Ecosystems

An ecosystem is a combination of all the

living and non-living elements of an area.
It is made up of all the living (such as
plants, animals, and people) and nonliving (such as topography, climate, and
water) elements in a particular area.

ECOLOGY
ECOLOGY is the study of the natural
environment and of the relations of
organisms to each other and to their
surroundings.
In this topic we will all be ecologists!

Desert
Rainforest
Bushland
Coral reefs
Mangroves
Rivers
Cave
Pond
Sand dune
Grasslands
Alpine

Types of ecosystems

Ecosystems are made up of

biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors.

Biotic factors

Plants
Animals
Fungi
Micro-organisms. E.g. bacteria,

Abiotic factors
Abiotic factors in an ecosystem can determine
which organisms can live there. They include:
Sunlight
Wind
Temperature
Availability of water
Soil nutrients
Rocks

Desert

Rainforest

Bushland

Coral Reefs

Mangroves

Rivers

Cave

Pond

Sand dune

Grassland

Alpine

Major Ecosystems of the

World

Australias major
ecosystems

Population
A population is a group of organisms of the same kind
living in the same place at the same time e.g. The
Bream population in the Shoalhaven River. When all of
the populations in an ecosystem interact and form a
community.
If the population's needs are not met, it will move to a
better habitat. Two different populations can not occupy
the same niche at the same time, however. So the
processes of competition, predation, cooperation,
and symbiosis occur.

Community
A community is a number of different
populations interacting with each other.
The community of living things interacts
with the non-living world around it to
form an ecosystem.

Habitat
Within each ecosystem, there are habitats
which may also vary in size.
A habitat is the place where a population lives.
For example, a population of ants has its own
habitat.
A micro habitat is a habitat within a habitat e.g.
a rock pool on a rock platform.
The habitat must supply the needs of
organisms, such as food, water, temperature,
oxygen, and minerals.

Interactions
Populations of animals interact with each
other and their environment in a variety
of ways:
Feeding behavior e.g. herbivores &
carnivores, predation.
Competition e.g. food (intra) & space
(inter)
Relationships e.g. parasitism

Human Impacts on the

environment
Global Warming
Disposal of Radioactive
Use of CFC's and impacts on
the Ozone Layer
Overuse of Pesticides
Use of PCB's
Deforestation Destruction of
Wetlands
Urban Encroachment
Endangered Species
Acid Rain
Water Contamination
Use of Fossil Fuels
Dams for Hydro Electricity

Wastes
Oil Spills
Smog Air Pollution
Soil Erosion
Introduction of Invasive
Species
Heavy Metals
Salting Roads
Crop Irrigation
Irrigation, land erosion and
pesticide run off