Animal Ecology Lecture Notes PDF
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These lecture notes provide an overview of animal ecology, focusing on topics like ecosystem dynamics, energy flow, food chains, and trophic levels. Concepts like the laws of thermodynamics, energy pyramids, and biomass pyramids are also discussed.
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THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF PYRAMID OF NUMBERS Energy Consumed Digested...
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF PYRAMID OF NUMBERS Energy Consumed Digested Energy for heat body activities Consumed Energy Biomass of first trophic level Body Biomass of building 2nd t. l. consumed Digested Not Not Not consumed Faecal wastes Faecal wastes First trophic Inorganic level substances detritus THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PYRAMID OF BIOMASS Two laws of thermodynamics are important in the study of energy flow through ecosystems. 1. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. Energy for the functioning of an ecosystem comes from the Sun. Solar energy is absorbed by plants where in it is converted to stored chemical energy. 2. The second law of thermodynamics states that whenever energy is transformed, there is loss of energy through the release of heat. TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT LECTURE
