Ecology Reviewer (Prelims) Chapter 1: Introduction To Ecology
Ecology Reviewer (Prelims) Chapter 1: Introduction To Ecology
Ecology Reviewer (Prelims) Chapter 1: Introduction To Ecology
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO
ECOLOGY
Ecology study of interactions among
organisms, between the organisms and their
environment; study of all those complex
interrelations needed for struggle of
existence
Organism expression of species
Population interbreeding group of
organisms of the same species that inhabit a
defined geographical area
Community collections of different species
living together; an assemblage of living
organisms sharing the same habitat and
having distinctive unity
Producers autotrophs; self-feeders;
synthesize their own organic substance from
simple organic substances
Consumers heterotrophs; organisms
that feed on other population; they ingest
other living organisms in whole or in part to
obtain organic nutrients as a source of
energy
Decomposers fungi and bacteria;
organisms that decay; obtain organic
nutrients by breaking down the remains or
products of organisms; recycling compounds
back to autotrophs
Detritovores organisms that feed on
particles of organic matter that would be
produced by partial decomposition
Herbivore eats plants
Carnivore eats meat
Omnivore eats plants and meat
Scavenger eats food left by others
Parasite lives in or on other
organism; using it for food
Ecosystems communities of species
interacting with each other and their nonliving environment; consists of biotic and
abiotic community
CHAPTER 2: ECOSYSTEMS
Ecological Time ecologists seek to
understand the short-term consequences of
such events to ecosystem and to their
resident organisms
Evolutionary Time every environmental
event affecting organism is potentially a
selective force that may shape the course of
their evolution
1. Energy flows through an ecosystem in a
one way path
2. Materials recycle through an ecosystem
3. Individuals in an ecosystem have an
absolute need for energy and materials
4. Human activities can drastically affect the
health of the ecosystems
Trophic Levels hierarchy of energy
transfers; where food chain is made up;
decomposers ARE NOT assigned in particular
trophic level
Food Chain transfer of food energy from
one organism to another with its sequence of
eating and being eaten; made out of trophic
level
*Flow of materials in ecosystem is the result
of PREY-PREDATOR Relationship
Predator organism which feeds directly on
other organism
3 Important Principles on Food Chain
1. Photosynthesis should be in the beginning
of food chain and decay on end
2. The shorter the food chain, the greater
waste of energy
3. Size of population is ultimately determined
by the number of steps in food chain
Predator Chain smaller to larger organism
Parasite Chain organism lives on body of
the other organism and get nourishment
from it
HUMAN
ECOSYSTEM
Dependent
Noncyclical
Polluting
Non Renewable
Fossil Fuels