Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Trophic Levels01:35

Trophic Levels

All organisms in an ecosystem occupy a trophic level in the food chain. The lowest level consists of primary producers, which synthesize their food from either solar or chemical energy. Each subsequent level obtains energy from the levels below. Detritivores can occupy any of the levels above primary producers.
Trophic Efficiency00:46

Trophic Efficiency

Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) is a measure of the total energy transfer from one trophic level to the next. Due to extensive energy loss as metabolic heat, an average of only 10% of the original energy obtained is passed on to the next level. This pattern of energy loss severely limits the possible number of trophic levels in a food chain.
Second Law of Thermodynamics00:53

Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. Each energy transfer results in a certain amount of energy that is lost—usually in the form of heat—that increases the disorder of the surroundings. This can also be demonstrated in a classic food web. Herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants and release heat and carbon dioxide into the environment. Carnivores harvest the chemical energy...
First Law of Thermodynamics00:37

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. This can be demonstrated within a classic food web where light energy from the sun is harnessed as radiant energy by plants, converted into chemical energy, and stored as complex carbohydrates. The vegetation is then consumed by animals and during the digestion process, the sugars release energy as heat. The sugars also produce chemical energy that either gets used up doing work, stored in...
Levels of Organization01:09

Levels of Organization

Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth's biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules comprise...
Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Interaction of Photoperiod and Temperature in Diapause Timing: A Copepod Example.

The Biological bulletin·2017
Same author

Predator driven changes in community structure.

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Population differences in the timing of diapause: a test of hypotheses.

Oecologia·2017
Same author

Cyanobacteria facilitate parasite epidemics in Daphnia.

Ecology·2016
Same author

Studies on atabrine (quinacrine) suppression of malaria.

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·2010
Same author

Relation of plasma level of atabrine to morphology and motility of Plasmodium vivax.

Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.)·2010

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Does food web complexity eliminate trophic-level dynamics?

N G Hairston1, N G Hairston

  • 1Section of Ecology and Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2701, USA.

The American Naturalist
|May 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

This study explores the fundamental dichotomy in scientific inquiry between seeking universal rules and identifying specific exceptions. Understanding this balance is crucial for advancing scientific knowledge and discovery.

More Related Videos

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community
11:28

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

Published on: May 28, 2007

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community
11:28

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

Published on: May 28, 2007

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Scientific Methodology

Background:

  • Scientific progress often hinges on a tension between establishing generalizable laws and acknowledging unique instances.
  • Historical perspectives reveal a persistent debate regarding the primary focus of scientific investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the inherent division among investigators regarding the pursuit of scientific rules versus exceptions.
  • To contextualize this division within the broader landscape of scientific discovery and knowledge generation.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of scientific inquiry paradigms.
  • Historical review of scientific investigation approaches.

Main Results:

  • Identified a core dichotomy in scientific approaches: rule-seeking and exception-seeking.
  • Highlighted the historical and ongoing relevance of this division in scientific discourse.

Conclusions:

  • Both rule-seeking and exception-seeking are vital components of scientific advancement.
  • Recognizing this duality can foster a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific process.