Environmental Engineering

CHAPTER II

ECOLOGY OF
LIFE

Compiled by: Jessa Mae Gomez

ECOLOGY

 Scientific study of the processes regulating

the distribution and abundance of organisms
and interactions among them, and the study
of how these organisms in turn mediate the
transformation of energy and matter in the
biosphere.

 The goal of ecology is to understand the

principles of operation of natural systems and
to predict their responses to change.
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION

 Individual, Species, Organism

An individual is any living thing or organism. Individuals

do not breed with individuals from other groups.

 Population

A group of individuals of a given species that live in a

specific geographic area at a given time.

 Community

Includes all populations in a specific area at a given time.

A community includes populations of organisms of
different species.
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION

 Ecosystem

Include more than a community of living organisms

(biotic) interacting with the environment (abiotic).

 Biome

A set of ecosystems sharing similar characteristics with

their abiotic factors adapted to their environments.

 Biosphere

Sum of all ecosystems established on Earth.

BIOME
 Biome is very large ecological areas on the
earth’s surface, with fauna (animals) and flora
(plants) adapting to their environment.

 Biomes are often defined by abiotic factors

such as climate, relief, geology, soils and
vegetation.
BIOME

DIFFERENT TYPES

Desert Biome
 Aquatic Biome
Forest Biome
Grassland Biome
Tundra Biome
BIOME

Desert Biome

Make up about 20% of total land cover on

earth and are characterized by little (less
than 50cm/yr) or no rainfall.

Kinds of Dessert Biome

 Hot and dry desert

 Semi-arid desert
 Coastal desert
 Cold desert
BIOME

Aquatic Biome

Includes all water bodies on the earth’s

surface. These biome make up about 73%
of the total earth’s surface.

Groups

 Freshwater Biome
 Marine Biome
BIOME

Forest Biome

Make up about 30% of the total land cover

on earth and are of incredible value to life
on earth. They are a store of carbon and
play a very important role in climate control.

Three Main Biome

 Tropical Rainforest
 Temperate Forest
 Boreal Forrest (Taiga)
BIOME

Grassland Biome

These are massive areas dominated by one or a

few species of grass, with a few sparsely distributed
trees.

Two Main Types

 Savanna Grassland (South America & Australia)

 Temperate Grassland (South Africa, Argentina & Central
North America)
BIOME

Tundra Biome

Known to be the coldest of all terrestrial

(land) biomes with least bio-diversity
capacity.

Tundra got its name from Tunturia a finish

word means barren land.

Two Main Types

 Artic Tundra
Alpine Tundra