Ch 2: Glencoe Biology Chapter 2: Principles of Ecology
About This Chapter
How it works:
- Identify the lessons in Glencoe Biology's Principles of Ecology chapter with which you need help.
- Find the corresponding video lessons within this companion course chapter.
- Watch fun videos that cover the ecology topics you need to learn or review.
- Complete the quizzes to test your understanding.
- If you need additional help, re-watch the videos until you've mastered the material or submit a question for one of our instructors.
Students will learn:
- Levels of ecology
- Ecosystems
- Habitats and ecological niches
- Interspecific competition
- Competitive exclusion
- Nice differentiation
- Symbiotic relationships
- Food chains and trophic levels
- The phosphorus cycle
- The nitrogen cycle
- The carbon cycle
Glencoe Biology is a registered trademark of McGraw-Hill, which is not affiliated with Study.com.

1. The Environment, Levels of Ecology and Ecosystems
Do you know the difference between an environment and an ecosystem? In this lesson, you'll find out what makes an environment, and what makes an ecosystem. You'll also learn what ecology is and some of the ways that scientists study ecology using organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems and even the entire biosphere.

2. Ecosystems, Habitats and Ecological Niches
Check out this video lesson to understand the many complex aspects of an ecosystem. See how animals live in habitats and survive amongst their surroundings.

3. Interspecific Competition, Competitive Exclusion & Niche Differentiation
What happens when two similar species that consume the same resources occupy the same space? Interspecific competition, that's what! Watch our video lesson to learn about the outcomes of this ecological battle.

4. Symbiotic Relationships: Mutualism, Commensalism & Parasitism
If your cat or dog has ever had fleas, you've witnessed symbiosis in action. In this lesson, learn the many types of symbiosis in biology, and how these relationships can have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on the individual species.

5. Food Chains, Trophic Levels and Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
In this lesson, you'll learn about food chains, food webs, and the different roles that organisms play in an ecosystem. You'll also learn about how energy flows through an ecosystem.

6. Biogeochemical Cycling and the Phosphorus Cycle
In this video lesson, we'll take a look at how elements large and small use other elements to grow. This is achieved through cycles. We'll look at macronutrients, trace elements and the biogeochemical and phosphorous cycles.

7. The Nitrogen Cycle, Acid Rain and Fossil Fuels
Do you know the difference between nitrite and nitrate? Do you have any clue how all the nitrogen in the atmosphere becomes usable? If you can't answer these questions, then you need to watch this lesson on the nitrogen cycle.

8. The Carbon Cycle and Long-Term Carbon Storage
All living organisms have a role in the carbon cycle. Do you know you understand how humans, animals and plants use carbon? This lesson will introduce you to the carbon cycle and explain how it functions on a global scale.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Glencoe Biology: Online Textbook Help course
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 1: The Study of Life
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 3: Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 4: Population Ecology
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 5: Biodiversity and Conservation
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 6: Chemistry in Biology
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 7: Cellular Structure and Function
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 8: Cellular Energy
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 9: Cellular Reproduction
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 10: Sexual Reproduction and Genetics
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 11: Complex Inheritance and Human Heredity
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 12: Molecular Genetics
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 13: Genetics and Biotechnology
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 14: The History of Life
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 15: Evolution
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 16: Primate Evolution
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 17: Organizing Life's Diversity
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 18: Bacteria and Viruses
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 19: Protists
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 20: Fungi
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 21: Introduction to Plants
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 22: Plant Structure and Function
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 23: Reproduction in Plants
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 24: Introduction to Animals
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 25: Worms and Mollusks
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 26: Arthropods
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 27: Echinoderms and Invertebrate Chordates
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 28: Fishes and Amphibians
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 31: Animal Behavior
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 32: Integumentary, Skeletal, and Muscular Systems
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 33: Nervous System
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 34: Circulatory, Respiratory, and Excretory Systems
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 35: Digestive and Endocrine Systems
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 36: Human Reproduction and Development
- Glencoe Biology Chapter 37: The Immune System