Water Man
Water Man
Ecology is a popular topic these days. The media regularly runs special
news accounts about environmental problems. The Environmental Protection
Agency is a relatively new governmental group which deals with these problems.
Ecological concerns are common topics of conversation and make frequest
headlines. Exactly what is Ecology? Ecology
is the study of the interactions of organisms with one another and their
environments. For example, in studying
a pond, an Ecologist
would determine which animals, plants and other organisms live in a pond.
He or she would then study the ways in which each organism depends upon
other orgainsms for food and survival. How organisms depend upon
various physical and chemical requirements, such as minerals, oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and sunlight would be examined. The effect of pollutants
upon the organisms would also be studied.
You will learn about the BIOSPHERE, which
is section of the Earth which supports life. Different areas called
BIOMES
will introduce you to different climatic features of our Earth. The
diffirent cycles which drive the living systems on our planet will also
be discussed. Cycles such as the WATER
CYCLE, NITROGEN CYCLE, AND CARBON/OXYGEN CYCLE
will be introduced. How energy moves through the ecosystem will be
discussed in food chains and food webs. This will explain the network
of feeding relationships for plants and animals.
To assist youe with your understanding in Ecology, several lab projects,
web quests, and resource links are offered in this Unit. Use the
links below to enhance your understanding of Ecology.
