Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cies than those found in the glass container. Understanding these complex
interdependencies is the fundamental purpose of that subfield of biology
known as ecology.
What Is Ecology?
Ecology is a science aimed at understanding:
•
The processes by which living organisms interact with each other
and with the physical and chemical components of their surround-
ing environment.
•
The way those processes lead to patterns in the geographical distri-
bution and abundance of different kinds of organisms.
The result of the process leading to a
pattern is the assembly of a natural econ-
omy. In ecology such a natural economy
is formally called an ecosystem.
Ecosystems encapsulate many
forms of biological diversity (also
called biodiversity). Biodiversity re-
sults from a variety among individu-
als comprising a species owing to sex,
age, and genetic differences among
those individuals. It also stems from
differences between species living to-
gether in a geographic location. For
example, species may differ in their
functional roles (e.g., plant, herbivore,
carnivore) and the efficiency with
which each carries out its function in different environmental conditions.
Biodiversity also arises from the myriad ways that species are linked to each
other in ecosystems.As a consequence of these many forms of biodiversity,
there is considerable complexity underlying the structure of ecosystems.The
challenge in ecology is resolving this complexity.
Biodiversity results from a variety
among individuals comprising a
species due to sex, age, and ge-
netic differences; from differences
between species living together in a
geographic location; and from the
myriad ways that species are linked
to each other in ecosystems. As a
consequence of these many forms
of biodiversity, there is consider-
able complexity underlying the
structure of ecosystems. The chal-
lenge in ecology is resolving this
complexity.
Resolving Ecological Complexity
One way to begin resolving complexity is to envision an ecosystem as com-
prised of vertical food chains in which soil nutrients are linked to plants,
