Ecology
Ecological Conservation at Acadia University
Tasty Insect Recipes
Example of the Scientific Method:
Spontaneous generation
These links should be used in order to understand how the application
of the scientific method refuted the theory of spontaneous generation.
Chapter 2 Related Websites
Possible Life on Mars?
Interactions Between Predator and Prey Populations
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Biodiversity
Web resources:
Biodiversity: An Overview from the World Conservation Monitoring Center.
You can consider this link your primary reference on the subject.
Web Resources:
Chapter 42 Web links
Chapter 43 Web links
invasion of species from other areas
The first species to colonize an area
(usually
lichens
and mosses but sometimes higher plants), beginning the process of soil formation.
Primary succession
on bare rock. Rocks erode, sand accumulates, decomposition adds organic matter, and voila! soil. As soil continues to form, larger (and woody) plants appear.
Volcanic eruption
is primary succession. Following the eruption, there is no life in the blast zone. Eventually, however,
pioneer species
of plants do establish themselves, beginning the course of succession.
Primary succession
can also occur from man-made structures.
Because soil may already be present, the rate of secondary succession is faster than primary succession.
Secondary succession also indicates changes in community composition following disturbances.
-
Floods
-
Hurricanes
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are all examples of naturally occurring disturbances.
Notice, however, that none of these completely
wipes out the life that was in the area.
- Not only do plants and animals survive these disturbances, but some need them to be able to continue to live there.
Traditional farming involves creating disturbance and then fighting secondary succession.
Plowing
is a prime example of disturbance, but it can't eliminate
- underground plant parts
- seeds left in the soil from previous years (even 100 years or more)
- ,seeds of nearby plants
- seeds blown in from far away
"Weeds"
are pioneer species; if farming is discontinued,
these colonizing plants will reclaim a field.
What is disturbance?
Can it, and should it, be kept out of an ecosystem?
Question: Should fires be intentionally set in (and out of) the national forests?
Web resources: