Ecology

Ecology is the scientific study of organisms and their interactions with each other and their physical surroundings. As such, ecology is distinct from environmental science, which is more focused on seeking solutions to environmental problems. Ecology informs environmental science. Broadly speaking, the main areas of ecology are species adaptations, population... read moreecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, landscape ecology, and macroecology, and these form the section headings for this collection of talks. Species adaptations refer to the behaviors, characteristics or traits of organisms that allow them to survive in the environment. Population ecology is the study of the demographics and dynamics of individual species. Community ecology deals with the interactions of all the species within a certain geographic area of interest. Ecosystem ecology studies the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Macroecology, also referred to as landscape ecology, studies large-scale patterns of diversity, especially in relation to the dynamics of global environmental patterns. All these areas of ecology overlap and together provide an understanding of life on Earth which informs practitioners, managers, and humanity in general about both basic and applied issues of concern. As with other areas of life sciences, evolutionary concepts underpin ecology. Molecular methods and advanced statistical techniques, including AI, are of increasing importance, allowing the scope of ecological concepts being studied to be broadened.

Ecology is thus a broad field. For the talks in this series, 18 talks will follow an Introduction to Ecology providing a representative ‘taste’ of the subject under the general headings of species adaptations and their environment, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and macroecology. Future expansion of the series could include the topics of Invasion Ecology, Urban Ecology, Applied Ecology, and Novel Ecological Methods.