Understanding the Networks of Life: What is Ecology?
Written by: Ananna Das
Email: anannadas56@gmail.com
Introduction
Ecology is the branch of biology that examines how the interactions between organisms and their physical environment reveal the intricate relationships that preside over the natural realms. From microscopic bacteria to our exalted plants and unique organisms, we witness the distinct interconnections and how they display a fundamental role in our survival. Ecology is the foundation that creates the thread of weaving balance that sustains what we rejoice as life.
Defining Ecology
At its essence, ecology assesses how living organisms interact with each other and their physical surroundings. It extends beyond individual species and organisms but unveils all components of life. Ecologists study the profound relationship Figure 1. Interactions between Humans between organisms and their habitats--
and Ecological Biodiversity studying facets that root from
microorganisms that grow on rocks to the array of different populations existent in parks.
This supplements a precise understanding of the natural world, and understanding the prospective functioning of ecosystems, nutrient cycles, pathology, and influence of human interactions. Studying ecology grants immense prominence in the comprehension of how organisms thrive in their environments, how ecosystems either do or do not function, and the ability to adapt when facing challenges.
Ecological Organization
Ecology can be dissected into five different compartments to emanate the functionality and role that each aspect holds.
The first level of ecology includes organisms, consisting of both unicellular and multicellular creatures.
Following organisms entails a population, which is a group of individuals together within a specific geographic region. Individuals in a population compete for resources essential for adaptability and survival, as well as interbreed with each other.
The next level of organization is a community--which trails into several populations that interact and inhabit a common environment. The aggregation of all these living species, as well as abiotic factors, interacting in a particular area, compose what we refer to as the ecosystem.
The most elevated ecological level is the biosphere, which comprises all organisms and aspects that sustain life in our universal ecosystem.
The fundamental levels of ecological organizations enrich our understanding of the natural world while framing how humans impact binomics--whether it be direct interference, or policy agenda regulating conservation and resources.
Figure 2. Distinct organizational makeup of ecology
Microbial Ecology
Microbial biology--or microbes-- entails tapping into the smallest foundation of life at the cellular level. The prominent phrase “cells are the building blocks of life” places an excellent perspective on how microbes and cellular life construct an integral influence in shaping the distinct environments we see today. Microbial ecology is especially essential when assessing phylogeny--a representation of how evolutionary connections impact the relationship between certain organisms.
An interesting fact about microbial ecology is that we know about less than 1% of the microbial species living on Earth. Microbes are everywhere around us--in the air, water, soil--and yet most are still unknown. Specific microbes that we are aware of include archaea which are single-cell organisms that lack a nucleus, protists such as algae, and fungi - the microorganisms most commonly seen in mushrooms.
Finally, bacteria can be discovered relatively anywhere. They have established symbiotic and parasitic relationships with plants and animals and further introduce the concept of symbiotic relationships between organisms. Symbiosis is the interaction between different organisms whether it is through mutualism in which both species benefit, commensalism, or parasitism. This instance is evident in nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants like the clover. Bacteria fixate on the plants’ roots and convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates which are accessible to plants.
Microbial ecology additionally, taps into and analyzes the relations between germs within microbiomes. Understanding how germs behave and alter through different settings and with the contingence of diversity, as well as how human behavior can expand the spread of pathogens helps public health effectively anticipate and emerge with treatment control.
Germs with identical genera and species can be in contrast through the variability of their strain type. Microbial strains are essentially germs with a common genetic makeup with one or multiple facets that are different. Different genetic traits can often help pathogens and germs multiply and accelerate how they spread across, which in turn is a disruption and can be lethal in human environments.
Figure 3. Microbial Bacteria Underneath Microscopic Lens in the Netherlands
Biodiversity
An indispensable aspect of ecology is biodiversity, the distinction of life prevalent in an area. Biodiversity pertains to the variety of life existing on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. While homogeneity is present in species, we must embrace diversity embedded in ecosystems, especially in genetic variation and natural selection. Scientists approximate that there are 8.7 million species of plants and animals to be extant, but only 1.2 have been discovered and described as of yet. While millions of others remain mysterious and are yet to be identified, this explicates the great extent of how much diversification of life prevails on our planet.
Ecosystems that anchor the most biodiversity tend to attain the most ideal environment for plant growth, such as regions with warm or wet tropical lands. Biodiversity is also supplemented by evolution, in which organisms today have adopted unique traits that enable scientists to distinguish certain species from one another. Diverse ecosystems are more resilient to environmental modifications and induce a myriad of benefits to humans such as clothing, medicine, and food.
Human Impact
While it is fascinating to immerse ourselves in the wide range of organisms and life prevalent on Earth, a large segment of biodiversity is threatened by human consumption. As a dominant species on Earth, we play a pivotal role in shaping our ecosystems, as well as destroying them.
Anthropogenic activities such as pollution, deforestation, population growth, and climate change impose immense precariousness on biodiversity. The implications of our ecosystems in peril are evident through the acceleration rates in extinction of species and the endangerment of animals in their natural habitat.
Allow us to assess the current conditions of the Arctic, for instance, as it is warming twice as rapidly. The abrupt and quick warmth melts the ice that polar bears depend on, which also endangers their main prey, seals, necessary for offspring survival. The effects of climate change disrupt the delicate balance that regulates life, scintillating the interconnectedness of life on Earth.
As ecology delves into the elaborate relationships between organisms, the environment, and their habitats, it casts a luminescence on our understanding of addressing global conflicts. It is our responsibility to indulge in the observations provided by ecology and push to coexist with nature that maintains its beauty and furnishes a home for all.
Figures 4 and 5. Impacts of climate change on the native regions of the arctic polar bear
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