• The study of ecosystems
• Focusing on the interactions among biotic and abiotic components

• A philosophical viewpoint or a religious bias
• A political orientation (environmentalism)
• A commitment to save the earth
• An attitude in opposition to change

• Design experiments to test basic assumptions and concepts
• Describe the composition of different types of ecosystems
• Look at interactions among organisms
• Evaluate the impacts of human activities on ecosystems
• Study biodiversity and the survival/extinction rates of different organisms
• Focus on different aspects of ecosystems

• Levels (organisms, populations, communities)
• Interactions (predation, parasitism, competition)
• Processes (photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration)
• Pathways (food chains, biogeochemical cycles, succession)
• Locations (aquatic, marine and terrestrial ecosystems; biomes

  Interrelatedness in the Ecosphere - where to look?
 

• Sequential processes (biomagnification, developmental disorders)
• Figure 2: Example of biomagnification (radioisotopes in Alaska)
• Geographic transfers (terrestrial to aquatic; watershed to airshed)
• Habitat alteration and loss of biodiversity (bleaching of coral reefs; deforestation; desertification)
• Biotic potential and carrying capacity; ecological sustainability; optimization
• Homeostasis (intricate balance between living creatures and their habitats)

• Characterization of biodiversity in the world's ecosystems
• Exploring uncharted regions and unique ecosystems
• Studying the impacts of "exotic" species that "invade" local environments
• Assessing the ecological sustainability of human activities (e.g., The Great Warming)
  
• Linking evolution and ecology
• Movement of toxics through environmental pathways
• Impact of toxic substances on human health

  What are some of the key terms we use in ecology?