M Itziar Erice Gordo. 2 ESO.

1
Unit 5:

THE STRUCTURE OF ECOSYSTEMS
February, 06 de
septiembre de 2014
Ecology:

Science that studies the
relationships between organisms
and their environments.

It studies: Ecosystems.

Biosphere: The set of all living beings in
the earth. The life zone of the earth
including all living organisms and all
organic matter.
Its the living component of the
Ecosphere.

Ecosphere: The regions of the Earth that are capable
of supporting life, together with the ecosystems they
contain (the biosphere).
Ecosystem: All the living organisms which live in a
partitcular area, the relationships between them, and
their physical environment.
2 components:
Biocenosis: the set of living beings: plants,
animals, fungi and microorganisms.
Influenced by: BIOTIC FACTORS (other living organisms)

Biotope: the inorganic part: the physical
environment.
Influenced by: ABIOTIC FACTORS (physical/chemical
elements)

Components of an ecosystem
Biotope:
Inorganic part
Biocenosis:
Set of living beings
Ecosphere
Biotope:
Atmospshere, geosphere, hydrosphere
Biocenosis:

Biomes
Huge, large-scale ecosystems in the world.

Main Biomes in the earth:
Terrestrial
Acuatic

(Next unit we will study different types of both Biomes)
FOOD CHAINS
All living beings need energy and they get it from
the nutrients in food.
All of them can be clasiffied according to the
TROPHIC LEVEL (step/place in a food chain)

We can find 3 trophic levels in every ecosystem:
- Producers
- Consumers (1 or more)
- Decomposers
Trophic Levels:
Decomposers:
Some bacteria and fungi
Producers:
Autotrophs
(plants, algae and some bacteria)
Primary
consumers:
Herbivores
Secondary
consumers:
Carnivores (+Omnivores)
Tertiary
consumers:
They eat primary and
secondary consumers
Tertiary
consumers
Trophic dynamics (Relationships, interactions of food chains
represented by a food web)
Habitat & Ecological niche:
Habitat: the place where a species lives.

Ecological niche: the way a species
relates to the biotic and abiotic factors in
an ecosystem.
It is not a physical place, but it referes to the
way they live, food they eat, temperature
they need, shelters they look for

Many species can share habitat but when they have
the same ecological niche they become RIVALS in a
competition to survive.
Habitat
Physical area
where I can find an
organism
Ecologycal Niche
They share habitat
but feed on different
types of plants
Trophic pyramids
Graphic representations of a particular characteristic
at each trophic level
Number pyramid
Biomass pyramid Energy pyramid
Transmission of matter and
energy in the ecosystem

2 simultaneous processes:

One-way flow of ENERGY (Source: Solar
energy)

Closed cycle of MATTER (Matter is
recycled but not lost)

Light energy
HEAT
(lost energy)
Producers (Photosynthesis)
Consumers
Decomposers
One-way flow of
Energy
Cycle of Matter
Producers: they make
their own organic
matter from water, CO2
and mineral salts)
Primary consumers:
they feed on producers
(using the organic
matter from them)
Secondary consumers:
they get matter from
primary consumers and
producers
Tertiary consumers:
They feed on those
before
Decomposers:
Transform organic
matter into inorganic
(water, mineral salts...)
Abiotic Factors
Chemical of physical conditions of the
environment

Can change and vary with time

They affect the survival of an organism
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Main abiotic
factors:
Light Temperature Hummidity
And.. If talking about
Acuatic Ecosystems??
Abiotic factors
Chemical
conditions
Physical
Biotic Factors: Biotic Relations
Depend on the presence of other living
beings
They affect the relationships among all the
inhabitants in a place at the same time.
2 types:
- Interspecific (among different species)
- Intraspecific (among individuals of the
same species)

Biotic Relations
Interspecific (among different species)
- Mutualism Examples:
- Bees pollinate flowers
- Algae + lichen
- In digestive systems: symbiotic bacteria help break down foods
that contain fibre. They also help produce vitamins.

- Commensalism (Beetles feed on mammal faeces)
- Inquilinism (Hermit crab)

- Parasitism: The parasite lives at the expense of the Host

- Depredation The predator kills and eats the prey

- Competition
Biotic Factors: Interespecific Relations
Commensalism
Mutualism & Symbiosis
Inquilinism
Parasitism Competition
Depredation
Biotic Relations
Intraspecific (in the same species)
- Familial: Group of related individuals
(family of lemurs, family of lions)

- Gregarious: Group of individuals not necessarily
related and temporaly together
- Migrating birds
- Colonial (Related individuals living together, very close)

- Social: Group of individuals organised in a hierarchy
(Bees, Ants)

- Competition
Biotic Factors: INTRASPECIFIC RELATIONS
COLONIAL
SOCIAL
GREGARIOUS
FAMILIAL
Terrestrial ecosystems
Ecosystems where organisms can live on
land, surrounded by air.

The large ones (BIOMES) have a great
diversity of living beings.

