Chapter 2
Basic Ecology
Abstract The processes that happen at the ecosystem, population, and community
levels are important for understanding ecology, weather and climate, and biogeochemical cycles of the Green World. With vagaries that are adversely impacting the
way people live, weather patterns, food production, spread of diseases, inception of
diseases and other phenomena, it is pertinent to understand basic terms including
ecology, organisms, biosphere, and community. The chapter has three major
sections, with the first part exploring concepts of ecology (organism, population,
community, biosphere, ecosystem) and carrying capacity. The second part explores
the weather and climate, while the third section explores the various biogeochemical
cycles (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous cycles) of the Green World. Using
practical applications (particularly experiments) and individual contribution of
James Hansen, this chapter is a key role in acting as the foundation for understanding
the various processes in our ecology and planet, and their contributions to the Green
World.
Keywords Biogeochemical cycles · Ecology · Mountain Everest · James
Hansen · Climate
2.1 Ecology
Ecology is defined as the study of the relationship between organisms and the
environment. It can also be defined as the study of the abundance and distribution
of living things, and the way they are influenced by their interactions with their
environment. From a broader angle, ecology considers the processes which happen
in the ecosystem, population as well as community levels. The primary focus of
ecology is on biodiversity. Myers et al. (2000) define biodiversity as “the variability
among living organisms from all sources.” Ecology is studied at various levels of
organization: organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
A. A. Akinsemolu, The Principles of Green and Sustainability Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2493-6_2
23
Basic Ecology
Abstract The processes that happen at the ecosystem, population, and community
levels are important for understanding ecology, weather and climate, and biogeochemical cycles of the Green World. With vagaries that are adversely impacting the
way people live, weather patterns, food production, spread of diseases, inception of
diseases and other phenomena, it is pertinent to understand basic terms including
ecology, organisms, biosphere, and community. The chapter has three major
sections, with the first part exploring concepts of ecology (organism, population,
community, biosphere, ecosystem) and carrying capacity. The second part explores
the weather and climate, while the third section explores the various biogeochemical
cycles (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous cycles) of the Green World. Using
practical applications (particularly experiments) and individual contribution of
James Hansen, this chapter is a key role in acting as the foundation for understanding
the various processes in our ecology and planet, and their contributions to the Green
World.
Keywords Biogeochemical cycles · Ecology · Mountain Everest · James
Hansen · Climate
2.1 Ecology
Ecology is defined as the study of the relationship between organisms and the
environment. It can also be defined as the study of the abundance and distribution
of living things, and the way they are influenced by their interactions with their
environment. From a broader angle, ecology considers the processes which happen
in the ecosystem, population as well as community levels. The primary focus of
ecology is on biodiversity. Myers et al. (2000) define biodiversity as “the variability
among living organisms from all sources.” Ecology is studied at various levels of
organization: organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
A. A. Akinsemolu, The Principles of Green and Sustainability Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2493-6_2
23