Ecology
From Conservapedia
Ecology is the study of relationships among organisms in ecosystems.[1] The term comes from the German "oekologie."
Ecology is often confused with "evolution", in publications which use terms loosely. Here at Conservapedia, the we use "evolution" only to mean the emergence of a new species; see macroevolution. Adaptations such as can be seen in the different breeds of dogs are not considered "evolution" in this context (see also Origins debate).
A well known observation of ecology is the change in populations of predator and prey. When more predators are introduced to an environment, they eat more prey animals. This tends to increase the population of predators, since they get more food and can thus live longer to reproduce more. But it also reduces the food supply, which contrariwise causes the predators to live shorter lives and to reproduce less. In some ecosystems, the populations of predator and prey cycle up and down wildly, but usually they reach an equilibrium.[2]
The first significant contribution to the theory of population ecology was that of Thomas Malthus, an English clergyman, who in 1798 published his Essay on the Principle of Population. Malthus introduced the concept that at some point in time an expanding population must exceed supply of prerequisite natural resources, i.e., population increases exponentially resulting in increasing competition for means of subsistence, food, shelter, etc. This concept has been termed the "Struggle for Existence". [1]
References
- ↑ Wile, Dr. Jay L. Exploring Creation With Biology. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998
- ↑ Rockwood, Larry L. Introduction to Population Ecology. Wiley Blackwell, 2006. ISBN 9781405132633. Chapter 10.
