. Fishing Solutions A fishing vessel trawls. Biodiversity Short for biological diversity, biodiversity is the range of variation found among microorganisms, plants, fungi, and animals. Population A group of seals lay atop a rock.

Community Populations of organisms of different species that interact with one another. Issues in Ecology Issues in Ecology Fall