Ecology is the science of how living things relate to each other and their environment. Human development has a major impact upon the environment and evolution. The above picture shows how how cities are frequently encroaching upon and interacting with wild areas.
Major topics in ecology include preservation of endangered species, flows of energy and resources, and adaptation of living things to their environment.
You can study ecology outdoors, or even in your home. Pictured above is a tiny home ecology laboratory. The three test tubes on the left contain freshwater ecosystems while the three test tubes on the right contain specimens and dye for examination.
Good, but simple ecology questions include "why does size of an organism matter?", "how do animals differ from plants?" and "how do ocean organisms differ from land organisms?" See below for hints. What do you think?
Ecology Players
The Earth's biosphere is composed of many interacting local environments. Even so, there are similarities present in most environments whether they occur in the vast oceans or in a great forest or a parched desert.
In each local environment, there are different "players" which may compete or cooperate with each other. Some players eat other players.
Autotrophs
Autotrophs are organisms which typically get their energy from sunlight. Most land autotrophs are plants. However, some plankton in the oceans are autotrophs but are not plants. Other ocean organisms are autotrophs, but they get their energy from deep underwater heat vents.
Primary Heterotrophs
Most animals eat plants and other autotrophs to gain energy. Birds eating seeds and deer grazing on grass are examples. Animals who eat plants are called herbivores.
Carnivore Heterotrophs
Many animals gain their energy by eating other animals. They are called carnivores. Some carnivores even eat other carnivores. The least tern is a coastal bird which eats small fish so it is a carnivore. Foxes eat least terns, so foxes are a higher order carnivore.
Decomposers
Some organisms gain their energy by eating dead animals and plant matter. They are called decomposers. Earthworms are animals which are decomposers, while mushrooms are a fungi which are decomposers.
Ecology Home Laboratory
Whether you live in the city or countryside, creating your own ecology home laboratory can be fun and educational. Remember, though, safety first. Always ask a knowledgeable adult to inspect your lab to ensure that the lab is safe for yourself and others, including any specimens you collect!
A laboratory doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. The whole point is just to learn more about science and nature. That's the great thing about ecology. Often, specimens can be collected for free from nature. Even "junk" can be turned into valuable equipment. Washed-out jars from around the house can be used to hold pond water. Margarine tubs can be used for small planters (it's best to poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage), and you can use the upside-down lids as planter bases.
The test tube rack pictured above is a simple home ecology laboratory. The three test tubes on the left each contain freshwater ecosystem. Each tube contains a different amount of water plant, to observe the effect that water plant quantity has upon other organisms. The test tube on the right contain a supply of seeds to examine and to plant later.
To start, you should figure out on what you want to study. You may be interested in many things, and eventually your laboratory will expand. However, it's best to start with one experiment or a single focus area. For example, you might want to focus on pond life or insects, or create an experiment to observe the effect of sunlight on a particular kind of plant.
You should keep a laboratory notebook. It is better to use a bound booklet rather than loose sheets of paper. In it, you should decribe your experiment, your goals, and the procedure you followed. You should record data, observations and any thoughts you may have during the process. You should stae your notes as well.
Useful equipment you might want to buy are a magnifying glass and eventually a microscope. A stereoscope is an excellent piece of equipment for an ecology laboratory, but can be expensive. However, it is better not to spend much on equipment and supplies until after you become more familiar with the field.
By the way, make sure be sensitive to the environment and to any plants and animals you collect. Some animals and plants are endangered, so you should not collect or disturb them. Also, nearly all animals need air or a refreshed water supply as well as a source of food. If you do not know how to care for an animal or plant, it's best not to collect it until you know more about it.
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