Ecology
Is the study of the interactions among living things in between living things and their surroundings
Organism
Is an individual living thing such as an alligator
Population
Is a group of the same species that live in one area
Community
Is the group of different species that live together in one area
Ecosystem
Includes all of the organisms as well as the climate soil water rocks and other nonliving things in a given area
Biome
Is a major religion or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there
Ecological research methods
Observation, experimentation, and modeling
Observation
Is the act of carefully watching something overtime
Direct surveys
For easy to spot species employ binoculars or scope
Indirect surveys
Are used for species that are difficult to track and include looking for other signs of presents
Experiments
Are performed in a lab or the field
Lab experiments
Give a more accurate picture of natural interactions
field experiments
May not help determine actual cause-and-effect
Modeling
Allow scientist to learn about organisms or ecosystems in ways that would not be possible in a nature or lab setting