Species
Species are groups of animals that can produce fertile offspring with one another, an example of this would be a lion. A female and male lion would be able to produce fertile offspring through interbreeding, allowing that offspring to produce more offspring and so on.
Some species share similar characteristics but may have different physical appearances, even though this is true they are still part of the same species and are able to produce fertile offspring with one another. Below is a picture of three different species of butterflies, the second row is the same species as the one on the top but due to environmental differences they look different but this still allows them to interbreed with one another.
Species are groups of animals that can produce fertile offspring with one another, an example of this would be a lion. A female and male lion would be able to produce fertile offspring through interbreeding, allowing that offspring to produce more offspring and so on.
Some species share similar characteristics but may have different physical appearances, even though this is true they are still part of the same species and are able to produce fertile offspring with one another. Below is a picture of three different species of butterflies, the second row is the same species as the one on the top but due to environmental differences they look different but this still allows them to interbreed with one another.
Species Problem
"A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo sapiens."
The Species Problem is the difficult questions that come up when biologists define the word "Species". As many definitions are linked to how certain organisms reproduce, but while this works for some organisms it would not work for others such as bacteria. Biologists use a hierarchical system known as taxonomic ranks which is used to group one or more populations of organisms together. This is used by biologists to separate and find different species.
Majority of the debates between scientific communities are philosophical rather than scientific, this is due to to all the different logical aspects that need to be taken into account such as realism and language.
"A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo sapiens."
The Species Problem is the difficult questions that come up when biologists define the word "Species". As many definitions are linked to how certain organisms reproduce, but while this works for some organisms it would not work for others such as bacteria. Biologists use a hierarchical system known as taxonomic ranks which is used to group one or more populations of organisms together. This is used by biologists to separate and find different species.
Majority of the debates between scientific communities are philosophical rather than scientific, this is due to to all the different logical aspects that need to be taken into account such as realism and language.
What are Populations?
A population is when there are amount of more than one organism in a species group.
Population Ecology is the study of specie populations and how they interact with the environment. With the studies that are conducted they are able to tell apart organisms with similar characteristics but are part of a different species group by the way there populations interact with the environment as well as with each other, this use of study is ideal when two species with the same physical traits can't be told apart from one another, as it allows the researchers to separate the species based on behavior and interaction.
A population is when there are amount of more than one organism in a species group.
Population Ecology is the study of specie populations and how they interact with the environment. With the studies that are conducted they are able to tell apart organisms with similar characteristics but are part of a different species group by the way there populations interact with the environment as well as with each other, this use of study is ideal when two species with the same physical traits can't be told apart from one another, as it allows the researchers to separate the species based on behavior and interaction.
If we take deer for example, in the southern parts of North America the behavior and characteristics are changed due to the environment they are stationed in, and then picture another population of deer in the northern most of North America, these deer have thicker hides, extra hip placements to allow movement in snow much faster than there southern counterparts. All this doesn't matter though when trying to differentiate two populations from one another as it follows the same rule as defining a species, as long as they can produce fertile offspring they are part of the same species.
Heterotrophic and Autotrophic Nutrition
Autotrophic Nurtition is when an autotroph (an organism that creates nutrients through photosynthesis or chemo synthesis.) synthesizes organic material from inorganic material, an example of this would be the majority of plants and algae, such as a Venus Fly-trap.
Autotrophic Nurtition is when an autotroph (an organism that creates nutrients through photosynthesis or chemo synthesis.) synthesizes organic material from inorganic material, an example of this would be the majority of plants and algae, such as a Venus Fly-trap.
Heterotrophic Nutrition can be broken down into sub-categories, these include :
Saprophytic
Parasitic
Symbiotic
Insectivorous
A heterotroph is an organism that eat ready made food, this provides them with protoplasm which helps repair worn out cells, creates new ions and creates co-enzymes and vitamins for chemical processes. An example of this would be mushrooms.
Saprophytic
Parasitic
Symbiotic
Insectivorous
A heterotroph is an organism that eat ready made food, this provides them with protoplasm which helps repair worn out cells, creates new ions and creates co-enzymes and vitamins for chemical processes. An example of this would be mushrooms.
Consumers, Detritivorism and Saprotrophs.
"Consumer: an organism that ingests other organic matter that is living or recently killed.
Detritivore: an organism that ingests non-living organic matter.
Saprotroph: an organism that lives on or in non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes into it and absorbing the products of digestion." - IB Guide
With the above it is easy to categories different organisms into these three groups, when looking at consumers for instance you could see how humans can fit into that category as well as most other carnivorous animals on the planet.
Detrivore consist of mostly herbivore types of creatures such as earth worms, as they eat composing animal parts and feces.
A saprotroph is mostly associated with fungi and is the the cause of decaying organic matter.
"Consumer: an organism that ingests other organic matter that is living or recently killed.
