EcologyEcology((Natural Science)Natural Science)

Dr. Carmina Villariba-TolentinoDr. Carmina Villariba-Tolentino

ETEEAPETEEAP

EcologyEcology

Study of the relationship of plants and animals Study of the relationship of plants and animals to their physical and biological environment. to their physical and biological environment.

The physical environment includes light and The physical environment includes light and heat or solar radiation, moisture, wind, oxygen, heat or solar radiation, moisture, wind, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients in soil, water, and carbon dioxide, nutrients in soil, water, and atmosphere. atmosphere.

The biological environment includes organisms The biological environment includes organisms of the same kind as well as other plants and of the same kind as well as other plants and animals.animals.

EcosystemEcosystem A more useful way of looking at the A more useful way of looking at the

terrestrial and aquatic landscapes terrestrial and aquatic landscapes a word coined in 1935 by the British plant a word coined in 1935 by the British plant

ecologist Sir Arthur George Tansley to ecologist Sir Arthur George Tansley to stress the concept of each locale or stress the concept of each locale or habitat as an integrated whole. habitat as an integrated whole.

A A systemsystem is a collection of interdependent is a collection of interdependent parts that function as a unit and involve parts that function as a unit and involve inputs and outputs. inputs and outputs.

Major parts of EcosystemMajor parts of Ecosystem

producersproducers (green plants), (green plants), the the consumersconsumers (herbivores and (herbivores and

carnivores), carnivores), the the decomposersdecomposers (fungi and bacteria), (fungi and bacteria), and the and the nonliving,nonliving, or abiotic, component, or abiotic, component,

consisting of dead organic matter and consisting of dead organic matter and nutrients in the soil and water. nutrients in the soil and water.

Inputs of ecosystemInputs of ecosystem

solar energy, solar energy, water, water, oxygen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and nitrogen, and other elements and compounds. other elements and compounds.

Outputs of EcosystemOutputs of Ecosystem

Food webFood web A series of steps that involve eating and A series of steps that involve eating and

being eatenbeing eaten Each step in the transfer of energy Each step in the transfer of energy

involves several trophic, or feeding, involves several trophic, or feeding, levels: levels:

plants, plants, herbivores (plant eaters), herbivores (plant eaters), two or three levels of carnivores (meat two or three levels of carnivores (meat

eaters), and decomposers. eaters), and decomposers.

Decomposers of food Decomposers of food webweb

Plant and animal matter not used in the Plant and animal matter not used in the grazing food chain, such as fallen leaves, grazing food chain, such as fallen leaves, twigs, roots, tree trunks, and the dead twigs, roots, tree trunks, and the dead bodies of animals, bodies of animals,

Bacteria, fungi, and animals that feed on Bacteria, fungi, and animals that feed on dead material.dead material.

NicheNiche The community provides the habitat—the place The community provides the habitat—the place

where particular plants or animals live. where particular plants or animals live. Within the habitat, organisms occupy different Within the habitat, organisms occupy different

niches. niches. A niche is the functional role of a species in a A niche is the functional role of a species in a

community—that is, its occupation, or how it community—that is, its occupation, or how it earns its living. earns its living.

The more a community is stratified, the more The more a community is stratified, the more finely the habitat is divided into additional niches.finely the habitat is divided into additional niches.

Population Growth RatePopulation Growth Rate

Populations have a birth rate (the number Populations have a birth rate (the number of young produced per unit of population of young produced per unit of population per unit of time), per unit of time),

a death rate (the number of deaths per a death rate (the number of deaths per unit of time), and unit of time), and

a growth rate.a growth rate. The major agent of population growth is The major agent of population growth is

births, and the major agent of population births, and the major agent of population loss is deaths. loss is deaths.

Philippine PopulationPhilippine Population

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1- Philippines2 – China3 – Indonesia4- India

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1 – Philippines2 – Malaysia3 – Thailand4 - Vietnam

Community InteractionCommunity Interaction

CCompetition,ompetition, both within a species both within a species and among species;and among species;

predation,predation, including parasitism; including parasitism; and and

coevolution,coevolution, or adaptation. or adaptation.

overshoot

dieback

Carrying capacity

Species InteractionSpecies Interaction

PredationPredation A predator feeds directly upon another A predator feeds directly upon another

living organism, whether or not it kills the living organism, whether or not it kills the prey to do so.prey to do so.

Parasite/parasitismParasite/parasitism Organisms that feed on a host organism or Organisms that feed on a host organism or

steal resources from it without killing it; steal resources from it without killing it; one species benefits and the other is one species benefits and the other is harmed.harmed.

Species InteractionSpecies Interaction

PathogenPathogen Disease causing organisms and Disease causing organisms and

might also be considered might also be considered predator organismpredator organism

CompetitionCompetition It is when same species or different It is when same species or different

species fight to stay alive by fighting for species fight to stay alive by fighting for usable forms, space, energy, specific sites usable forms, space, energy, specific sites for life activities.for life activities.

