When studying Biology, we realize that there are different levels of biological organization. These levels help us better understand biological systems. Are they:
Atoms → Molecules → Organelles → Cells → Tissue → Organ → System → Organism
→ Population → Community → Ecosystem →Biosphere
In Ecology, the study is generally based on these last four levels, which will be explained below.
→ Population
The name of population is given to the group of individuals of the same species that live in a certain area, in a certain period of time.. The emphasis on area and time period is essential to understand that organisms of the same species, which live in distant places, do not constitute a population. As an example of population, we can cite a group of elephants that live in an area of the African Savannah.
→ Community
we call community the set of several populations that live in a given area, in a given period of time. In this case, we observe that the community is formed by a varied amount of organisms, unlike the population. As with the concept of population, we must keep in mind that all populations must be in the same area, in the same period. As an example of a community, we can mention the populations of elephants, zebras, wildebeests and lions that live in an area of the African Savannah.
→ ecosystem
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O ecosystem, in turn, is a hierarchical level that encompasses the community and considers, in addition to these organisms, the physical environment where living beings are. Therefore, in the ecosystem, we consider so much biotic and abiotic factors. As an example, we can mention the African Savannah, with all its abiotic factors (water, soil and light) and the community that exists there.
→ Biosphere
Finally we have the biosphere, which is defined as the region of the planet where we find living beings. In a simplified way, we can say that the biosphere is the set of all ecosystems existing on Earth and is considered by some to be the largest existing ecosystem.
By Ma. Vanessa Sardinha
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Levels of Organization in Ecology"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/niveis-organizacao-ecologia.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