Detritivore: an organism that ingests non-living organic matter.
Saprotroph: an organism that lives on or in non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes into it and absorbing the products of digestion." - IB Guide
With the above it is easy to categories different organisms into these three groups, when looking at consumers for instance you could see how humans can fit into that category as well as most other carnivorous animals on the planet.
Detrivore consist of mostly herbivore types of creatures such as earth worms, as they eat composing animal parts and feces.
A saprotroph is mostly associated with fungi and is the the cause of decaying organic matter.
What are Communities?
A community is an environment in which two or more different associations of populations share the same geographical area.
Communities are important as it allows many different species of animals to life simultaneously with one another and can provide conditions that allow the other species to live. An example of this is having an island that is covered in grass, on this island live a population of rabbits as well as a population of foxes, the grass provides food for the rabbits which allows them to sustain themselves and the rabbits provide a source of food for the foxes which in turn allows them to survive.
In communities their are multiple interactions between organisms that need to be recognized, these are :
Competition
Competition is when two or more species have to compete with one another for resources within the area. This can vary due to what resources are at hand, if the resource was a small population of deer that two species of predators try to hunt for food, the predator with the higher population and larger distribution throughout the area is more likely to get prey.
Predation
Predation is when a a species preys on others, the result of this can be good and bad depending on how much of their prey that they kill. If you think about having deer and wolves in one ecosystem, and the wolves kill almost every deer this creates an effect on the environment for other animals living in the same area.
Mutualism
Mutualism is when two species can coexist and benefit off one another, an example of this would be bees that can pollinate flowers, and in turn the flowers can become pollinated.
Commensalism
Commensalism is when one species can benefit off another, while the other is not harmed or gain no benefits, an example of this is a bird living in a tree, the tree is unharmed nor gains anything and the bird gains protection.
A community is an environment in which two or more different associations of populations share the same geographical area.
Communities are important as it allows many different species of animals to life simultaneously with one another and can provide conditions that allow the other species to live. An example of this is having an island that is covered in grass, on this island live a population of rabbits as well as a population of foxes, the grass provides food for the rabbits which allows them to sustain themselves and the rabbits provide a source of food for the foxes which in turn allows them to survive.
In communities their are multiple interactions between organisms that need to be recognized, these are :
Competition
Competition is when two or more species have to compete with one another for resources within the area. This can vary due to what resources are at hand, if the resource was a small population of deer that two species of predators try to hunt for food, the predator with the higher population and larger distribution throughout the area is more likely to get prey.
Predation
Predation is when a a species preys on others, the result of this can be good and bad depending on how much of their prey that they kill. If you think about having deer and wolves in one ecosystem, and the wolves kill almost every deer this creates an effect on the environment for other animals living in the same area.
Mutualism
Mutualism is when two species can coexist and benefit off one another, an example of this would be bees that can pollinate flowers, and in turn the flowers can become pollinated.
Commensalism
Commensalism is when one species can benefit off another, while the other is not harmed or gain no benefits, an example of this is a bird living in a tree, the tree is unharmed nor gains anything and the bird gains protection.
What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of organisms that with one another, these can be living (such as plants and animals) and can also interact with nonliving thing such as air and water. Ecosystems are controlled by many factors such as climate and even what soil is in the ecosystem, this diversifies each ecosystem from one another and organisms to live in "set" places depending on what kind of ecosystem the encompassing area is in.
Abiotic Components (Non living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect ecosystems) are said to be linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows, this allows ecosystems to require no outside aid to sustain themselves.
An ecosystem is a community of organisms that with one another, these can be living (such as plants and animals) and can also interact with nonliving thing such as air and water. Ecosystems are controlled by many factors such as climate and even what soil is in the ecosystem, this diversifies each ecosystem from one another and organisms to live in "set" places depending on what kind of ecosystem the encompassing area is in.
Abiotic Components (Non living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect ecosystems) are said to be linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows, this allows ecosystems to require no outside aid to sustain themselves.
What are Nutrient Cycles?
A Nutrient Cycle is the exchange of organic and inorganic matter into an organism. In an ecosystem matter is interconnected between all the organisms that within the area, when an organism feeds, digests and migrate around. An ecosystem recycles nutrients and creates production for biomass which creates energy for a variety of different things.
Nutrient Cycles allow the coexistence of many organisms who are living in the ecosystem where it is taking place, as some nutrients have to go through other organisms before the consumption of another.
A Nutrient Cycle is the exchange of organic and inorganic matter into an organism. In an ecosystem matter is interconnected between all the organisms that within the area, when an organism feeds, digests and migrate around. An ecosystem recycles nutrients and creates production for biomass which creates energy for a variety of different things.
Nutrient Cycles allow the coexistence of many organisms who are living in the ecosystem where it is taking place, as some nutrients have to go through other organisms before the consumption of another.