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  • 4.1 Species - Ecosystems

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    Kaleab Gebreegizabiher
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    Species are groups of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Populations are groups of the same species living in the same area. Communities are groups of populations interacting in a habitat. An ecosystem includes a community and its environment. Autotrophs produce organic molecules from inorganic nutrients using light or chemical energy, while heterotrophs obtain organic molecules by consuming other organisms or detritus. Nutrient cycling involves autotrophs producing and heterotrophs consuming organic molecules, while saprotrophs decompose dead organisms and return nutrients to the environment. Mesocosms are enclosed experimental ecosystems used to study sustainability.

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    Species are groups of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Populations are groups of the same species living in the same area. Communities are groups of populations interacting in a habitat. An ecosystem includes a community and its environment. Autotrophs produce organic molecules from inorganic nutrients using light or chemical energy, while heterotrophs obtain organic molecules by consuming other organisms or detritus. Nutrient cycling involves autotrophs producing and heterotrophs consuming organic molecules, while saprotrophs decompose dead organisms and return nutrients to the environment. Mesocosms are enclosed experimental ecosystems used to study sustainability.

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    13 views1 page

    4.1 Species - Ecosystems

    Uploaded by

    Kaleab Gebreegizabiher
    Species are groups of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Populations are groups of the same species living in the same area. Communities are groups of populations interacting in a habitat. An ecosystem includes a community and its environment. Autotrophs produce organic molecules from inorganic nutrients using light or chemical energy, while heterotrophs obtain organic molecules by consuming other organisms or detritus. Nutrient cycling involves autotrophs producing and heterotrophs consuming organic molecules, while saprotrophs decompose dead organisms and return nutrients to the environment. Mesocosms are enclosed experimental ecosystems used to study sustainability.

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    Topic 4.

    1: SPECIES ➙ ECOSystems
    Ecological Organisation Modes of Nutrition

    Species: Living organisms can obtain chemical energy by one of two


    A group of organisms that can interbreed methods of nutrition (a few species can use both methods):
    and produce fertile, viable offspring
    Autotrophs
    Population: Autotrophs synthesise organic molecules from inorganic
    Group of organisms of the same species, nutrients within the environment, using energy from either:
    living in the same area at the same time •  Light (photoautotrophs)
    •  Oxidation reactions (chemoautotophs)
    Community:
    A group of different populations living Heterotrophs
    together and interacting in a given area Heterotrophs obtain their organic molecules from other
    organisms via a variety of feeding methods and food sources
    Habitat: •  Consumers ingest other living organisms
    The environment in which a species lives •  Detritivores ingest detritus (decomposing matter and faeces)
    or the normal location of an organism •  Saprotrophs externally digest dead organisms (decomposers)

    Ecosystem: Autotrophs are commonly referred to as producers, as they


    A community and also its environment are responsible for the production of organic molecules
    (all biotic and abiotic factors) •  Heterotrophs could not survive without autotrophs

    Nutrient Cycling Mesocosms

    Nutrients are materials required by organisms for survival Ecosystems have the potential to be sustainable over long
    periods of time, however this requires three conditions:
    The supply of inorganic nutrients within the environment is
    •  Energy availability (e.g. light source)
    finite and therefore must be constantly recycled:
    •  Nutrient availability (e.g. decomposers)
    •  Autotrophs convert inorganic nutrients into organic
    molecules (i.e. they are producers) •  Waste recycling (e.g. detoxifying bacteria)
    •  Heterotrophs ingest organic molecules and may release
    Mesocosms are enclosed environments
    inorganic byproducts (e.g. carbon dioxide)
    with controlled conditions (e.g. terrariums)
    •  Saprotrophs break down the nutrients in dead organisms
    and return them to the soil (i.e. they are decomposers) •  They can be used to study sustainability

    Species Associations Quadrat Sampling

    The presence of species in a habitat may be dependent on The presence of a species in a given area can be determined
    the interactions between them (either positive or negative) via quadrat sampling (to assess sessile/non-motile species)
    •  Rectangular frame placed in an area (+ repeat sampling)
    If species are always found in the same habitat, this suggests •  Species numbers within the frame are counted/estimated
    a positive association (such as):
    •  Predator / prey relationships
    •  Symbiotic interaction (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism)

    If species do not share the same habitat, this suggests there


    is a negative association (such as):
    •  Competition (niche partitioning or competitive exclusion)

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