Concepts of Ecology

The word ecology comes from the Greek “Oikos” meaning “house” or “place to live”.

Ecology is concerned with the study of organism in various habitats. (Land, oceans, fresh water & air).

Ecology can be defined as the study of the structure & function of nature.

It is the study of interrelations between living organism & their environment.

Ecology proceeds at 3 levels.

1) The individual organism

2) The population

3) The Community
Eco System
Fundamental concept of ecology.
Includes populations & communities each influencing the other.
Ecosystem components are operationally inseparable from the whole.

Eg:A pond, lake or a tract of forest

Ecosystem is in a constant state of change over a period of time.

It leads to the formation of different of another ecosystem.

It is capable of self-maintenance & self-regulation.
Human activities disrupt the natural functioning.
E.g.: Intensive farming
 Cycles
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Community
Any assemblage of population living in a habitat that has
characteristics in addition to its individual & population
components.

Interdependence is the principle of existence.

Natural method to control a particular

organism which is harmful to human or
plants is not to kill it directly but by
modifying the community in which it
lives.
E.g. Controlling mosquitoes.
Food Chain
Transfer of food energy initially from plants through
a series of organism where eating & being eaten
occurs is referred it as the food chain.
Carrying Capacity

Ecosystem has limits in terms

of various populations it can
support.
Limiting factor

Any factor that

is in short
supply or
oversupply
may be a
limiting factor.

Temperature, light, water

etc.
Habitat

Place where an organism,

Land (Terrestrial including
population or community
subterranean)
lives.

Aerial ( Trees & plants

Water ( both fresh water &
where birds, insects,
marine)
retiles etc lives)
Biological Clock
System which controls
natural rhythms in living
organism including humans
by measuring time through
an internal mechanism.

Operates through signals

arising within the organism
of from the environment
like temperature, light or
seasonal changes.
Ecological Services
Resources-

Oxygen,water,food,other minerals.

Cyclic mechanism –

Water cycle, Nutrient cycle, Carbon cycle.

Regulatory & other controlling services-

Flood control, Disease control, temperature regulation,pollination,climate control.

Industrial Ecology
Application of Linking the
ecosystem activities of one
concept to enterprise to that
industry. of another.

Concept of
closed-loop
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