BIOLOGY

CHAPTER 8:
DYNAMIC
ECOSYSTEM

CONTENT
ECOSYSTEM
C O L O N I S AT I O N A N D S U C C E SS I O N
C O L O N I S AT I O N A N D S U C C E SS I O N
IN M A N G R OV E S WA M P S
A D A P TAT I O N S O F M A N G R O V E
TREES
C O L O N I S AT I O N A N D S U C C E SS I O N
IN PONDS
QUESTIONS

Niche
The niche of an organism is the roles and activities of
the organism in its habitat. Two organisms sharing the
same habitat may have different niches.
An organism can be classified as a producer, consumer
or a decomposer based on its role in the food chain.
Habitat
A habitat is a the natural environment in which
organisms live and obtains its basic resources such as
food and shelter.
Community
A community consists of different populations if plants
and interacting in the habitat of an ecosystem.
A community is named after the dominant species in
the physical feature of a habitat.
Species
A species is a group of organisms which can interbreed
to produce fertile offspring.
Population
A population consists of organisms of the same species
living in the same habitat at the same time.

ECOSYSTEM
- An ecosystem is a dynamic
system formed by the interactions
of organisms with one another and
with the non-living factors of
environment.
-The biotic(living things)
components are in balance with
one another as well as with the
abiotic(non-living things)
component
-Examples: Pond, Field, Rainforest

C O LO N I S AT I O N
AND
S U C C E SS I O N
-Colonisation is a process whereby
living organisms move to a new area
that is completely devoid.
-Pioneer species is the first species
of organism that colonises the new
area.
-Succession is the pioneer species
that is replaced
-Succession of a habitat takes place
when the successor species moves
into the modified environment,
compete and gradually replace the
pioneer species.
-Annual plants, Perennial Plants or
Grass, Softwood Trees, Hardwood
Trees.

M A N G R OV E
S WA P S

-Formed by deposition of mud and

silt carried down by the river. It is
found at the estuary, where the
river meets the sea.
-Only mangrove trees are able to
colonise the soft, waterlogged,
muddy soil which has low oxygen
level but high concentration of salt.

COLONISATION AND SUCCESSION IN MANGROVE SWAMPS

Pioneer species
1. The pioneer species in a mangrove swamp are Avecennia sp. and Sonneratia sp. .
2. Sea current carries the viviparous seedlings of both pioneer species where it will start to
grow in a new area.
3. Pnemotrophes are vertical ariel roots that project out from the soil into the air. It contains
aerenchyma tissue spaces(air spaces for gaseous exchange and help the roots to float).
Pnemotrophes will trap mud and organic sediments making the soil compact and firm as time
Succession I (Rhizophora sp.)
passes. Lenticles found on tree barks helps too.
4. Rhizophora sp. replaces the pioneer species(Avecennia sp. and Sonneratia sp.).
5. Rhizophora sp. has stilt roots or prop roots for support and gaseous exchange. They also
trap mud and organic sediments to make the soil more compact and firm.
Succession II (Bruguira sp.)
6. Bruguira sp. replaces rhizophora sp. zone.
7. Bruguira sp. has buttress roots and knee-shaped pneumatrophes.
8. They provide support, site of gaseous exchange and trap mud and organic sediments to
make the soil more compact and firm.
Succession( Terrestrial plants)
9. Overtime, when the soil structure is suitable for land plants such as Nipah plant and
Pandan plant will start to grow.

PROFILE
OF
MANGROV
E SWAMP

ADAPTATIONS OF MANGROVE PLANTS

Problems Faced By The Mangrove Plants

Adaptive Structures of Mangrove Plant

Ground too soft to provide support

Have stilt roots or prop roots.

Very little oxygen in waterlogged mud

Have breathing roots called pnemotrophes

whichare vertical ariel roots that project out
from the soil into the air.
Gaseous exchange also occur through
lenticels on the bark of mangrove trees

High salt content of the sea

The sap in the root cells has a higher salt

content. Sea water enters roots through
osmosis. Excess salt water is eliminated
through hydathodes found at the lower
epidermis of leaves.

