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Biotic
Refers to the living components of an ecosystem
Abiotic
Factors that are non-living components of an ecosystem
Species
Refers to a group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can be interbreed to produce fertile offspring
Population
A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same areas and have the potential to interbreed
Carrying capacity
The maximum number of individuals of a species that an ecosystem can sustainably support over a long period of time
Limiting factor
Biotic or abiotic factors that restrict the growth, abundance or distribution of a population with an ecosystem
Habitat
The specific place or type of environment in which an organism or a population naturally occurs and is adapt to live
Niche
Refers to the role and position of a species within it’s environment
Fundamental niche
Refers to the full range of environment condition and resources in which a species can potentially exist and thrive in the absence of competition with other species
Realized niche
Refers to the actual set of conditions and resources in which a species exists and persists in the presence of competition with other species
Difference between fundamental and realized niche
Fundamental: full potential range of conditions and resources a species could occupy
Realize: represents the actual subset of that potential range that a species occupies as a result of biotic interactions and competition
Temperature
A critical abiotic factor that affects the physiology behaviour and lifecycle of an organism
(Extreme temperature can be hurtful or deadly to many organisms)
Water
Water availability is critical for the survival and function of organism and ecosystem
Teresrial organisms: have adaptations to cope with varying water availability
Aquatic organism: are adapted to specific water conditions such as salinity levels
Soil
Provides essential nutrients water and physical support for plant growth
S-shaped is population curve (logistic growth)
Occurs when a population initially grows exponentially but eventually levels off and stabilizes at the carrying capacity of the environment
J-shaped population curved (exponential growth)
Growth which occurs when a population grows continuously without any constraints
Habitat stability
Population thrive in habitats that provide suitable conditions for their survival and reproduction
Climate change
Change in temperature, precipitation patterns and extreme weathers events can impact psychological, behavioural, migrational patterns and reproductive cycles of organism
Some species evolve to adapt to these new conditions while others may struggle to survive or reproduce
Environs disturbance
These disturbances can directly impact population size through mortality or habitat destruction, as well as indirectly by disrupting resource availability or altering species interactions. Populations may decline or even face extinction if the disturbances exceed their ability to recover or adapt.
Examples: wildfires, storms, habitat fragmentation, pollution, deforestation
Predation
One species called a predator hunts, kills and consumes another species known as prey
Example of predation
A grey wolf hunting a sheet
Herbivory
Animal called a herbivore consumes plan material as their primary food sources
Example of herbivore
Swamp rabbit (subpages aquatics) who eats grass, sedges, herbs and aquatic plants
What are the way biotic factors interact
Predation
Herbivore
Parasitism
Competition
Diseases
Mutualism
types of parasitism
Endoparasite
Ectoparasite
Parasite
A relationship in which one organism called the parasite benefits at the expense of another organism called the host
Endoparasite
A parasite that lives in the internal organs of its host (tapeworm)
Ectoparasite
Parasite that lives on the external surface of host and are in direct contact with the external environment
Example of ectoparasite
Monogenea and flies
Mutualism
An interaction where two species benefit from their association
Example of mutualism
Anemone and a clown fish
Anemone protects the blowfish from predator
Clown fish provides the andmone’s endosymbiosis zooxanthellae algae with excreted nutrients
Diseases
Occurred when a pathogen such as a virus bacterium or fungus infects a host organism causing them harm or illness
Example of diseas
Malaria;
This is a disease caused by mosquitos, and it happens when blood gets contaminated. Symptoms are sickens, dizziness and graver. This is happens in tropical places with a lot of humidity like malaria
Competition
Occurs when two or more species require the same limited resources such as water food and territory
types of competition
Intraspecific competition
Interspecific competition
Intraspecific competition
Members of the same species compete for a limited resource
Interspecific competition
Members of different species compete for a resource that they both need
Ecosystem
A community of living organism (biotic factors) interacting with their non-living environment (abiotic factors)
The relationship of an organism and their physical surroundings including interactions like predation, competition and symbiosis
community
A community refers to the population of different species that inhabit a particular area and interacts with one another
What are trophic levels
The position an organism occupies on the food chain
Producers
Organisms such as plant and algae that can produce their own food from photosynthesis converting sunlight into chemical energy
Types of consumers
Primary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertiary consumer
Primary consumer
They are herbivores that eat the plants
Secondary consumers
Carnivores that eat herbivores
Tertiary consumer
Carnivorous that eat other carnivorous
Decomposes
Organisms such as bacteria and fungi that break down dead organic matter and waster releasing nutrients back into the system
Food chain
Food chains depict the linear flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem. They illustrate the transfer of energy from one organism to another as each organism is consumed by a higher trophic level.
