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What is ecology? |
Environment
Ecology is the study of organisms — plants, animals, even bacteria — and their relationship to their environment.
Some ecologists (scientists who specialize in ecology) might study one environment and all of the organisms that live in it, while others may study one specific species and how it lives in many different environments! Ecology is also related to environmentalism, in that an ecologist might study how pollution or endangerment affects different environments, and what we can do to help make it better!
Some ecologists (scientists who specialize in ecology) might study one environment and all of the organisms that live in it, while others may study one specific species and how it lives in many different environments! Ecology is also related to environmentalism, in that an ecologist might study how pollution or endangerment affects different environments, and what we can do to help make it better!
Further Information:
Because the field of ecology is so broad, there are many ways the practice this science. An ecologist might work for a zoo or park conservatory, work on-site as part of a research team, specialize in law or business to work with corporations, or even work in schools to teach curious kids like yourself!
Right as Rain
Try this experiment to see how a phenomenon such as acid rain affects your own environment! You will need
- two small houseplants (one that you don't mind using for a science experiment!)
- two small jars
- lemon juice
- water
1. Fill one small jar with tap water and mark it "A." Fill the other jar with half tap water and half lemon juice, and mark it "B."
2. Mark one of the plants "A," and the other "B."
3. Over the next few days, only water plant A with water from jar A, and plant B with water from jar B.
How long does it take for you to notice a difference between the plants?
How do the plants look after a week?
How do you think this would affect your environment if this happened to all plants?
