Definition of Ecology :

Ecology is the study of the interactions

between life and its physical environment; the
relationship between animals and plants and
how one species affect another ² Wikipedia
Š u component in ecological study usually
focuses on the ecosystem of an area.
Š un ecosystem is the unique network of animal
and plant species who depends on the other to
sustain life.
Š The interactions between and among
organisms at every stage of life and death can
impact the system.
Š un ecosystem can be a small area or big as the
ocean. In fact, one can say the whole world is
one big ecosystem

Predation and Pollination

Š iike many of the natural sciences, a conceptual
understanding of ecology is found in the broader
details of study, including:

{ life processes explaining adaptations distribution

and abundance of organisms
{ the movement of materials and energy through
living communities
{ the successional development of ecosystems, and
{ the abundance and distribution of biodiversity in
context of the environment
Š Ecologists study ecosystems by sampling a
certain number of individuals that are
representative of a population
Š Ecosystems consist of communities interacting
with each other and the environment.
Š In ecology, communities are created by the
interaction of the populations of different
species in an area.
Š Just as the environment affects the organism, so
the organism affects its environment
Termite mounds with
Biodiversity of a coral reef.
varied heights of
Corals adapt and modify their
chimneys regulate gas
environment by forming
exchange, temperature
calcium carbonate skeletons
and other
that provide growing
environmental
conditions for future
parameters that are
generations and form habitat
needed to sustain the
for many other species
internal physiology of
the entire colony.
Š Termite mounds, for example, maintain a
constant internal temperature through the
design of air-conditioning chimneys.
Š The structure of the nests themselves are
subject to the forces of natural selection.
Š Moreover, the nest can survive over successive
generations, which means that ancestors inherit
both genetic material and a legacy niche that
was constructed before their time.
drowth of phytoplankton may
be nitrogen-limited if the
number of individuals has
become so great that there is no
more nitrogen available in the
environment.
Zooplankton, not limited by
inorganic nitrogen themselves,
can promote the growth of
additional phytoplankton by
consuming some individuals,
digesting them, and returning
part of the nitrogen to the
environment.
Many body characteristics adapted
for cold temperatures, for moving
across snow, ice, and open water,
and for hunting the seals which
make up most of its diet.

ulthough most polar bears are born

on land, they spend most of their
time at sea (hence their scientific
name meaning "maritime bear") and
can hunt consistently only from sea
ice, so spend much of the year on the
frozen sea.
Polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform
for hunting seals. iarge feet and short,
sharp, stocky claws are adaptations to this
environment.
The IUCN now lists global warming as the
most significant threat to the polar bear,
primarily because the melting of its sea ice
habitat reduces its ability to find sufficient
food.
The IUCN states, "If climatic trends
continue polar bears may become
extirpated from most of their range within
100 years.´
The polar bear was listed as a threatened
species under the Endangered Species uct
by the United States Department of the
Interior in 2008.
There are two species of camels: the
dromedary or urabian camel has a single
hump, and the Bactrian camel has two
humps

Camels do not store water in their humps

as is commonly believed

The humps are actually a reservoir of fatty

tissue

Concentrating body fat in their humps

minimizes heat-trapping insulation
throughout the rest of their body, which
may be an adaptation to living in hot
climates
Š When this tissue is metabolized, it acts as a
source of energy, and yields more than 1 g of
water for each 1 g of fat converted through
reaction with oxygen from air.
Š This process of fat metabolization generates a
net loss of water through respiration for the
oxygen required to convert the fat
Š Their ability to withstand long periods without
water is due to a series of physiological
adaptations
Š Their red blood cells have an oval shape, unlike
those of other mammals, which are circular.
This is to facilitate their flow in a dehydrated
state.
Š These cells are also more stable in order to
withstand high osmotic variation without
rupturing when drinking large amounts of
water.
Š Oval red corpuscles are not found in any other
mammal, but are present in reptiles, birds, and
fish.
Š Mangrove trees grow where no tree has grown
before.
Š They are able to survive inundation by salt
water twice a day, and in "soil" which is
unstable and poor in oxygen (anaerobic).
Š They also have to deal with swollen rivers
carrying silt during the wet season, as well as
violent storms that hit the coasts.
Š Salt solution : To deal with salt, all mangrove
trees exclude some salt at the root level, and all
can tolerate more salt in their tissues than
"normal" plants, often in quantities that would
kill other plants.
Š But some have more effective ultrafiltration at
the root level to exclude more salt.
Š uny salt that gets through are believed to be
stored in old leaves which are later shed.
Š u few can tolerate high levels of salt in their
tissues and their sap can be up to one-tenth as
salty as sea water. They then secrete the excess
salt through special cells on their leaves.
Š ulthough mangrove trees are adapted to grow
in salt water, they require regular flushing with
freshwater. They will die if immersed in
saltwater all the time.
Š 
don't mangroves grow in fres water
swamps?

One reason could be that they are unable to

grow as fast as other freshwater plants and are
soon overwhelmed. They may also be unable to
cope with the bacteria and fungi found in
freshwater.
Š £ow did t e term "mangrove" arise?

We don't really know. It might be derived from

some of the ancient names given to some
mangrove trees: the Portuguese called them
à
, the Spanish à
, the Malays à

à
 or à

.
Some environments, such as deserts, semi-
deserts, and dry steppes, receive little
water in the form of precipitation
Plants that inhabit these dry areas are
known as xerophytes, and many of them
are succulents, with thick or reduced,
"succulent", leaves.
Cactus have a range of specific adaptations
that enable them to survive in these
environments.
Cactus have never lost their leaves
completely; they have only reduced the
size so that they reduce the surface area
through which water can be lost by
transpiration
Much like many other plants that have
waxy coatings on their leaves, cacti often
have a waxy coating on their stems to
prevent water loss and potentially repel
water from their stems.

The bodies of many cacti have become

thickened during the course of evolution,
and form water-retentive tissue and in
many cases assume the optimal shape of a
sphere or cylinder (combining highest
possible volume with lowest possible
surface area).

By reducing its surface area, the body of

the plant is also protected against excessive
sunlight.
Penguin

Cheetah
Do they not look at the camels, how they are
created?
(î
  à
 
  
à  à




    à
 àà
 
 


   à
  
?
(Surah ul-dhasyiyah:17)