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INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY (microbes (for most of Earth history all ecology…
INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY
ecology
‘the answers to nearly all the major philosophical questions are either found in or illustrated by the science of life, especially ecology, whose stated goal is the elucidation of the relationship of organisms to environment.’
Lynn Margulis
working definition: ecology is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
microbes
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earth formed 14.5b years ago
prokaryotes - 3.5b years ago
cyanobacteria - 2.7b years ago
great oxidation event - 2.4b years ago
eukaryotes - 1.5b years ago
matazoens. vertebrates, terrestrial fungi and plants - 0.5b years ago
mammals - 2.5b years ago
flowering plants - 0.1b years ago
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abiotic environments
features
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eg. altitude, temperature, speed of water flow, O2 level in water
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eg. caves
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reduced variation (day/night, winter/summer)
ultimate abiotic factor?
Upheaval Dome, Utah. Approx 5km diameter. Jurassic or younger
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biotic environment
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eg. pollination, mates, parasites
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