& testbook.com Ecology and Ecosystem Study Notes: Definitions, Structure and Concept 2021/09/17 Ecology is the scientific study of the relationship between different components in the environment and ecosystem. It deals with the interaction between organisms and their environment. There are different living things and nonliving beings in the environment which act as energy sources and actors in the ecology. The ecology is studied at different levels, such as species, habitat, ecosystem etc. . Abiological organism's habitat, which includes both living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components, is generally referred to as its environment. ‘There are various ecological challenges impacting nature on a worldwide basis. These include the loss of many plant and animal species, environmental degradation, and population growth Understanding the Earth's ecological processes is therefore essential to managing the Earth and its life support systems. Ecology The word ecology emerged from two Greek words: “Oikos” and “Logos”. “Oikos” means “house” or “estate,” and “logos” means “study.” Its literal meaning is the study of nature's home or family. The term was coined by Ernst Haeckel in 1866, however it was first introduced by Hans Reiter in 1885. . Ecology is “the scientific study of the connection between living creatures and their environment”. . Ernst Haeckel (1866- 1870)explained about ecology in the following way: Ecology is a body of knowledge concerning the relations of organism, both to its inorganic and to its organic environment; including friendly and inimical relation with those animals and plants with which it comes in contact with. Plant and animal ecology used to be the two divisions of ecology. Modern ecology, on the other hand, makes no difference between plants and animals due to their interconnectedness. Learn more about environmental issues like deforestation here. Subdivisions of Ecology AutecologyAutecology is the study of particular species or individuals in relation to their environmental surroundings. species-specific and population-specific autecology are the two main methods to autecological research (a) species-specific autecology examines individual species, whereas population ecology analyses individuals of the same species. ‘Synecology Itis the study of the community of living organisms as an individual unit. Community ecology is focused on the study of biotic (living) communities composed of interdependent plants and animals in a given region. A community of living creatures and their surroundings is considered a unit of nature under ecosystem ecology. Habitat Ecology Habitat ecology involves ecological study of organisms’ habitat or environment and its influence on them, Diverse habitats like terrestrial, freshwater, marine and estuarine habitats are studied. Learn more about the Types of Waste, in this article. Ecosystem Plants, animals, and humans coexist alongside a diverse range of other plants and animals. Such complex natural organisations with their living and non-living surroundings that govern them and provide nourishment to as an ecosystem (ecological system). There are biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem. . Abiotic components are non living elements like energy, water, atmospheric gases and wind, fire, gravity, topography, geologic subsystem, soil ete. . The distribution of organisms in the environment is determined by the availability of energy. . Biotic components are the living elements like plants, animals, microorganisms etc. Producers- As autotrophs, green plants synthesise carbohydrates from basic inorganic raw materials like carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight, for their own benefit as well as that of non-producing organisms. Consumers- It is not possible for heterotrophs to photosynthesise, thus they must obtain their nutrition from animal or plant-based sources. There are two major categories of consumer: macro consumers and micro consumers. . Macroconsumers are divided into two groups based on the type of food they consume. . Herbivores, such as cows and rabbits, are the principal eaters of plants. . Carnivores only eat other animals for food. Tertiary consumers are carnivores that feed on secondary consumers, such as lions that devour wolves, Omnivores are organisms that devour both vegetation and animals, such as mankind. Micro-consumers include bacteria and fungus that degrade decaying organic matter (detritus) from plants or animals.Learn in-depth about the Environment Protection Act of 1986 here. Types of Natural Ecosystems Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecosystems based on land are called terrestrial ecosystems Forests, deserts, grasslands ete are terrestrial ecosystems. Forests make up about 31% of the earth’s total land. There are three different types of forest ecosystems- temperate forest, tropical rainforest, coniferous forest. Both hot and cold deserts exist. Arid air, excessive heat and cold throughout the day and night, as well as a lack of rainfall characterise these habitats. Due to this, the flora is limited and the desert is home to few fauna. ‘Temperate grasslands and the Tropical Savannas are the two types of grasslands. Study about the structure and significance of Forests here. Aquatic Ecosystem Ecosystems based on water are called the aquatic ecosystem. As the name implies, the freshwater ecosystem is a type of aquatic environment that contains consumable water. These include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, and wetland habitats, among others. The marine ecosystem is an aquatic habitat that contains saltwater and is home to a variety of organisms. This ecosystem is the largest and most extensive on the planet. They not only contain oceanic beds, but also estuaries, tidal zones, saline swamps, mangroves, coral reefs ete. Food ChainFood Chains + i — &— ‘A three liked f00d chain Carrots Rabbit Fox Lion ‘Ave linked food chain Organisms are connected through a prey and predator relationship. A series of such nutrition dependencies form the food chain. Trophic level refers to each level in the food chain. As the first trophic level, green plants or producers are responsible for maintaining the balance of the food chain. Herbivores make up the second trophic level, and predators make up the upper trophic levels. . Green plants transform radiative energy into chemical energy, which is stored as food. ._ Each species in a food chain consumes the species before it in the chain to transform the food energy from a particular source. Read more about Basic of Environment, here. Food Web The interlinkages between the food chains create the food web. In nature, there is no such thing as an isolated or simple food chain. Plants can provide nourishment for deer, cows, grasshoppers, and rabbits concurrently. . A food web depicts all possible energy and nutrition exchanges among species , whereas a food chain tracks only one channel in the food web. Check out the other topics of People Development and Environment, here. We hope this article helped you learn more about Ecology and Ecosystem. Download the Testbook App for more exam preparation material.Ecology and Ecosystem FAQs Q.1 What is ecology? Ans.1 Ecology is the scientific study of the relationship between different components in the environment. It deals witl the interaction between organisms and their environment. Q.2 Who coined the term Ecology? Ans.2 Ernst Haeckel in 1866 coined the term ecology and Hans Reiter was the first one to use it in 1885 Q.3 Which are the a Ans.3 Abiotic components are nonliving elements like energy, water, atmospheric gases and wind, fire, otic components in the environment? gravity, topography, geologic subsystem, soil etc. Q.4 What is a food chain? Ans.4 Organisms are connected through a prey and predator relationship. A series of such nutrition dependencies form the food chain. Q.5 What is a marine ecosystem? Ans.5 The marine ecosystem is an aquatic habitat that contains saltwater and is home to a variety of organisms. This ecosystem is the largest and most extensive on the planet. They not only contain oceanic beds, but also estuaries, tidal zones, saline swamps, mangroves, coral reefs etc. De) reer TS Sa] rg eta) icy eT Ta ee AUST S Pa The Complete Exam Preparat ed