Module -2

Ecology: -

Ecology is the branch of science that deals with the study of the pattern of
relations between organisms and their environment.

It is not only particular with organism but with energy flow and material cycles
on the land in the water, in the air.

Ecology can be defined as:

“The study of interaction between an organism and its physical environment,

the relationship between animals and plants and how one species affect
another”.

Ecosystem: -

Ecosystem has been defined as a system of interaction of organisms with their

surroundings.

“An ecosystem is defined as a natural unit that consists of living and non living
parts which interact to form a stable system.”

Balanced ecosystem: -

The biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem are in equilibrium in a balanced
ecosystem.

Balanced ecosystem means that the nutrients are able to cycle efficiently, and
no community of organisms or natural phenomenon is interrupting the flow of
energy and nutrients to other parts of the ecosystem.

Structure and functional components of an ecosystem: -

Each and every ecosystem has two major components which are functioning in
an inter- related manner.
Climate factors: having a strong influence on the ecosystem.

Water: -

Plants and animals receive water from the soil and earth’s surface. Water is the
medium by which mineral nutrients enter and are distributed in plants. For the
survival of animals, water is necessary.

Soil: -

Soil provides nutrients and water, a structural growing medium for organisms.

Atmospheric air: -

Within ecosystem, the atmosphere provides oxygen for respiration of organisms

and CO2 for photosynthesis in plants.

Sunlight: -

Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis. It is used to heat the atmosphere in

ecosystem.
Biotic components: -

All the living components of the environment constitute the biotic components.
Depending on their self food producing capability, biotic components are of
following types: -

1. Producers (autotrophic) components:

Producers are self - nourishing organisms, so they are called autotrophs.
They contain chlorophyll and are capable of converting CO2 and water in
the presence of sunlight in to carbohydrates through photosynthesis. In
the process, they give out oxygen.
6CO2 + 6H2O + Sunlight C6H12O6 + 6O2
 Photoautotroph: -
These are the producers who fix energy from the sun and store it in
complex organic compounds.
Simple inorganic compounds Photoautotroph Complex
organic compounds
e.g. green plants, algae etc.
Chemoautotrophs:
They are bacteria that oxidise reduced inorganic substances (typically
ammonia and sulphur compounds) and produces complex organic
compounds.
Reduced inorganic Chemoautotrophs Complex organic
compounds compounds
e.g nitrifying bacteria in the soil underground.

Consumers (or heterotrophic components):

Consumers depend on producers to obtain energy for survival. They utilise,

rearrange and decompose the organic matter produced by autotrophs.

Complex organic Heterotrophs Simple inorganic

compounds compound

Consumers are classified as herbivores, carnivores and top carnivores

depending on their food habits.

A. Herbivores (or primary consumers): - They feed on green plants

(autotrophs) to obtain energy for survival.
Seed eaters are also known as granivores.
Fruit eaters are also known as frugivores.
e.g. Grasshoppers, rabbits, goats, cow, horses etc.
B. Carnivores (or tertiary consumers): -
They eat the flesh of both carnivores and herbivores and are not killed or
eaten by other animals.
e.g lion, tiger, vultures etc.
Decomposers:

These are also known as reducers (or saptrotrophs or heterotrophic organisms).

They feed on dead organic matter (from producers and consumers). They
transform complex organic compound back into simple inorganic substance
(like CO2, H2O, Phosphates, Sulphates).

e.g. Bacteria, fungi and other microbes etc.