Reviewer in Environmental Science Abiotic components – components which

surround us but these are nonliving. Soil,

Environment – The complex of physical, Water, Air, Temperature and Sunlight.
chemical, and biotic factors that act upon
an organism or an ecological community Biotic components – components which
and ultimately determine its form and surround us but includes living
survival. components. ➢ include: a) producers b)
consumers c) decomposers.
Natural environment is in which an
organism live naturally on the earth Biophysical components

Wildness is called natural environment of - living and nonliving components

the organisms both are when combined they form
biophysical components. Example
Wildness means the organism lives and these components form a) Marine
interacts with natural atmosphere such as environment b)Atmospheric
rocks and air and etc. environment.
Ecosystem – The complex of living Energy components
organisms, their physical environment,
and all their interrelationships in a - it include solar energy, geo
particular unit of space. Derives from the chemical energy, thermoelectrical
Greek oikos, meaning "home," and energy, nuclear energy etc.
systema, or "system."
Subsystems of the Earth

- Lithosphere
- Hydrosphere
- Biosphere
- Atmosphere

Levels of Ecological Organization

 Species
Types of Environment  Population
 Community
Natural Environment – The components  Ecosystem
of natural environment are air, water, soil,  Biosphere
land, radiations, forests, wildlife, flora and
fauna etc. Scientific Method

Manmade Environment – Include A series of steps that scientists use

transportation, housing, agricultural and answer question and solve problem.
livestock farms, aquatic farms, industries,
Process of Scientific Research
dams, energy such as hydro thermal and
nuclear energy plants etc. 1. Make an Observation
2. Ask a Question
Components of Environment
3. Form a Hypothesis that answer the
question
 4. Make a prediction based on the Aquatic Ecosystem
hypothesis
5. Do an Experiment to test the An aquatic ecosystem is a type of
prediction ecosystem that includes all living and non-
6. Analyze the result living things in water habitats. This can
7. Hypothesis is Correct, report the include oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, and
result, If the hypothesis is wetlands.
Incorrect, report the result and try Different type of Aquatic Ecosystem
again or go back to the form the
hypothesis that answer the 1. Marine Ecosystem
question. 2. Freshwater Ecosystem
8. 3. Hydrothermal Vent Ecosystem
4. Artificial Aquatic Ecosystem
Other key components In following the
Scientific Method Lotic System – Flowing
Lentic System – Still or Slow Moving
1. Verifiability
2. Predictability
1. Falsifiability
3. Fairness Different Source of Freshwater
1. Precipitation
Basic Concept of Law of Tolerance 2. Surface Water
3. Ground Water
Shelford’s Law of Tolerance – The 4. Glacier and Ice Caps
distribution of each species is determined 5. Desalination
by its range of tolerance to variation in
Threat to Aquatic Ecosystem
each environmental factor. 1. Pollutant
2. Obstruction
E.g. the climatic, topographic, and
3. Low-Water Level
biological requirements of plants and 4. Climate Change
animal.
Photosynthesis
Terrestrial Ecosystem
Comes from two words photo meaning
Terrestrial ecosystems are land- based “light ”and synthesis meaning “to make.
communities of organisms interacting with
biotic and abiotic elements in a given 1. Stomata are cell structures in the
environment or area. epidermis of tree leaves and
needles that are involved in the
Major type of Terrestrial Ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide and
water between plants and the
1. Taigas atmosphere.
2. Forest
Process of Photosynthesis
 Temperate, Plantation, and By taking in water (H2O) through the
Tropical Rainforest roots, carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air,
and light energy from the sun, plants can
3. Tundra perform photosynthesis to make glucose
4. Dessert – cold and hot dessert (sugars) and oxygen (O2).
5. Grassland
An autotroph is an organism that can Community Ecology
produce their own food using light, water,
carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. Is the study of interactions and
competition of species that coexist in a
Chloroplast is an organelle that contains particular ecological niche, such as lake,
the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll prairie or wooded area. Population are
that captures sunlight and converts it into linked by interspecific interaction that
useful energy, thereby, releasing oxygen impact the survival and reproduction of the
from water. species involved.

Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives plants Ecologists use 3 characteristics to

their green color, and it helps plants describe a community:
create their own food through 1. Physical Appearance
photosynthesis. 2. Species Diversity
3. Niche Structure
Stroma is a colourless, alkaline, aqueous,
protein-rich fluid present within the inner Habitat: it is the place or part of an
membrane of the chloroplast present ecosystem, occupied by a particular
surrounding the grana. organism.(Terrestrial and Aquatic habitat)
A habitat is where an organisms finds the
Grana is stack of lamellae in plastids. food, water, and shelter.
These are the sites of conversion of light
energy into chemical energy. Niche: It refers to the functional role or
occupation of a species in it’s habitat and
Trophic Level the interaction it has with other species
Refers to the different levels or steps in (ex. Competition, food, predator-prey
the energy pathway. The starting source relationship,reproduction).
of the trophic level in the ecosystem is the
sun, which gets utilized by autotrophs. Types of Niches
Different Trophic levels 1. Fundamental Niche: is the entire
1) First Trophic Level: Autotrophs set of conditions under in which
2) Second Trophic Level: Primary animal (population, species) can
Consumer survive and reproduce itself.
3) Third Trophic Level: Secondary 2. Realized Niche: the portion of
Consumers fundamental niche that a species
4) Fourth Trophic Level: Tertiary actually occupies
Consumers
Resource Partitioning
5) Fifth Trophic Level: Quaternary
Consumers  Refers to the division of resources
to avoid interspecific competition
Energy is lost as metabolic heat when for limited resources in an
animals from one trophic level are ecosystem (species sharing
ingested by species from the next level, resources)
hence energy diminishes as it goes up
the food chain. Types of interaction in ecological
community
With less energy at higher trophic levels,  Interspecific
there are usually fewer organisms as well. • Predation
Organisms tend to be larger in size at • Keystone Predators
higher trophic levels, but their smaller • Competition
numbers result in less biomass.  Symbiosis
• Parasitism
• Commensalism
• Mutualism
 Mutualism
Predators (+/-)  Is a type of symbiotic relationship
 Predator-prey relationship where all species involved benefits
 one species eats another species. from their interactions.
 Predator hunt, prey hide

Animal defense against Predation Biodiversity

• Cryptic coloration: camouflage  refers to the variety of living
• Aposematic coloration: warning species on Earth, including plants,
• Batesian mimicry: harmless animals, bacteria, fungi.
species mimics a harmful species
• Mullerian mimicry: 2 or more 3 levels of Biodiversity
species resemble each other.  Genetic Diversity
Keystone Predators  Species Diversity
• Keystone species are solely  Ecosystem Diversity
responsible for maintaining local 3 levels of Biodiversity
species diversity.  Genetic Diversity: the differences
• Without Keystone predators other among the DNA content among
species may explode in number individuals within species and
and lead to extinction of other populations.
populations.  Species Diversity: the number and
Competition variety of species in the world or in
 Occur when two organism particular area.
compete for the same limited  Ecosystem Diversity: the number
resources (ex: food, shelter, water of different habitats available in a
or any other biotic or abiotic given area.
factors)
 Importance of Biodiversity
Competitive interaction  Ecological balance: Biodiversity is
 Interference: competition through essential for maintaining the
direct interference. balance of ecosystems. Each
 Exploitative: each species species plays a unique role in the
reduces the amount of resource ecosystem, and the loss of even
available to other species by using one species can have a significant
the resource. impact on the entire ecosystem.
 Competitive Exclusion: no two 
similar species occupy the same Importance of Biodiversity
niche at the same time.  Contribute to Climate Stability:
Biodiversity can help mitigate the
Parasitism (+/-) effects of climate change by
 Parasitism is a symbiotic sequestering carbon and
relationship in which one organism increasing energy efficiency
benefits while the other is harmed. measures.

Importance of Biodiversity
Commensalism(+/O)  Human well-being: Biodiversity
provides many important
 Commensalism is a relationship resources that are essential for
between two organism in which human well-being such as food,
one of them benefits and the other medicine, and clean water.
derives neither benefit nor harm.
Importance of Biodiversity
 Economic benefits: Many
industries rely on biodiversity, such
as agriculture, forestry, and
fisheries. Biodiversity also provides
ecosystem services such as
pollination, pest control, and
nutrient cycling.

 Cultural Value: Biodiversity is an

important part of many cultures
and religions around the world.
Many indigenous communities rely
on biodiversity for their livelihoods
and cultural practices.
 Scientific Value: Biodiversity
provides important opportunities
for scientific research, such as the
discovery of new species, genetic
diversity and the study of
ecosystems.

Threats to Biodiversity
• Habitat destruction
• Pollution
• Climate Change
• Exploitation

Interrelationships among plants and

animals /Ecological succession

Different types of interrelationships

between plants and animals.
1. Pollination
2. Dispersal of Seed

Ecological Succession
 Ecological succession refers to the
gradual and predictable process of
change in the species composition
and structure of an ecosystem
over time.

Two types of Succession

 Primary succession, newly
exposed or newly formed rock is
colonized by living things for the
first time.
 Secondary succession, an area
that was previously occupied by
living things is disturbed, then re-
colonized following the
disturbance.