Ecology Concepts: Interconnectedness PDF

04/08/2022 Ecology Concepts: Interconnectedness Distinction between Interdependence and Interconnectedness Ecological Levels of Organization Biotic and Abiotic Factors Nutritional Relat...

04/08/2022 Ecology Concepts: Interconnectedness Distinction between Interdependence and Interconnectedness Ecological Levels of Organization Biotic and Abiotic Factors Nutritional Relationships Energy Flow in the Ecosystem 1 individual population community ecosystem ecosphere Ecological levels of organization 2 1  04/08/2022 Level Description Biosphere Also known as the ecosphere, it is the summation of all ecosystems worldwide. Ecosystem The community of organisms and populations interacting with one another and with the abiotic factor making up their environment Community Populations of different plants and animals living and interacting in an area at a particular time Population Group of organisms of the same species living within a particular area Organism Any form of life which includes plants and animals Ecological levels of organization 3 Interdependence and Interconnectedness individual population community ecosystem ecosphere Ecological levels of organization 4 2  04/08/2022 ECOSYSTEM ABIOTIC BIOTIC Components of the environment 5 Abiotic Factors 6 3  04/08/2022 Light energy (sunlight) Photosynthetic activity of green plants (with chlorophyll) Affects day length caused by circadian rhythm (rotation of the earth in its own axis) – nocturnal and diurnal organisms 7 Water Organisms classified either as terrestrial or aquatic Classified plants based on water requirement – hydrophytes, mesophytes, xerophytes 8 4  04/08/2022 Atmospheric gases Most important of which are oxygen (respiration), carbon dioxide (photosynthesis), and nitrogen (protein synthesis) 9 Wind or air currents Carries water vapor which condense and fall as rain, snow , or hail Plays a role in plant pollination and seed dispersal Wind erosion removes and redistributes topsoil 10 5  04/08/2022 Temperature Affects the distribution of organism in the surface of the planet Influenced by the revolution of the earth around the sun bringing about seasonal rhythm Affects activities of organism – dormancy, migration, germination 11 Soil (edaphic factors) Soil Texture (sand, silt, loam, clay) supports different types of vegetation - animals Soil Temperature affects organic matter decomposition Soil water, solution, and pH influence biological activities and availability of certain minerals 12 6  04/08/2022 Physiographic factors Physical nature of the area affects the vegetation zones (altitude), presence of sun or rain-bearing winds (position), and temperature of the soil surface (slope ) 13 ECOSYSTEM ABIOTIC BIOTIC Components of the environment 14 7  04/08/2022 Autotrophs Heterotrophs Decomposers Biotic Factors 15 Autotrophs capture energy (sunlight) and use it, along with inorganic nutrients, to produce organic compounds; producers 16 8  04/08/2022 Heterotrophs need a source of preformed organic nutrients and consume tissues of other organisms; consumers - herbivores (green plants), Carnivores (animal flesh), Omnivores (plants and animals) 17 Decomposers Non-photosynthetic bacteria and fungi that extract energy from dead matter, including animal wastes in the soil, and make nutrients available 18 9  04/08/2022 Relationship S1 S2 Description Competition - - Two organisms utilizing the same environmental resource (interspecific or intraspecific) Parasitism + - Parasite benefits at the expense of the host Predation + - Predator feeds on a prey Commensalism + o Commensal benefits while the host is unaffected Protocooperation + + Favorable to both but not obligatory Mutualism + + Favorable to both but obligatory Nutritional relationships 19 Food Web 20 10  04/08/2022 First law of thermodynamics - energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be changed from one form of energy to another. 21 Second law of thermodynamics - when energy is transformed from one form to another, there is always some loss of energy from the system, usually as low-grade heat. 22 11  04/08/2022 Interdependence among organisms is the prime motivation that brings about interconnectedness. Life follows a hierarchy as shown by the ecological levels of organization. The ecosystem level is where different interactions happen. These interactions promote interconnections between biotic and/or abiotic factors. The food chains/webs define nutritional relationships, the flow of energy in the ecosystem, trophic levels, laws of thermodynamics. Key Takeaways….. 23 12