Seeds sink into the mud and die due to

insufficient oxygen

Have viviaparous seeds. A radicle grows from

the germinated seed when it is still attached
to the parent tree. When the seedling is
released, the radicle holds up the shoot above
the mud.

Exposure to strong sunlight and intense

heat(higher rate of transpiration)

Leaves with thick cuticle and sunken stomata

to reduce transpiration

COLONISATION AND SUCCESSION IN PONDS

Pioneer Stage
1. Submerged aquatic plant are pioneer species. Example: Utricularia and Cabomba.
Phtoplantonand zooplankton can also be colonisers considered as first colonisers. They have
long fibrous roots to penetrate soil and absorb nutrients.
2. The pioneer species will die and decompose and become organic matter and the pond
becomes shallow as it settles at the bottom.
First succession
3. First successor is floating plants. Example: Pistia, Eichornia and Lemma
4. The floating plants replaces the pioneer species or submerged aquatic plants.
5. The floating aquatic plants will gradually multiply and cover the surface of the pond. This
prevents sunlight from reaching the submerged aquatic plants.
6. The submerged aquatic plants dies because unable to carry out photosynthesis. The
submerged aquatic plants will die and decompose and become organic matter ad the pond
becomes shallow as it settles at the bottom.
Second succession
7.Emergent or amphibious plant are the second successor. Emergent or amphibious plants
succeeds the floating aquatic plant. Example: Cattails. Adaptation: can grow in water or dry
land and the roots or emergent of plant of plants grow from the sides to the middle of the
pond binding the soil together

Third succession
1.Land plants such as grass, creepers herbaceous or other woody plants.
2.Land plants succeeds the emergent or amphious plant.
3.The emergent plant dies and becomes organic matter and settle of the middle of the pond.
4.The deposition and evaporation of water from the pond well make the pond very shallow
and eventually dry up.
5.This is suitable for land plants and the process continues until it reaches a climax
community called the tropical rain forest(primary forest).

QUESTIONS?

NO?
IF YOU SAY SO

QUESTIONS

Objective questions

1. Which of the following statements properly describe

population?
A. A community of living organisms interacting with one
another
B. The role or function of an organism in an ecosystem
C. A group of organism of the same species.
D. The natural surroundings in which the animal lives.
2.

knee-shaped pneumatrophes
buttress roots
Which mangrove species has this root system
A. Bruiguira sp.
B. Sonneratia sp.
C. Avecennia sp.
D. Rhiphozora sp.

Subjective question
1.
(i)Name one submerged aquatic plant.
Avecennia sp/Sonneratia sp
(ii) Describe the colonization and succession process in a pond.
1. Submerged aquatic plant are pioneer species. Example: Utricularia and Cabomba.
Phtoplantonand zooplankton can also be colonisers considered as first colonisers. They have
long fibrous roots to penetrate soil and absorb nutrients.
2. The pioneer species will die and decompose and become organic matter and the pond
becomes shallow as it settles at the bottom.
3. First successor is floating plants. Example: Pistia, Eichornia and Lemma
4. The floating plants replaces the pioneer species or submerged aquatic plants.
5. The floating aquatic plants will gradually multiply and cover the surface of the pond. This
prevents sunlight from reaching the submerged aquatic plants.
6. The submerged aquatic plants dies because unable to carry out photosynthesis. The
submerged aquatic plants will die and decompose and become organic matter ad the pond
becomes shallow as it settles at the bottom.
7. Emergent or amphibious plant are the second successor. Emergent or amphibious plants
succeeds the floating aquatic plant. Example: Cattails. Adaptation: can grow in water or dry
land and the roots or emergent of plant of plants grow from the sides to the middle of the
pond binding the soil together.

THANK
YOU