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Ecology and Ecosystem

Ecology is the study of relationships between living organisms and their environment, with ecosystems being the primary unit of study. Ecosystems consist of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components and involve energy and material flows, with various trophic levels represented in food chains and webs. Ecological succession describes the gradual change in ecosystems over time, which can be primary (starting from lifeless ground) or secondary (reestablishment after disturbance).

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7 views

Ecology and Ecosystem

Ecology is the study of relationships between living organisms and their environment, with ecosystems being the primary unit of study. Ecosystems consist of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components and involve energy and material flows, with various trophic levels represented in food chains and webs. Ecological succession describes the gradual change in ecosystems over time, which can be primary (starting from lifeless ground) or secondary (reestablishment after disturbance).

Uploaded by

Abuboker Mahady
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ecology and Ecosystem

Ecology: is the study of the relationship of living


organisms with each other and their non living
components or physical surroundings. The major unit
of ecology is the ecosystem, which is the basic
functional unit of ecology.
Ecosystem: is a natural system in which the life cycles of
flora (plant) and fauna (animal) are closely link to
each other and their non living or physical
surroundings.
In an ecosystem sun is the main source of energy.
Ecosystem consists of biotic and abiotic components.
There are 2 types of flow working in the ecosystem.
a. Energy flow: Moving in unidirectional path
b. Material flow: Moving in cyclic order
Energy and Material flow
Ecology and Ecosystem
Living components of the ecosystem
• Producers: Green plants
• Consumers:
a. Primary consumers: Those who are consuming the producers, like
Herbivores, Cow, goat etc
b. Secondary consumers: Those who are consuming the primary consumers
like Carnivores, Tiger, lion etc
c. Tertiary consumers: Those who are consuming the producers as well as
the consumers like Omnivores, Bear, Crow, human etc
• Decomposers: Decomposers feed on decaying matter. These decomposers
speed up the decaying process that releases mineral salts back into the food
chain for absorption by plants as nutrients, like Bacteria, fungi etc
Types of Ecosystems: a. Terrestrial Ecosystem
b. Freshwater Ecosystem
c. Marine ecosystem
Fresh water Ecosystem
Ecology and Ecosystem
• Ecological footprint: It measures how much natural resources needed to support people. Like
biologically productive area - to provide for everything people use- fruits, vegetables, fishes,
wood, fiber, fuel, space for building , road etc

• Food chain: A sequence of organisms in which one organism become food for the next one.
Grass → Grasshopper → Rat → Snake

• Food web: A complex network of interconnected food chain.


Trophic Pyramid
• Trophic level: Organisms feeding position in the food chain.

• Trophic Pyramid: is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or


bioproductivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem

Trophic Pyramid
Biogeochemical cycle
The cyclic movement of the materials/elements through the biosphere is
known as the biogeochemical cycle
1. Carbon cycle
2. Nitrogen cycle
3. Phosphorus cycle
4. Sulphur cycle
5. Hydrologic cycle
The main component of the body tissue of all living organisms is water. Thus
availability of water is vital to their existence. The most important cycle,
hydrologic cycle consists of three prominent and continuous events
a. Evaporation and Transpiration
b. Condensation and precipitation
c. Surface run off
Hydrologic Cycle
Ecological succession
• Ecological succession is a gradual process by which an ecosystem changes over time and
can undergo development through a process called ecological succession.

• Succession takes place because the environmental conditions in a particular place change
over time.

• Each species is adapted to thrive and compete best against other species under a very
specific set of environmental conditions

• If these conditions change, then the existing species will be replaced by a new set of
species which are better adapted to the new conditions

• As an example, the environmental conditions present on the bare patch of ground would
have been quite different 2 years later.
• 2 types of succession
 Primary Succession: is initial establishment & development of an
ecosystem
 Secondary Succession: re-establishment of an ecosystem
Primary Succession
• Primary Succession: Establishing life on lifeless ground

• The sequence of succession starts on bare land which never had any vegetation
growing on it before

• So the process is much slower than secondary succession

• Examples, bare rock exposed by a retreating glacier or severe soil erosion, newly
cooled lava, an abandoned highway or parking lot
Primary succession
Secondary Succession
• Reestablishment of the ecosystem.
• Sequence of vegetation developing on previously or disturbed areas
• Secondary succession begins in an area where the natural community of organisms
have been disturbed, removed, or destroyed but some soil or bottom sediment
remains.
• Abandoned croplands, burned or cut forests, heavily polluted streams, flooded
land, dammed land
• As some soil/sediment is present, new vegetation can usually begin to germinate
within few weeks
• Seeds can be present in soil, or they can be carried from nearby plants by wind or
deposited in the droppings of birds and animals.
Causes of succession
• Initial or initiating causes: Climate and biotic in nature- Temperature, rainfall, wind, humidity,
fire, erosion, deposits – causes production in bare areas or destroying the existing population
in an area.

• Continuing causes: These are the process of population- Migration, Aggregation, competition,
reaction etc.
• Stabilizing causes: Stability/ adaptability of the community.

Trends of succession: (Young to mature state)

• Continues changes occur in the kinds of plants and animals.

• General appearances of the community becoming more complex as succession proceeds.

• Food chain relationship becoming more complex as succession proceeds.

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