Classroom definitions of sustainability
BIOL / LOYC 205
10 MYTHS OF SUSTAINABILITY
BIOL/LOYC 205
Lemonick 2009
Nobody knows what it really means
It’s all about the environment
It’s a synonym for “green”
It’s all about recycling
It’s too expensive
It means lowering our standard of living
Consumer choices and grassroots activism, not
government intervention
8. New technology is always the answer
9. It’s ultimately a population problem
10.Once you understand it, living sustainably is easy
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What is ecology?
BIOL / LOYC 205
Ecology
Creative commons
What is ecology?
• Science
• Study of the “interactions between organisms and the
environment”
• Environment has 2 components
– Biotic
– Abiotic
Ecology
Photo credit: Joel Sartore, National Geographic
The study of the interaction
between organisms and the
biotic and abiotic
components of their
environment
Photo credit: Elliot Wolfe, duke.edu
9
Photo credit: Joe Cosack, PCC Photo
Ecology
The study of the interaction between organisms and the
biotic and abiotic components of their environment
2020site.org
Photo credit: Elliot Wolfe, duke.edu
10
Photo credit: Joe Cosack, PCC Photo
Background knowledge Q: rank the 4 hierarchical levels
of ecology from largest to smallest
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Ecosystem>organism>population>global>landscape>community
Landscape >community>eglobal>cosystem>population>organism
Global>landscape>ecosystem> community>population>organism
Population> global>ecosystem>landscape>community>organism
Ecosystem>population>community>organism>landscape>global
Background knowledge Q: rank the 4 hierarchical levels
of ecology from largest to smallest
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Ecosystem>organism>population>global>landscape>community
Landscape >community>eglobal>cosystem>population>organism
Global>landscape>ecosystem> community>population>organism
Population> global>ecosystem>landscape>community>organism
Ecosystem>population>community>organism>landscape>global
Hierarchical
levels of
ecology
From Campbell et al. Biology
Organismal (or Individual) ecology
• how individual organisms meet the challenges of
the environment
Salt
uptake
Water
loss
Population ecology
• Population: group
of individuals of the
same species living
in the same area
• Factors that affect
population size and
distribution
From: Campbell et al. Biology
Population ecology mostly concerned with population
fluctuations
Decline of cod stock
overharvesting
Creative commons
Whooping crane
captive breeding
program
From: Campbell’s Biology
Community ecology
• Community: group of populations of different species living in
the same area
• Studies the interactions between species
Creative commons
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
The big 3 interactions?
• Predation
• Competition
• Mutualism
Creative commons
Ecosystem ecology
• Ecosystem: biological community and
its interactions with the abiotic world
• Energy flow and nutrient cycling
Ex: Carbon cycle
Energy flows
Landscape ecology
• Interactions between
organisms and
landscapes (multiple
ecosystems) OR effects
of landscape structure
and composition on
communities,
populations, and
individuals
Landscapes and
Chemistry
Physics
How does science work?
• 2 approaches:
–Reductionism: seeking answers lower in the hierarchy
–Holism: seeking answers at the same or higher level
e.g. You are feeling tired
• See your MD – organismal ecologist
• Reductionistic approach
– Physiological level: Do blood tests,
prescribe medications
• Holistic approach:
– Ask about you as a person
– Family history
– Stressors in your life
Creative commons
Reductionism is sometimes seen in a negative light
Creative commons
This might be a bit too strict; we likely need both, although
maybe the arts lean more to one side and science, to the other
Holistic or Systems Thinking
• Sometimes viewed as touchy/feely
Creative commons
Ecosystem thinking
Thinking about the whole and connections
In this course, we will try to relate issues
about sustainability to fundamental
ecological principles
populations
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15 Principles of Ecology
9. Patterns in biodiversity
are predictable
10. Communities are always
changing
11. Energy flows &
dissipates
12. Nutrients cycle
13. Ecosystems provide
services
14. Tragedy of the commons
15. Humans are cooperative
by nature
Populations evolve
Populations co-evolve
One true tree of life
Populations fluctuate in
abundance
Populations cannot grow
indefinitely
Populations can be
harvested sustainably
Communities are
composed of interacting
species
Every species has its
niche
ecosystems
communities
behavioural ecology
“Science as a way of knowing” about the world
• Not the only way of knowing
• An effective way of knowing because structured
• Other ways of knowing?
In this course, we will focus on
• 4 hierarchical levels of ecology (Organismal, Population,
Community, and Ecosystem)
• 15 principles
• Reductionistic and holistic thinking