ECOLOGY - I

Ecology is the study of interactions among organisms and their environment.

Environment
The physical surroundings of an organism including air, water, soil etc. Organisms have
to interact with environment. Environment provides organisms everything required to
live. Environment is always changing, may be supportive or hostile. Organisms living in
an environment are “best fit” for that particular environment.
Environment consist of biotic and abiotic factors
 Biotic factors
o Animals, plants, fungi, algae, bacteria
 Abiotic factors
o Air, water, soil
What is Ecology?
 The study of interactions between organisms with each other and
their environment.
 Biosphere and environment.
o Surface of Earth’s crust
o Water bodies on Earth’s surface
 Atmosphere that surrounds Earth

Soil support life Rain helps in water availability

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 Atmosphere • Air

Hydrosphere • Waters

Ecosphere • Ecosystems

Levels of Organization in an Ecosystem

 Species
 Population
 Community
 Ecosystem

Then comes:
 Biome
 Biosphere

Species: male and female Golden Pheasants

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 .
Population is the group of organisms of same species living in an area.
Ecosystem
Ecosystem is the area where organisms live in interaction with non-living factors.
Organisms and their environment
Organisms live in specific locations or areas suitable for them. Habitat is the term used
for physical location of organism. Another term is niche. Niche is defined as ecological
role of organisms. Organisms interact with their surroundings; their interaction is termed
as niche.

Organisms and their environment

Biotic and Abiotic Components
 Living / Biotic Components of an Environment
o Animals, plants; Interactions between organisms.

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  Non-living / Abiotic Components of an Environment:
o Air, water; Interactions between organisms and their environment.

Energy Flow in Ecology

Main source of energy in an ecosystem is “Sunlight”. Autotrophs (producers) are the
organisms which utilize the energy stored in inorganic compounds and use sunlight to
make their food. These organisms carry out “photosynthesis” and use this energy to
convert “carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose”. The other type of
autotrophs makes carbohydrates using chemical energy e.g., many bacteria. These are
called chemoautotroph. Heterotrophs (consumers) are the organisms that cannot make
their own food and depends upon organic source.
o Herbivores (the organisms that eat plants, i.e., producers; also called
primary consumers)
o Carnivores (the organisms that eat herbivores or other carnivore animals)
o Omnivores (the organisms that eat upon plants and animals both)

Pyramids in Ecology
 Decomposers (these are the organisms which break down the dead organic
matter)
 Consumers (the organisms which feed upon producers or other consumers)
 Producers (the organisms which makes their own food by either using sunlight or
inorganic chemicasl)

Decomposers
(e.g.,
bacteria)
Consumers
(e.g., animals)

Producers (e.g., plants)

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 An example of ecological Pyramid

Food Chains are straight energy flow relationships in an ecosystem.

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Food Webs
Food webs are complex energy flow pathways and relationships in an ecysystem.

An example of a terrestrial food web

Introduction of the factors that affect the quality of environment

Factors that Affect Environment
 Air currents
 Temperature
 Soil
 Water
 Light
Human interference
Industrial effluents
Industrial growth results in the production of more and more effluents. Industries produce
effluents which may be solid or liquid. These may contain heavy metals, toxic chemicals.
These are disastrous for the biodiversity. These should be treated well. The solution is
treatment plants for removal of dangerous materials.

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Deforestation
Forests are cut down for wood; wood may be used in buildings, furniture etc. Forests are
also cut for making towns. This result in destruction of habitats of organisms which may
leads to extinction of many organisms. As organisms are related, results may be increase
or decrease of number of other organisms, e.g., if sparrows are decreased then insect
pests may increase and destroy crops in that area.

Human interference: littering by the tourists.

Urban spread
As populations are increasing there is an increasing need of towns and cities. Urban
spread requires the cutting of forests or other type of habitat destruction.
Construction of dams, waterways
Dams and water ways etc are constructed on water bodies. These may result in habitat
destruction of fish and other aquatic animals. Loss of biodiversity results in instability of
ecosystem.
Agriculture
Agriculture also affect environment. In grasslands keeping too many animals may result
into loss of grass and destruction of ecosystem. In crop growing fields fertilizer use and
growing exhaustive crops (the crops that uses much of soil’s resources) may result in
damage to the ecosystem.
Natural factors
Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes etc. may lead towards total or partial habitat
destruction. Both biotic and abiotic factors are affected. The whole structure of ecosystem
may change.

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Importance of environment for the healthy living of organisms
Organisms have to live in environment
Organisms need food, shelter and other resources. If the balance of environment is
changed by extinction of an organism or some other factor then many organism in the
food chain or web are disturbed. A balanced ecosystem is required for healthy living of
organisms.

Exercise

1. Differentiate between niche and habitat.

2. Describe the effects of human interference on ecosystems.
3. Define the following:
a. Population
b. Community
c. Ecosystem
d. Biosphere
4. Describe some abiotic and biotic factors of an ecosystem.
5. Draw a typical water ecosystem.
6. Draw a typical example of terrestrial ecosystem.

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