ECOLOGY

Power point@lecture Slides Are Prepared By Biology Lecturer, KMPk

TOPICS
12.1 : Introduction to ecology
12.2 : Ecosystem concept

12.3 : Energy Flow through ecosystem

12.4 : Biogeochemical cycles

12.5 : Biodiversity:
Conservation & management

PREVIOUS LESSON

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this topic, students should be able to;
a) Explain the components of the ecosystem with examples: i. biotic and abiotic components ii. interactions between/among biotic components iii. interactions between biotic and abiotic components b) Describe the lake ecosystem and terrestrial ecosystem of tropical rain forest

The environment of an organism includes

1. Biotic Component Involves all living organisms. Affect organism in many ways ; competition, parasites, predation, symbionts 2. Abiotic Component Involves all non living components of biosphere. It include atmosphere, hydrosphere & lithosphere. May affect biotic environment

BIOTIC COMPONENT

1. Autotroph/producer 2. Heterotroph/consumer 3. Decomposers

AUTOTROPH / PRODUCER
Can manufacture organic food from inorganic substances from environment. In terrestrial ecosystems- green plants are the producers. In aquatic ecosystems phytoplankton (algae & blue green bacteria).

2) Heterotroph / consumer
- Organisms that cannot synthesize their own food from inorganic materials. - Obtain organic nutrients by feeding on the tissues of producers or other consumers.

Heterotroph can be divided into four type of organisms

HERBIVORE (Primary consumers)

An animal that feeds directly on plants or algae.

CARNIVORE (Secondary consumers)

Predators - An animal that feeds on other animal; flesh-eater. Scavengers which usually eat what is left by the predators

OMNIVORE
An animal that eats a variety of plant and animal material
Bear

Badge

DETRITIVORE
An organism (such as an earthworm or crab) that feed on small fragments of dead organisms and on waste matter of animals and plants.

Also called detritus feeder.

DECOMPOSER
Decomposers are microorganisms mainly fungi & bacteria.

Also called saprophyte.

Secrete digestive enzymes onto dead or waste material & absorb the products.

Interactions between biotic components:

COMPETITION
Competition occurs when two or more individuals require same resource that is in short supply.
Use of resource by one of the individuals reduces its availability to other individual.

Interspecific (between species)

Intraspecific (within a species)

PARASITISME
Parasite depends on host for food, and host receives no benefits at all. Can divided in 2 types : 1. Endoparasites parasites which live within tissue or body cavity. E.g : tapeworm Taenia sp. parasitic in various mammals.

2. Ectoparasites parasites which lives and feed on the external surface of host. E.g : ticks found on surface of host.

PREDATION
Community interaction where one species, predators, eats another, prey.
If predator presence, number of preys falls.

Commensalisme
Relationship between two species; one species got benefit from the relationship & second species unaffected by it. Eg : host tree & epiphytes (smaller plants such as orchids, ferns, mosses) attached to hosts branches, obtain light and water.

Symbiosis (Mutualisme)
Relationship between two organism different species.Both obtain benefits. Eg : Some of the bacteria living in our large intestine supply us with vitamin K
The bull is being cleaned while the monkey receives food to eat.

Interaction between biotic & abiotic components.

Abiotic components : nonliving chemical and physical factors (e.g.: temperature, light, water, nutrients) to organism exposed.

ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
Abiotic components are : Atmosphere made up of gases that envelop the Earth.

Hydrosphere waters of the Earth, including the ocean, fresh water and other forms of liquid and frozen water.

Lithosphere soil and sediments of the Earths

LAKE ECOSYSTEM
Lake ecosystem: - base on light penetration a) photic b) aphotic
- base on distance from shore and depth of water a)littoral b) limnetic

Lake zonation
Penetration of sunlight
Photic zone Aphotic / profundal zone

Photic zone

light is sufficient for photosynthesis where almost all of the primary productivity occurs

Aphotic zone
the deep open water Region that do not received light No process photosynthesis oxygen low due to cellular respiration of decomposers mineral nutrients are usually plentiful due to decomposition of detritus.

Lake zonation
Distance from shoreline Littoral zone Limnetic zone

Littoral zone
the area near the shore at the top of the lake that receives sunlight, extending down to the depth where rooted plants stop growing. This zone has high biodiversity.

Littoral zone
suspension feeders (clams), herbivorous grazers (snails), herbivorous and carnivorous insects, crustaceans, fishes, and amphibians. Some reptiles, waterfowl, and mammals also frequent this zone.

Plant: Emerged plants Floating plants submerged plant

Limnetic zone
the sunlight part at the top of the lake, similar to the littoral zone. open area away from the shore. Most photosynthesis occurs in this part of the lake.

Limnetic zone
Neuston- the organism that colonize the surface of an aquatic habitat phytoplankton (algae and cyanobacteria) which are photosynthetic, zooplankton (rotifers and small crustaceans) that grazes on phytoplankton, and small fish that feed on the zooplankton.

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

FOREST STRATIFICATION
emergent strata

canopy strata

shrub strata
herb strata taloid strata

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

a) The Emergent Layer (1st layer) - Consists of the tops of the tallest trees - It houses many birds and insects - E.g : Tualang tree

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

b) The Canopy (2nd layer) - animal: insects, arachnids, many birds, mammals, reptiles (like snakes and lizards), and others. - plant: epiphytes (air plants) like mosses, lichens and orchids (which grow on trees)

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

c) The Understory - Dark, cool, so little light - Plant: short, leafy, mostly non-flowering shrubs, small trees, ferns that have adapted to filtered light and poor soil. - Animals: insects, arachnids, snakes, lizards and small mammals that live on/in tree barks.

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

d) The Forest Floor - Almost no plants grow in this region - 0-2% light and 100% humidity. - Many small plants. - The floor have many decomposers animal & detritus feeders

CONCLUSION
Table of Forest Stratification
Strata Emergent Canopy Shrub Herb Taloid Type of tree Tualang tree Animal of community Eagle Beetle Honey bee Reptile Ant

Nephelium sp. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Dryopteris (Fern) Bryophyta

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12.3 ENERGY FLOW THROUGH ECOSYSTEM