Evolution and EcologyIt is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.- Charles DarwinEvolution is the process by which all of the living organisms on the Earth changed over time from their early ancestor species.Ecology is the study of the relationships between organisms and the living and nonliving parts of the environmentIn biology, the study of living organisms involves understanding various levels of organization.Ecology uses a similar hierarchy.An organism is an individual life form.A population includes all members of a species that live in the same area at the same time.The biological community is made of all the populations living and interacting in one area.The ecosystem includes the biological community and surrounding physical environment.The biosphere includes all parts of the Earth – surface, atmosphere, and oceans, occupied by life.A habitat describes the physical space and environment that an organism can survive in.A species of organisms are able to breed and produce healthy, fertile offspringHabitats are defined by:Abiotic factors: Non-living factors such as soil composition, climate, surrounding landforms.Biotic factors: Other species, including predators and competitors.Tolerance range graphs define the specific abiotic factors that are survivable for a species.Temperature, pH, salinity, amount of sunlight, etcThe optimal range is the ideal amount of that factor for the population to survive.Zones of physiological stress are found when the factor is too high or low, killing off the weaker members of the population.Zones of intolerance are not survivable in the long-term, causing the population to eventually die out.AdaptationsCharacteristics that make an organism better suited to its