Intraspecific competition – competition Intraspecific competition – competition among members of the same species.among members of the same species.

Interspecific competition – competition Interspecific competition – competition between different species.between different species.

Territoriality – an intense form of intraspecific Territoriality – an intense form of intraspecific competition in which organisms define an area of competition in which organisms define an area of surrounding their homesite or nesting site and surrounding their homesite or nesting site and defend it against same members of species.defend it against same members of species.

Territorial AnimalsTerritorial Animals

Community PropertiesCommunity Properties Productivity (primary)Productivity (primary) The rate of biomass production, an The rate of biomass production, an

indication of the rate of solar energy indication of the rate of solar energy conservation to chemical energy.conservation to chemical energy.

Forest, coral reefs and estuaries have Forest, coral reefs and estuaries have abundant supplies of energy whileabundant supplies of energy while

Deserts lack water that limits Deserts lack water that limits photosynthesisphotosynthesis

Tundra has low temperature limits plant growthTundra has low temperature limits plant growth

AbundanceAbundance

Is an expression of total number of organisms Is an expression of total number of organisms in a biological communityin a biological community

Diversity Diversity Is a measure of the number of different Is a measure of the number of different

species, ecological niches, and genetic species, ecological niches, and genetic variation present.variation present.

The abundance of a particular species is The abundance of a particular species is inversely proportional to the total diversity of a inversely proportional to the total diversity of a community.community.

Communities with a very large Communities with a very large number of species often have number of species often have only few members of any given only few members of any given species in a particular area.species in a particular area.

Diversity decreases but Diversity decreases but abundance within species abundance within species increases.increases.

SuccessionSuccession

This is reflected in the gradual changes of This is reflected in the gradual changes of the vegetational community over time, the vegetational community over time, known as succession. known as succession.

It begins with the colonization of a It begins with the colonization of a disturbed area, such as disturbed area, such as

an abandoned crop field or an abandoned crop field or a newly exposed lava flow, a newly exposed lava flow, by species able to reach and to tolerate by species able to reach and to tolerate

the environmental conditions present.the environmental conditions present.

Pace of succession Pace of succession dependsdepends

on the competitive abilities of the species on the competitive abilities of the species involved; involved;

tolerance to the environmental conditions tolerance to the environmental conditions brought about by changes in vegetation;brought about by changes in vegetation;

the interaction with animals, particularly the interaction with animals, particularly the grazing herbivores; the grazing herbivores;

and fire.and fire.

ClimaxClimax where further changes take place where further changes take place

very slowly, very slowly, and the site is dominated by long-and the site is dominated by long-

lived, highly competitive species. lived, highly competitive species. It is where eventually the It is where eventually the

ecosystem arrives at a point.ecosystem arrives at a point.

Factors contributing to Factors contributing to SuccessionSuccession

FloodingFlooding

EarthquakeEarthquake

TsunamiTsunami

DeforestationDeforestation

Road WideningRoad Widening

Forest damaged by acid Forest damaged by acid rainrain

Agricultural expansionAgricultural expansion

Sheep grazingSheep grazing

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

It is an increase in the average temperature of It is an increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses of the atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses of Earth. Earth.

The planet has warmed (and cooled) many The planet has warmed (and cooled) many times during the 4.65 billion years of its history. times during the 4.65 billion years of its history.

At present Earth appears to be facing a rapid At present Earth appears to be facing a rapid warming, which most scientists believe results, warming, which most scientists believe results, at least in part, from human activities. at least in part, from human activities.

The chief cause of this warming is The chief cause of this warming is thought to be the burning of fossil fuels;thought to be the burning of fossil fuels;

such as coal, oil, and natural gas, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which releases into the atmosphere which releases into the atmosphere

carbon dioxide and other substances carbon dioxide and other substances known as greenhouse gases. known as greenhouse gases.

Ozone Layer DestructionOzone Layer DestructionLeads to Greenhouse EffectLeads to Greenhouse Effect

Shrinking of Greenland Shrinking of Greenland Ice sheetIce sheet

Inconvenient Truth Inconvenient Truth

A documentary film, which offers a A documentary film, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one passionate and inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress.warming's deadly progress.

Former Vice President Al Gore, re-set the Former Vice President Al Gore, re-set the course of his life to focus on a last-ditch, course of his life to focus on a last-ditch, all-out effort to help save the planet from all-out effort to help save the planet from irrevocable change irrevocable change

AssignmentAssignment

Write a critical analysis of the Write a critical analysis of the documentary film “Inconvenient Truth”documentary film “Inconvenient Truth”

State the highlights of the filmState the highlights of the film Analyze its strengths and weaknessesAnalyze its strengths and weaknesses Give your own conclusion.Give your own conclusion. Not less than 100 words, hand written, in Not less than 100 words, hand written, in

a short bond paper. a short bond paper.