Distribution of organisms depends mainly
on abiotic factors related to the climate.
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Main abiotic
factors:
Light Temperature Hummidity
Abiotic factors that affect terrestrial ecosystems
LIGHT (photosynthesis
&
animal behaviour)
TEMPERATURE
(latitude, altitude and
proximity to the sea)
HUMMIDITY:
to perform
vital functions
CLIMATE ZONES
FRIGID ZONE
TEMPERATE ZONE
TORRID ZONE
TEMPERATE ZONE
FRIGID ZONE
Three large climate zones
TORRID OR HOT ZONE
GRASSLAND
(Savannah)
DESERT RAINFOREST
TEMPERATE ZONE
DECIDUOUS FOREST MEDITERRANEAN FOREST
FRIGID OR COLD ZONE
TUNDRA TAIGA
Aquatic ecosystems
Ecosystems where creatures can live
surrounded by water: They are adapted to get
the soluble oxygen from all kind of bodies of
water: salty or fresh: oceans, seas, lakes, rivers,
ponds, etc.

The abiotic factors that affect most the
distribution of organisms are: Light, temperature,
pressure, salinity (concentration of salts),
oxygen concentration, density and movements
of water.
Abiotic factors that affect aquatic ecosystems
Light (depth)
Temperature (distance and
depth)
Salinity (dead sea)
Oxygen (soluble in water)
Pressure (depth shape)
Density
Movements of water
Types of acuatic
organisms
Types of acuatic
organisms
Plankton
Nekton
Benthos
Plankton

The collection of small or microscopic
organisms, including algae and
protozoans, that float or drift in great
numbers in fresh or salt water, especially
at or near the surface, and serve as food
for fish and other larger organisms.

Nekton

The collection of marine and freshwater
organisms that can swim freely and are
generally independent of currents,
ranging in size from microscopic
organisms to whales.

Benthos


The collection of organisms living on or in
sea or lake bottoms.
The bottom of a sea or lake.
Acuatic Ecosystems
FRESHWATER
ECOSYSTEMS


-- LENTIC
(lagoons, marshes)
-- LOTIC
(rivers, streams)
MARINE
ECOSYSTEMS

Classified into different
zones acoording to depth
and distance from the
coast:
- Intertidal zone
- Neritic zone
- Pelagic zone
- Abyssal plain
-Intertidal zone

-Neritic zone

-Pelagic zone

-Abyssal plain
Zones of marine ecosystems

Las adaptaciones al medio acutico
Distribucin
Adaptaciones a
la luz
Bioluminiscencia
Las adaptaciones al medio acutico
Adaptaciones a la
presin hidrosttica
Vejiga
natatoria
Formas aplanadas
Las adaptaciones al medio acutico
Adaptaciones
a la salinidad
Regulacin
interna
Las adaptaciones al medio acutico
Adaptaciones a la densidad y viscosidad
Superficie
corporal
Vejigas
llenas de aire
Propulsin
Las adaptaciones al medio acutico
Adaptaciones a las
corrientes
Tallos
flexibles
Sujecin al fondo
Now its time for you to study
Los ciclos biogeoqumicos
Los recorridos que realizan ciertos
elementos qumicos a travs de la
biocenosis y el biotopo de un ecosistema
se denominan ciclos biogeoqumicos
Los ciclos biogeoqumicos
Ciclo del carbono
Ciclo del nitrgeno
Ciclo del fsforo
El ciclo del carbono
CO
2
atmosfrico
Fotosntesis
Respiracin
Quema de
combustibles
fsiles
Erupciones
volcnicas
Fotosntesis
Respiracin
Quema
de biomasa
vegetal
Sedimentos
marinos
Roca caliza
Combustibles
fsiles
Ciclo del nitrgeno
N
2
atmosfrico
Restos
orgnicos
Nitratos asimilables
Bacterias del suelo
fijadoras de N
2
Bacterias
nitrificantes

Bacterias
desnitrificantes

Ciclo del fsforo
Fosfatos disueltos
en el agua

Fosfatos en rocas
sedimentarias

Fosfatos que llegan
al mar por escorrenta

Fosfatos en sedimentos marinos

El medio ambiente
El medio ambiente o entorno est definido por el
conjunto de condiciones o factores ambientales
que existen en un lugar.

Los factores ambientales que determinan la
distribucin y la abundancia de una especie se
llaman factores limitantes

Los factores ambientales pueden ser abiticos y
biticos
Factores limitantes
Para cada factor ambiental existe:

Zona de tolerancia: valores entre los cuales
se desarrolla la especie
Zona ptima: Zona en la que la especie
sobrevive mejor
Caractersticas del medio ambiente
Factores
limitantes
Factores
limitantes
Zona de tolerancia
Zona ptima

Varias especies pueden tener el mismo
habitat pero no el mismo nicho.
Las adaptaciones al medio terrestre
LIGHT
HUMMIDITY
TEMPERATURE
Las adaptaciones al medio terrestre
HUMEDAD
ATMOSFRICA
TEMPERATURA
LUZ
LUZ
Estratificacin
Actividad
Las adaptaciones al medio terrestre
LUZ
HUMEDAD
ATMOSFRICA
Actividad
Semillas
TEMPERATURA
TEMPERATURA
Poiquilotermos
Homeotermos
Las adaptaciones al medio terrestre
LUZ
HUMEDAD
ATMOSFRICA
TEMPERATURA
HUMEDAD
ATMOSFRICA
Plantas hidrfilas
Plantas xerfilas
Pelo
Escamas
Exoesqueleto