12.

0 ECOLOGY

Contents:
Introduction to ecology Ecosystem concept Energy flow Biogeochemical cycles Biodiversity: conservation and management

12.1 INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY Objective Define basic terminologies in ecology

Introduction to ecology
Ecology :
study of the interactions among organisms, between organisms and their physical environment

Ba ic ter! in ecology
!iche "abitat Organism #opulation Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere

 Nic"e
!iche is the status or role of an organism in its habitat$environment
Eg :

%eeding behaviours

aphid and caterpillar aphid suc& the plant saps caterpillar eats the leaf

 #a$itat
'he place in which an organism lives

E(amples : streams, ponds, rivers and la&es

 Organi !
systems wor&ing together with far greater precision and comple(ity ma&e up the comple( living organism

THE ORGANIZATION OF LIFE

~ Individuals of the same type of organism living together are called a %o%ulation

THE ORGANIZATION OF LIFE

All the different species that live in a place are called a community Eg: forest community

A community and the physical environment in which it lives is called ecosystem.

THE ORGANIZATION OF LIFE

oMajor terrestrial ecosystems, called biomes oClimate controlled group of plants & animals in the wide area

THE ORGANIZATION OF LIFE

Examples of biome include desert, tropical rain forests and tundra

Bio!e

THE ORGANIZATION OF LIFE

All of the communities of living things on Earth are organi!ed into the biosphere

12.2 ECO&Y&TE' CONCE(T Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to : Explain ecosystem concept. Explain the components of the ecosystem with examples: i. biotic components ii.abiotic components iii. interaction between biotic components iv. interaction between biotic and abiotic components. Describe the following ecosystem structures; i la!e ecosystem ii "errestrial ecosystem of tropical rainforest

11.3 THE ECOSYSTEM CONCEPT

De)inition according to Odu! *1+,+ "he basic functional unit of nature including both organisms and their non# living environment interacting with the other and influencing each other$s

Le.el o) ecological organi/ation

Bios !"#" Biom" Ecosyst"m Community O#%'nism
"co$o%y stu&y

Po u$'tion
(io&i)"#sity

'he components of the ecosystem

#$%"$& &%'(%)E)"* # living organisms A#$%"$& &%'(%)E)"* # non living components
$)"E+A&"$%)* #E",EE) #$%"$&; #E",EE) #$%"$& A)D A#$%"$&

BIOTIC COMPONENT

-. Autotroph.producer /. 0eterotroph.consumer 1. Decomposers

1* Autot#o !+ #o&uc"#

Autotroph %producers& ' manufacture organic food from inorganic substances from environment

(n terrestrial ecosystems# green plants (n a)uatic ecosystems ' phytoplan*ton %algae & blue green bacteria&

,* H"t"#ot#o !+consum"# # +rganisms that cannot synthesi!e their own food from inorganic materials # +btain organic nutrients by ,

"eterotroph can be divided into four type of organisms

-erbivores Carnivores

Omnivores Detritivores

A* HERBI-ORE

(rimary consumers : An animal that feeds directly on plants or algae

B* CARNI-ORE /m"'t "'t"#s*

S"con&'#y+t"#ti'#y consum"#s. .redators # An animal that feeds on other animal/ flesh# eater 0cavengers ' which usually eat what is left by the predators %eg 1 vultures&

C* OMNI-ORE

An animal that eats a variety of plant and animal material

0* 0ETRITI-ORE

An organism (such as an earthworm or crab) Feed; small fragments of dead organisms waste matter of animals and plants. Also called detritus feeder.

3* 0ECOMPOSER

2ecomposers are microorganisms ' mainly fungi & bacteria

bacteria

Also called saprophyte 0ecrete digestive en!ymes onto dead or waste material & absorb the products

2ungi

Interactions between biotic components

Competition .redation 0ymbiosis

/i* COMPETITION
occurs when two or more individuals re)uire the same resource that is in short supply Can occur among members of the same species or different species

COMPETITION
same species; intraspecific competition different species; interspecific competition.

/iii* PRE0ATION
community interaction where one species %predators&, eats another %prey& (ncludes / animal interactions and animal plant interactions

)*+BIO'IC
, CO++O! '*#E) O% )*+BIO'IC -E./'IO!)"I# /-E :
a0 +utualism b0 #arasitism c0 Commensalisms

)ymbiosis:
Individual of 1 or more sp live in direct with one another
"armful, helpful, neutral

a- 'UTU0LI&'
Biological interaction between two organisms, where each individual derives benefit to each other E g : "ummingbird drin&ing from Dianthus , lichen

a- 'UTU0LI&'

/nemones provide the fish with protection from predators 2which cannot tolerate the stings of the anemone3s tentacles0 and the fish defend the anemones against butterfly fish which eat anemones

(* PARASITISME
Close association between two living organisms of different species which beneficial to one %parasite& & harmful to other %host&

$- (0R0&ITI&'E
Can divided in 3 types 1 4 !ndoparasites
3 !ctoparasites

c0 Commensalisme
"he relationship between two species/ one species got benefit from the relationship & the second species is unaffected by it Eg 1 host tree & epiphytes

c0 Commensalisme
Eg :Barnacles

(nteraction between biotic & abiotic components

/biotic components are the nonliving chemical and physical factors to which an organism is e(posed

 0$iotic co!%onent are :

Atmosphere " made up of gases that envelop the !arth

-ydrosphere ' waters of the Earth, li)uid and fro!en water

5ithosphere ' the soil and sediments of the Earth$s