Ecology and the Biosphere –study guide questions•What is ecology? Use wolves as a case study to explain ecology as a science.•What is the relationship between ecology and evolution?•Compare and contrast ecological and evolutionary time? •How do ecologists study ecological questions? Provide some examples.•What are the main factors that might influence the distribution of individuals of a species?•What is the difference between ‘abiotic’ and ‘biotic’ factors? •What questions might an ecologist ask to understand what limits the distribution of species? •What limits an organism’s distribution?•What is dispersal? How do ecologists study how dispersal affects distribution of species? Describe some examples.
•Why are some organisms that have a large potential range limited to a small actual range?•What is habitat selection? •Describe examples of biotic and abiotic factors that can limit a species’ distribution. •Climate is a result of what 4 abiotic factors?
