Geography
Ecological Study
An ecological study in geography examines the interactions between organisms and their environment within a specific geographic area. It focuses on understanding the relationships between living organisms, their habitats, and the physical environment. This type of study provides insights into the complex dynamics of ecosystems and the impact of human activities on the natural world.
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4 Key excerpts on "Ecological Study"
eBook - PDF- James Petersen, Dorothy Sack, Robert Gabler, , James Petersen, James Petersen, Dorothy Sack, Robert Gabler(Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
The evi- dence must be studied carefully and scientifically to determine what is occurring and what the potential consequences might be. Changes of this type include shifts in climate, expansion and con- traction of deserts, varying composition of the oceans or atmo- sphere, and changes in global sea level. Some changes within the Earth system are natural, others are human induced, and some result from a combination of these factors. Today, much of the concern about environmental change, such as global warming, centers on the increasing impact that human activities are exerting on Earth’s natural systems. To understand Earth and the effects that humans have on it, whether Biogeographers are concerned about geographic aspects of plant and animal communities, thus they share fundamental interests with many biologists. Despite these areas of shared knowledge, physical geography differs from those other fields because of its emphasis on problems of a spatial nature and because geographers tend to take a holistic approach to their studies. Physical geography considers all spatial scales, from global to regional to local, and all component parts of the natural envi- ronment: the atmosphere, earth materials, plants and animals, and water. By examining the whole set of factors, features, and processes that work together at Earth’s surface, physical geogra- phers tend to ask different questions than physicists, geologists, chemists, or biologists and provide different insights into the planet’s dynamic nature. Because of its holistic approach to the study of Earth’s surface characteristics and processes, physical geography is especially well suited to using the scientific notion of systems in studying Earth. Earth as a System A system is any organized entity that con- sists of interrelated and interacting components. Physical systems have matter and energy as well as an organizational structure con- sisting of pathways and linkages between components.
eBook - PDF- Khushboo Chaudhary, Pankaj Kumar Saraswat, Aniruddh Kumar Pareek(Authors)
- 2023(Publication Date)
- Delve Publishing(Publisher)
PART IV: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND AGROECOLOGY ECOLOGY - DEFINITION, DIVISION AND SIGNIFICANCE CHAPTER14 INTRODUCTION Ecology- The study of the relationships between different species in a given area is known as ecology. Biosphere- Sphere of the Earth in which all living things exist. It is found from the atmosphere all the way into the lithosphere figure 14.1. Level of Organization Species- a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring Population- Groups of individuals of a certain species living in a certain area Community- Different populations that live in the same area. Ecosystem- Collection of both the community and the abiotic factors in a certain area Biome- Group of ecosystems that have the same climatic conditions We can’t do experiments on the whole, natural ecosystems. Instead, we use several tools to explore ecosystems: • Observations- We watch and take detailed notes about an ecosystem Basics of Plant Sciences 120 • Experimenting-Taking an artificial environment and using the scientific method on it. Modeling- Using computers to show what has happened and what will happen in an ecosystem. Biotic Factors Living Factors that influence an ecosystem, Plant life and animal life Abiotic Factors Physical, non-living factors that influence an ecosystem e.g. temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, nutrients, sunlight. Figure 14.1: Ecosystem. The area where an organism lives is called its habitat. Habitats provide wildlife populations with food, water, shelter and space. A niche is the full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions. It is an organism’s occupation. Energy and Matter Flow Both Energy and Matter flow through an ecosystem. Energy flows into and out of the ecosystem. The matter is usually recycled.
- Crina Damşa, Antti Rajala, Giuseppe Ritella, Jasperina Brouwer, Antti Rajala, Giuseppe Ritella, Jasperina Brouwer, Crina Damşa(Authors)
- 2023(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
Learning is a process that evolved throughout the life history of the human species; it is as natural as it is made/artificial (Markauskaite and Goodyear, 2017). Therefore, those who research learning do this at multiple levels – ‘from neurons to neighbourhoods’. Environmental scientists often study specific bounded phenomena in eco- systems to understand them and create ‘mid-range’ theoretical explanations that can inform solutions to local environmental challenges (Meyfroidt et al., 2018). Similarly, learning scientists often need to study learning activities in specific settings to understand complex learning challenges and create ‘mid- range’ theoretical explanations to inform solutions to these challenges (Plomp and Nieveen, 2013). In the educational literature, ecological perspectives have been used in two major ways: as theoretical frameworks and as applied analytical approaches. The theoretical perspectives usually describe the ecologies of human develop- ment and learning by providing accounts of what constitutes such ecologies and how they function. For example, Lee (2017) describes the ecology of human development as the unfolding of dynamic relationships among characteristics of the indi- vidual as these interact with – shape and are shaped by – features of the social spaces in which the individual operates (e.g., nuclear family, extended family, social networks of peers and adults, socially organized settings outside the home such as church, school, community settings, etc.). (p. 94) 32 Lina Markauskaite et al. The analytical perspectives use ecological approaches as methodological tools to study educational settings and learning (Ellis and Goodyear, 2018 and Hammer et al., 2018).
eBook - PDFForests at the Wildland-Urban Interface
Conservation and Management
- Susan W. Vince, Mary L. Duryea, Edward A. Macie, Annie Hermansen, Susan W. Vince, Mary L. Duryea, Edward A. Macie, Annie Hermansen(Authors)
- 2004(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
Grumbine (1994) offers five management goals to sustain ecological integrity under ecosystem management (Table 11.1). These goals recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes and incorporating humans and their activities into the decision making process. When a land-use deci-sion is contemplated, an ecosystem approach enables us to assess the effect of development not only on popula-tions and biotic communities but also on biophysical and social components and on the flow of energy, species, and matter in the system. Further, an ecosystem approach enables us to evaluate the effects across ownership and management boundaries; thus, we are able to inventory and evaluate cumulative effects on the landscape. For example, watershed protection is an ecosystem approach 162 Forests at the Wildland–Urban Interface: Conservation and Management to planning. By working within the boundaries of a water-shed, which often encompass many political and manage-rial jurisdictions, watershed managers measure hydrologic inputs and outputs and assess, individually and collectively, how existing and proposed land uses affect water quality and quantity. 11.3 WHY LANDSCAPES? To evaluate the effect of urbanization on physical, ecolog-ical, and social patterns and processes, a perspective that is greater than the ecosystem and encompasses the spatial interactions among ecosystems is needed (Turner et al. 2001). A landscape scale provides the opportunity to view the spatial connectedness of ecosystems and assess the cumulative effects of land-use decisions on physical, eco-logical, and social components (Dale et al. 2000). A land-scape, however, connotes different meanings for different people. To some, a landscape may represent a pastoral scene or a planted garden. Ecologically, a landscape is a heterogeneous area composed of a cluster of interacting ecosystems that are repeated in similar form throughout (Forman and Godron 1986).
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