Environmental Conservation Spring 2004

Environmental Conservation
GEO 260, Spring 2006
Concepts for Environmental
Geography/Ecosystems

Reading to be done before Class: CES pp. 1-13
Come to class with a basic familiarity with the following concepts and ideas: Environmental science, natural resources, conservation, preservation, John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and Aldo Leopold's views of environmental conservation, sustainability, stewardship, environmental ethics, environmental policies, scientific method, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere, biotic factors, abiotic factors, Aquatic ecosystems (salt and freshwater): pelagic and neritic areas, Terrestrial Ecosystems: biomes, different types of biomes. Biodiversity, habitat, niche, mutualism, commensalisms, predation, competition.

What is geography?

What is Environmental Science?

Regions

The Biosphere

Ecosystems

A community of living organisms interacting in a defined physical environment where living and nonliving components are linked by chemical exchanges, biological interactions and energy flow. (Mayer pg. 2)

Example-Karner Blue Butterfly in the Indiana Dunes (more info)

Ecosystem Characteristics and Components

Scale
Biotic and Abiotic components
Organisms
Populations (Karner Blue Population Map)
Communities

Interrelationships in Ecosystems

Habitat
Ecotone
Niche
Predation
Mutualism (more info)
Commenssalism
Competition
Allelopathy (In deserts)

Why is the Karner Blue Butterfly endangered?

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