LESSON 7

Ecology: Interaction and

Interdependence

Prepared by Ms. Lynrie Sagayno

 Target Topics

1. Ecology and ecosystem

2. Components of ecosystem
3. Level of organization
4. Relationships and Interaction in the
ecosystem
5. Population Growth

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 Ecology
• The study of the interaction between biotic and abiotic
factors of the environment.
• The structural and functional unit that is studied in
ecology is called ecosystem.

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 Level of Organization in Biosphere

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 Ecosystem
• A complex set of relationships of the living and nonliving
components of an area.
• An ecosystem can support itself and is stable (not much change)
when three conditions are met:
a. There must be a constant supply of energy.
b. There must be living organisms that can convert the energy into
organic compounds.
c. There must be recycling of materials between organisms and
the environment.

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 Components of Ecosystem
1. Biotic factors
• Living things that have a direct or indirect influence on
other organisms in an environment. For example plants,
animals, and microorganisms and their waste materials

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 Components of Ecosystem
2. Abiotic factors
• All chemical and physical elements
i.e. non-living components.
• Abiotic components can vary from
region to region, from one
ecosystem to another.
• They mainly take up the role of life
supporter.
• They determine and restrict the
population growth, number, and
diversity of biotic factors in an
ecosystem. Hence, they are called
limiting factors.

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 Ecosystem
Types of Ecosystem
1. Terrestrial Ecosystem
a. Tundra
b. Desert
c. Savannas
d. Rainforests
2. Aquatic Ecosystem
a. Marine
b. Freshwater

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 Types of Ecosystem

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 Relationships in the Ecosystem
• Nutrition (Food Chain/Web)
• Energy Transfer
• Biogeochemical cycles

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 Relationships in the Ecosystem

Nutrition
Biotic components
• Producers
• Consumers
• Decomposers

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 Relationships in the Ecosystem
Nutrition
Biotic components
• Producers
• Consumers
• Decomposers

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 Relationships in the Ecosystem
Energy Transfer

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 Flow of Energy
“Everything is connected to everything else.”
Trophic Levels Ten Percent Rule

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
Special Nutrition Relationships

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
A. Mutualism
• a symbiotic relationship in which BOTH organisms benefit from the
association.

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
B. Commensalism
• a symbiotic relationship where one organism
benefits (+) and the other organism is not harmed
(0).

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
C. Parasitism
• One organism, the parasite, benefits (+), while the
host is harmed (-).

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
C. Parasitism
• One organism, the parasite, benefits (+), while the
host is harmed (-).

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Relationships in the Ecosystem
Biogeochemical Cycles

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Population in Ecosystem
The rate of population growth is dependent on the ff:
a. Biotic potential measures how well a species has
adapted to survive (by defense mechanisms, resistance
to adverse conditions, migration, and seed dispersion)
b. Environmental resistance is the adverse biotic and
abiotic factor that raises the death rate of a population.
Example: predators, parasites, unfavorable temperature,
and lack of water.

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Population in Ecosystem
Carrying Capacity
• Optimal maximum density of a population that can be supported by
a defined space.
• Combination of the biotic and abiotic factors can determine the
carrying capacity of an ecosystem.

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
1. Natality (Births)
2. Immigration
3. Mortality
4. Emigration
5. Age Structure

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
1. Natality (Births)
• Natality is the production of new
individuals by birth, hatching,
germination, or cloning.
• Natality is the main source of
addition to most biological
populations.

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
2. Immigration
• Organisms are introduced into new ecosystems by a variety
of methods. Seeds, spores, and small animals may be
floated on winds or water currents over long distances.

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
3. Mortality or Death rate
• If more organisms in a population die than are replaced
in a given time, the population will decrease.
• If mortality is low compared to natality, on the other
hand, the population will grow.

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
4. Emigration
• Emigration, the movement of members out of a population, is the
second major factor that reduces population size.

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Population in Ecosystem
Factors Affecting Population Size
5. Age Structure
• Age structure is an important factor,
which influences both natality and
mortality.
• Consequently, the ratio of the various age
group (age and sex ratio) in a population
determines the current reproductive
status of the population and indicates
what may be expected in the future.
• In particular, the number of women of
childbearing age in a population is crucial
in evaluating its growth rate.

Prepared by Ms. Lynrie Sagayno