Unit 2: Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics

What is ecology described as?

The structure of our environment

What are the 4 spheres on our environment that interacts with each other?

• Atmosphere

• Lithosphere

• Hydrosphere

• Biosphere

What is Atmosphere composed of?

Air and gases

What is lithosphere composed of?

Rock layer

What is the hydrosphere composed of?

Water

What is the biosphere composed of?

Organisms

Where is focus in ecology is restricted to?

Restricted to the superficial layer of the Earth where life exists like the skin of na apple, we don’t examine the core

What is a species?

Individuals that share common genetic characteristics and able to breed and produce viable offspring

What is population?

Members of a same species interacting in groups that live together in a particular place or habitat

What is a community?

Consists of populations of different species living and interacting in an area(living)

• food web

What is an ecosystem?

A community(living) interacting with its physical and chemical environment(non-living)

What is landscapes?

Connections linking several ecosystems in a particular region

What is the pyramid of energy hierarchy?

• Producers(1000 kcal)

• Primary consumer(100 kcal)

• Secondary consumers(10 kcal)

• Tertiary consumers(1 kcal)

Why there is lower number of top predators than producers?

Because top predators have lower source of energy than the producers

What is the biological production(productivity)?

A method to quantify the energy trapped by (plants)

How biological production(productivity) is calculated?

Measure as changes in biomass(weight/unit area) over time or between locations

• P= Biomass2 - Biomass1

What is biomass?

Measure of weight within that define area

What is biological production used to assess?

Used to assess change over time, between location