Factors Affecting Global Distribution of Organisms

Numbers of individuals in a population change over time

Explores the morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaption that allow individuals to live successfully in a particular areaexample: Salmon migrate from saltwater to freshwater environments to breed.

The study of interactions between organisms and the physical and biological components of their environment.

• Physical (= abiotic): temperature, precipitation, wind, solar radiation, salt concentrations, water depth and pressure, pH, light, O2, CO2, etc Biological (= biotic): other organism

Is the study of how an organism body functions.

(also called ecophysiology) studies how an organism!s body functions while interacting with its environment.

! Examples: Effects of temperature on metabolic rates, effects of light on photosynthesis…

Science is a way of viewing the world by using objective information to build understanding. Science advances by testing hypotheses about the natural world.

Observations, questions & hypothesis, experiments and communications(discussion of results)

is a group of individuals of the same species that lives in the same area at the same time. Population ecologists focus on how and why the numbers of individuals in a population (population sizes) change over timeexample: Each female salmon produces thousands of eggs. Only a few will survive to adulthood. On average, only two will return to the stream of their birth to breed.

Consists of the species that interact with one another within a particular area. Thought? How do species interact? and what are the consequences?

Study the nature and consequences of the interactions among species in a communityexample: salmon are prey as well as predators

Consists of all the organisms in a particular region, along with nonliving, or abiotic, components. thought: How do energy and nutrients cycle through the environment?

Study how nutrients and energy move among organisms and the surrounding atmosphere, soil, or waterexample: when salmon die and decompose, the nutrients that are released are used by bacteria, archaea, plants, protists, young salmon, and other organisms

Is to understand the distribution and abundance of organisms, species, and communities on Earth

The effort to study, preserve, and restore threatened populations, communities, and ecosystems—synthesizes and applies the four levels of ecological study