The Circle of Life

Mr. Aldwin C. Espiritu

Learning Objectives
Define different ecological interactions present in an
ecosystem.
Determine the different changes in the ecosystem that
affects one factor to another, such as population and
community.
Determine the different changes within the different
abiotic factors in the ecosystem.
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
The living and nonliving things, together with their
interactions, make up an ecosystem.
Earth is a large ecosystem; every component is connected
to one another.
The interactions occurring can be beneficial, harmful, or
have no effect at all.
Ecological Relationships
Mutualism — a positive type of
relationship; both organisms
benefit from each other
ex: sea anemones (venomous)
clown fish (helps clean and
bring food)
Ecological Relationships
Mutualism — a positive type of
relationship; both organisms
benefit from each other
ex: cleaner wrasse
“cleans” other fish
Ecological Relationships
Commensalism — one organism
benefits and the other is not
affected
ex: remoras hitch a ride on
sharks, and eats their
leftovers; the sharks are
not affected nor harmed
(no benefits to sharks)
Ecological Relationships
Commensalism — one organism
benefits and the other is not
affected
ex: cattle egrets ride on
buffalos and other cattle;
eats insects stirred up when
cattle graze
Ecological Relationships
Parasitism — a negative relationship because parasites
harm the host
Parasites need their hosts for survival.

Endoparasites live inside the hosts’ body.

Ectoparasites live on the hosts’ body surface.

Ecological Relationships
Parasitism
ex: Tongue-eating louse
are most often found
inhabiting the mouths of
their fish hosts,
effectively replacing the
fishes’ tongues
Ecological Relationships
Parasitism
ex: Giardia — a tiny parasite
that causes the diarrheal
disease giardiasis.
found on surfaces or in soil,
food, or water that has
been contaminated with
feces from infected people
or animals.
Ecological Relationships
Competition — organisms
compete for resources,
mates, territory
ex: predators like lions
and hyenas often fight
for territory and prey
Ecological Relationships
Competition — organisms
compete for resources,
mates, territory
ex: stags fighting for the
right to mate
Ecological Relationships
Predation — one organism
(prey) is killed and eaten
by the other organism
(predator)
ex: a lion eating its prey
Ecological Relationships
Predation — one organism
(prey) is killed and eaten
by the other organism
(predator)
ex: a sundew plant capturing
and eating an insect
Ecological Relationships
Different Ecological Relationships
Relationship Organism A Organism B
Mutualism + +
Commensalism + o
Parasitism + −
Competition − −
Predation + −
Checkpoint (p. 191)

Why do ecological relationships exist?

Ecological relationships exist because every organism in

the ecosystem needs to interact to survive.
The interactions occurring in an ecosystem maintain the
existence of life.
Checkpoint (p. 191)

What are the different ecological relationships?

Mutualism – both organisms benefit from one another.
Commensalism – one organism benefits; the other is not
affected
Parasitism – one organism benefits; while the other is harmed
but isn’t killed instantly.
Competition – organisms compete for resources
Predation – one organism benefits; the other gets killed
instantly
Food Chain
Food Chain — shows feeding relationships among
organisms in an ecosystem.
— represents how energy is transferred from one organism
to another
— the amount of energy flowing decreases as it is
transferred from one organism to the next.
Food Chain
Food Chain — shows feeding relationships among
organisms in an ecosystem.
— represents how energy is transferred from one organism
to another
— the amount of energy flowing decreases as it is
transferred from one organism to the next.
Food Chain
A stage in a food chain is called a trophic level.
Organisms with similar mode of nutrition occupy the same
trophic level.
Food chains rarely have more than four trophic levels.

A simple and linear food chain rarely exists in nature.

Food Web
Food Web — composed of interlinked food chains
Most consumers eat various organisms that may be part of
different trophic levels.
Food Web
Food Web — composed of interlinked food chains
Most consumers eat various organisms that may be part of
different trophic levels.
Ecological Pyramids
Ecological Pyramids — graphical representation of a food
chain
 Number Pyramid
 Biomass Pyramid
 Energy Pyramid
Ecological Pyramids
Number Pyramids — represents the total number of
individuals found in each trophic level
 Upright pyramid — wide base
 Inverted pyramid — wide top
Ecological Pyramids
Number Pyramids
Ex: Grassland ecosystem

Top carnivores Hawks, other birds

Carnivores Frogs, birds
Herbivores Insects
Producers Grasses
Ecological Pyramids
Number Pyramids
Ex: Parasitic Food Chain

Top carnivores Fleas, microbes

Carnivores Lice, bugs
Herbivores Birds
Producers Trees
Ecological Pyramids
Biomass Pyramids — represents the total dry weight or
biomass each trophic level
May also be upright or inverted
Ecological Pyramids
Biomass Pyramids
Ex: Forest ecosystem

Carnivores Lion, Tiger

Herbivores Dear, Elephant
Producers Grasses, Herbs
Ecological Pyramids
Biomass Pyramids
Ex: Pond Ecosystem

Tertiary carnivores Big Fish

Carnivores Small fish
Herbivores Insects
Producers Phytoplanktons
Ecological Pyramids
Energy Pyramid — represents the amount of energy
aquired in each trophic level
Always upright
Top carnivores Only 10% of energy is passed
to succeeding levels
Carnivores
90% of energy is lost in the
Herbivores
form of heat
Producers
Checkpoint (p. 194)

What are the difference between the food chain and the
food web?

A food chain is a linear relationship that shows how

energy is transferred from one organism to another.

A food web is composed of interlinked (or a network of)

food chains.
Checkpoint (p. 194)

Describe the changes in the amount of energy transferred

from the producers up to the top consumers.

The amount of energy acquired is higher in producers than

the top consumer(s).
Only 10% of the energy is transferred to the succeeding
levels.
References
Cuevas, C.C., Eval, A.A., Ramos, S.K.A., & Maaghop, M.C.C. (2021).
Science for Innovative Minds 7. Diwa Learning Systems Inc.