Ecology
Ecology is the study of how living things (plants, animals, humans, microorganisms) interact with each other and with their environment (air, water, soil, sunlight)
investigating
Independent Variable
The factor you change or control in your experiment.
It is the variable chosen by the researcher.
Examples in Ecology:
Amount of sunlight
Type of soil
Amount of water
Temperature
pH of water
Nutrient level
You manipulate these → so they are independent variables.
Dependent Variable
The result you measure.
It changes because of the independent variable.
Examples in Ecology:
Plant growth (height, leaf count, biomass)
Population size of an organism
Rate of photosynthesis
Soil microbe activity
Water clarity
Decomposition rate
These are dependent because they depend on what you changed.
Easy way to remember
I change it → Independent variable
Depends on the change → Dependent variable
Example (Ecology Research)
Research question:
“Does water availability affect plant growth?”
Independent variable → Amount of water
Dependent variable → Plant growth
sampling
Sampling in ecology means studying a small part of a habitat to understand the whole habitat.Scientists cannot count every single plant or animal in a big area, so they check only a few selected spots.The information from these small spots helps them estimate what the entire area is like.
Why Sampling Is Used
It saves time.
It saves effort.
It still gives a good idea about the whole ecosystem.
How Sampling Is DoneScientists use tools such as:
Quadrat: a square frame used to count plants or small animals.
Transect line: a line used to study how organisms change from one place to another.
They place these tools in different areas, count what they find, and then use that data to understand the whole habitat.
Example If a scientist wants to know how many plants grow in a large field, they place a quadrat in several spots, count the plants inside it, and then estimate the total number for the whole field.