Question

hs-ls2-1 to ls2-8 ecosystems: interactions, energy, and dynamics
learning objective:
read & isolate essential information from the article \introduction to ecology\ using critical reading strategies then write a claim evidence and reasoning- cer summary paragraph.
essential question:
how are the levels of organization in the biosphere related to energy transfers and the stability of ecosystems?
reading prompt:
the article \introduction to ecology\ by howstuffworks.com introduces the key concepts of ecology and how it relates to organisms and their environment. first, read the article independently. then, using the critical reading strategies, describe and explain the different levels of organization. next, differentiate between primary and secondary successions. how are abiotic factors (non-living) and biotic factors (living) interconnected and how does energy move within an ecosystem?
instructions:
mark & charting the text:

1. read the article
2. number the paragraphs
3. highlight key terms, words or phrases
4. underline important information / definitions about the words or phrases
5. write summary sentences for each of the chunks

introduction to ecology
ecology, the study of the ways in which living organisms influence and are influenced by the environment as well as describe the balance of nature, or the natural ways in which stability is maintained in the interactions of living and nonliving things. for example, pollution is said to disturb the ecology of a stream, meaning that it changes the ways in which fish, insects, algae, and water interact environment, in this sense, includes not only other living things but also such nonliving, natural constituents as chemical elements, moisture, soil, light, and temperature, and such man-made technological constituents as buildings, highways, machines, fertilizers, and medicines.
summary sentence: (the author is saying that...)

Explanation:

The paragraph defines ecology as the study of how living organisms interact with and are influenced by their environment, including both natural and man - made elements. It also gives an example of pollution disturbing a stream's ecology.

Answer:

The author is saying that ecology is the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment (both natural non - living things like chemical elements and man - made things like buildings), and gives an example of pollution affecting a stream's ecological balance.