Ecology

Ecology is the branch of biology that studies all the living organisms in a given environment and their impact on each other and the environment in question. 

Ecological place

An ecological place is a spatial location linked to a time period that is of ecological interest. Every place has an ecosystem, which is composed of plant and animal communities as well as the physical environment in which they live.

However, no two places will be exactly the same from an ecological standpoint. 

This is why it can be useful to study one “ecological place” at a time. This allows ecologists to gain a deeper understanding of the organisms and processes in a specific setting.

In fact, they will often spend years investigating the natural processes in a small area. 

Although the findings of these studies may seem specific and of little use in other ecological places, results of place-based research can contribute insights to the general scientific understanding of ecological processes.

Furthermore, the study of smaller ecological places can be important to gain a better understanding of the entire landscape’s ecology, because ecological processes in any landscape are driven by smaller-scale interactions. 

Unfortunately, the assumption that the time and place of a study is irrelevant often leads to very global generalizations, which may influence the validity of findings when applied to other ecological places. 

Ecological state

Ecological state is related to the state or health of ecological systems, which includes their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. But what makes a healthy ecosystem? 

A healthy ecosystem is one that is able to withstand change and stressors. It will maintain its structure and function in the face of adversity.

It should not experience abnormal increase or decline in the native species populations, the concentration of contaminants should be minimal, and its landscape and ecological processes should not be affected by pollution in a significant way. 

A healthy and diverse ecosystem provides abundant resources to the organisms which inhabit it, such as food, water, and shelter, among others. These factors all contribute to systemic balance and consistency. 

Ecology organizations

Ecology organizations or environmental organizations seek to protect, analyze or monitor the environment to prevent its degradation.

They are often instrumental in advising governments on decisions which will affect the environment, as they are tasked with keeping up-to-date on recent articles on ecology and environment. 

A few examples of such organizations include, on a global scale: 

• Greenpeace
• Global Alliance on Health and Pollution
• School strike for climate or Fridays for Future
• United Nations Environment Program
• European Environment Agency

Ecology report

An ecology report is a document describing the possible effects or outcomes of development on the ecosystem. This allows for a more global idea of how human activities will affect habitats or species in a given ecological place, and for better tracking of ecological current events. 

The ecologist

Ecologists are the biologists who are tasked with ecology research. In other words, they study the relationships between organisms and their habitat, and observe the effects organisms have on one another, whether they belong to the same or different species.

This ranges from the study of the microscopic bacteria in a landscape, to the complex interactions between the plant, animal, and other communities found within the same ecosystem.

Not limited to a specific environment, species or habitat type, the study range of ecologists is huge. For example, the organisms (mainly insects, fungi and bacteria) found on a rotting apple form an ecosystem. As such, they could be the subject of a study where the apple is the habitat. 

The aim of an ecologist’s work is also varied. It ranges from balancing the needs of an environment to considering new ideas for land management. 

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