Food web
more complex than food chains and represent multiple interconnected food chains within an ecosystem. They demonstrate the intricate network of feeding relationships among various organisms.
What are the type of ecological pyramids
Pyramid of number
Pyramid of biomass
Pyramid of energy
Ecological pyramid
Ecological pyramids represent the trophic structure and energy flow within an ecosystem.
Pyramid of numbers
Represents the number of organisms at each trophic level.
Pyramid of biomass
Illustrates the total biomass (organic matter) present at each trophic level.
Pyramid of energy
Shows the flow of energy through each trophic level, with each level typically having less energy available than the one below it due to energy loss through metabolism and heat.
Respiration
the biochemical process by which organisms break down organic molecules (such as glucose) to release energy, usually in the form of ATP, and produce carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which autotrophic organisms, such as plants and algae, convert light energy into chemical energy (glucose) using carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll.
Word equation of respiration
Glucose + Oxygen -> Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy (ATP)
Word equation of photosynthesis
Photosynthesis: Carbon Dioxide + Water + Light Energy -> Glucose + Oxygen
Respiration and thermodynamics
Respiration follows the laws of thermodynamics, particularly the first law (conservation of energy) and the second law (entropy increases). Energy is neither created nor destroyed in respiration, but it is transformed from chemical energy in glucose to other forms, such as heat, with an increase in entropy.
Photosynthesis and biomass production
Photosynthesis is the primary process by which energy enters most ecosystems, providing the raw materials (glucose) for biomass production. Biomass represents the total amount of living organic matter in an ecosystem
Exertion of pyramid shapes
Some pyramids may not be pyramid-shaped, particularly in aquatic ecosystems where biomass can be inverted due to factors like rapid reproduction rates of lower trophic levels or biomass of primary producers outweighing that of primary consumers.
Pyramid shape
Most ecological pyramids are pyramid-shaped because energy is lost as it moves up trophic levels due to inefficiencies in energy transfer and metabolic processes.
As a result, there is typically less biomass or energy available at higher trophic levels, resulting in a pyramid shape.
Biomagnification
the rise or increase in the contaminated substances caused by the intoxicating environment
Bioaccumulation
Bioaccumulation is the buildup of absorbed chemicals in an organism over time.
Toxin Accumulation and Biomagnification
Toxins such as pesticides and heavy metals can accumulate in organisms at higher trophic levels through a process called biomagnification.
This occurs because toxins become more concentrated as they move up the food chain, posing risks to organisms at the top trophic levels, including humans.
Energy transfer efficiency
Energy transfer efficiency refers to the proportion of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next.
It is generally low, with only a fraction of the energy available at one trophic level being passed on to the next due to metabolic processes and heat loss.
Solar constant
The average amount of solar energy that is received by the atmosphere when the sun is at its mean distance from the earth
Why does solar constant varies?
It depends on the time of year or the location relative to the equator
equators area receive more solar radiation than polar regions
Scatter
Small gases and particles in the atmosphere scatter solar radiation in random directions
How much light can clouds reflect?
40%-60% of I coming light
Albedo
Reflectivity of a surface
Dark colour: low albedo
Light colour: high albedo
Absorption
Where light energy is retained by the substance and transformed into head
(A large amount is in the stratosphere)
Percentage of incoming radiation onto earth
Scatter and reflection a round for 30%
Atmospheric gases absorb 19%
51% of solar energy arrives at earths surface
Biomass
The mass of a living organism in a given area expressed as a dry weight or mass per unit of area or gm-2
Productivity
Conversion of energy into biomass at a given time
Expressed as jm-2yr-1
Gross
The total amount of products made
Net
What is left after the losses
Gross primary productivity
All the biomass produced by primary producers in a given amount of time
Net primary productivity
Represents the amount of usable biomass in an ecosystem
Formula for net perductivity?
Net = gross - respiration/ losses
Formula for gross second production
GDS= food eaten - fecal loss
sustainable yield
The amount of biomass that can be taken without reducing natural capacity of an ecosystem
Difference between flows and mater
Energy flows matter cycles
Flow
Energy flows through the economy in one direction
Note
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