Basic Ecological Concepts:

Ecology – derived from 2 Greek words;

• Oikos – meaning “house”
• Logos – meaning “the study of”
Ecology – the scientific study of the
interactions between organisms and the
environment.
Ecology – seeks mainly to understand
interaction among organisms, populations,
communities and the ecosphere (biosphere).
 Subdivisions of Ecology
Autecology – deals with the study of the
individual organism or an individual species
with emphasis on the behavior as a means
of adaptation to the environment.
 Subdivisions of Ecology
Synecology – deals with the study of the of
organisms which are associated together as
a unit.
Levels of Organization
 What is Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of organisms
interacting with one another as well as with
their non-living (abiotic) environment. It is a
self-sustaining system which uses energy
and cycled materials.
Basic Requirements for an
Ecosystem to Function Successfully
• The acquisition, transformation and
transfer of energy.
• The gathering and the recycling of the
materials necessary for life.
Energy Flow
 •Begins with the SUN
•Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O + Sunlight & Chlorophyll

→C6H12O6 + 6O2
• The chemical reaction by which green
plants use water and carbon dioxide and
light from the sun to make glucose.
• ENERGY is stored in glucose; glucose is
stored as starch.
Components of an
Ecosystem
Organisms that can make
glucose during
photosynthesis are called
PRODUCERS.
Producers use most of the
energy they make for
themselves.
Organisms that cannot make their
own energy are called
CONSUMERS.
 Consumers that eat producers to
get energy:

• Are first order or

primary consumers
• Are herbivores
(plant-eaters)
 Most of the energy the primary
consumer gets from the producer
is used by the consumer.
A consumer that eats another
consumer for energy:
• Is called a secondary
or second order
consumer
• May be a carnivore
or a herbivore
• May be a predator or
scavenger
Most of the energy in primary
consumer is used by the
secondary consumer.
Some of the energy is lost
as heat, but some energy
is stored and can passed
on to another consumer.
A consumer that eats a consumer
that already ate a consumer:

• Is called a third order

or tertiary consumer
• May be a carnivore
or a herbivore
• May be a predator
• May be a scavenger
Consumers that eat producers &
other consumers

• Are called omnivores

• Omnivores eat plants
and animals
Consumers that hunt & kill other
consumers are called predators.
The animals that are hunted &
killed are called prey.
 Consumers that eat other
consumers that have already
died are called Scavengers.
 Consumers that recycle organic
matter in ecosystems by breaking
down dead organic materials to
nutrients are called
DECOMPOSERS.
FOOD CHAIN VS FOOD WEB
Food Chain
• The transfer of food
energy from the
source in plants
through a series of
organisms with
repeated eating &
being eaten.
• Primary Producers to
Decomposer
 Types of Food Chains
Grazing Food Chain – starts from a green
plant base, then goes to herbivores, then on
carnivores.
Detritus Food Chain – goes on from dead
organic matter then to detritus feeders &
their predators.
Food Web
• A matrix of food
chains showing the
patterns of energy
and material flow
through a community.
• They show the
feeding relationships
in an ecosystem.
Species Interaction
 5 Types of Species Interactions
1.Competition
2.Predation
3.Parasitism
4.Mutualism
5.Commensalism

• Symbioses are interactions between

species.
Competition
Competition
• Competition results from the use of the same
limited resources by 2 or more species (niche
overlap).
• The more resources the 2 species share the
more intense the competition.
Predation
 Predation
• One individual captures, kills, and consumes,
another individual (predator-prey).
• Evolution (natural selection) favors
adaptations
• Helps to regulate populations size
Parasitism
Parasitism
• Parasitism is an interaction where one
organism benefits and the other organism is
harmed.
1. Parasite- The individual that benefits.
2. Host – The individual that is harmed.
Mutualism, and
Commensalism
Mutualism
• Mutualism is a cooperative
relationship in which both species
derive some benefit.
• Win-Win Situation
Mutualism

• Mushroom and fly

– Fly lands on and eats
mushroom. Some of
the spores will adhere to
the fly.
– When the fly dies, (of
natural causes) the
spores will be on new
ground and will allow
the mushroom to grow
in a new area.
Commensalism

• Commensalism is a relationship in
which one individual benefits and the
other is unaffected.
• Win-Neutral Relationship
Commensalism

• The egrets feed off

of lizards and
insects forced out
of hiding while the
buffalo moves
through the grass.
THE END!