1. Population: The populations of all species found in an ecosystem at a particular time.

2. Habitat: A place where an organism lives.

3. Community: All of the organisms of a particular species found in an ecosystem at a
certain time.
4. Ecosystem: A community of living organisms in conjunction with the non-living
components of their environment, interacting as a system.
5. Biotic factor: The living components of an ecosystem.
6. Abiotic factor: The non-living (physical) components of an ecosystem.

Biotic Factors:

1. Predation: The presence and activity of predators can directly affect the size
of a population by controlling the number of individuals.
2. Competition: Competition for resources, such as food, water, and mates, can
limit the size of a population by influencing access to essential elements.
3. Disease: The spread of diseases within a population can lead to a decline in
population size if not effectively managed.
4. Reproductive Interactions: Factors related to reproduction, such as mating
behaviors and success, can impact population size by influencing birth rates.
5. Symbiotic Relationships: Mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic relationships
with other species can affect the health and size of a population.
6. Availability of Prey or Food Sources: The abundance or scarcity of food
sources can directly influence the growth or decline of a population.

Abiotic Factors:

1. Climate: Temperature, precipitation, and other climatic conditions can

influence population size by affecting the availability of resources and overall
habitat suitability.
2. Soil Composition: The type and quality of soil can impact plant growth,
which, in turn, affects herbivores and the predators that rely on them.
3. Water Availability: The availability of water is crucial for many species, and
fluctuations in water levels can impact population size.
4. Sunlight: Sunlight availability affects photosynthesis, which is fundamental for
plants and, consequently, herbivores and their predators.
5. Geography/Topography: The physical features of the landscape can
influence the distribution and movement of populations.
6. Natural Disasters: Events such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires can have
significant impacts on population size by causing sudden changes in habitat
or directly affecting organisms.
Predation:

 Definition: Predation is a biological interaction where one organism (predator) hunts,

captures, and kills another organism (prey) for sustenance.
 Nature of Interaction: Predation is often a one-time event resulting in the death of the
prey.
 Impact on Prey: Predation usually has a direct and lethal effect on the prey population.

Parasitism:

 Definition: Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one organism (parasite)

benefits at the expense of another organism (host) by living on or inside the host.
 Nature of Interaction: Parasitism is a long-term relationship where the parasite
depends on the host for resources without immediately causing the host's death.
 Impact on Host: Parasitism typically harms but does not immediately kill the host,
allowing the parasite to continue deriving resources over an extended period.
A decrease in light intensity can significantly affect a plant population due to the crucial
role of light in photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into
chemical energy for growth and development. Here's an explanation:

Decreased Photosynthesis:

 Impact: Reduced light intensity directly hinders the rate of photosynthesis in plants.
 Reason: Photosynthesis is dependent on light energy, and a decrease in light intensity
means that plants receive fewer photons for the photosynthetic process.
 Consequence: As photosynthesis is the primary source of energy for plants, a decrease
in light intensity limits the production of glucose and other organic compounds that are
essential for plant growth, reproduction, and overall health.

Stunted Growth and Development:

 Impact: Insufficient light leads to reduced synthesis of carbohydrates, which are crucial
for plant growth.
 Reason: Carbohydrates produced through photosynthesis serve as the building blocks
for various plant structures and functions.
 Consequence: A decrease in light intensity can result in stunted growth, reduced leaf
expansion, and overall underdevelopment of plant structures, negatively impacting the
entire plant population.

Competitive Disadvantage:

 Impact: Plants with reduced access to light may struggle to compete with other plants
in the ecosystem.
 Reason: Light is a limiting factor in plant communities, and a decrease in light
availability puts the affected plants at a disadvantage in terms of resource acquisition
and competition for sunlight.
 Consequence: Over time, this can lead to a decline in the affected plant population as
they may be outcompeted by other species better adapted to the available light
conditions.

Altered Reproductive Success:

 Impact: Reduced light intensity can affect the reproductive success of plants.
 Reason: Flowering and seed production are energy-intensive processes that rely on
sufficient photosynthetic output.
 Consequence: A decrease in light availability may result in fewer flowers, reduced seed
production, and, consequently, a decline in the overall reproductive success of the plant
population.

In summary, a decrease in light intensity negatively impacts plant populations by

impeding photosynthesis, leading to stunted growth, reduced competitiveness, and
compromised reproductive success.

Sometimes ecologists need to determine the size of the population of a species in one area.
Usually, it is impossible to count all of the individuals because the area is too large and/or there
are too many individuals to count. Instead, they take smaller samples of the area and count the
number within that area. For organisms that do not move, like plants, or move very slowly (e.g.
snails), a quadrat can be used. This is a small square that might be 0.25m², 0.5m², 1m², etc.
When using these, it is important that the samples are taken in truly random locations within
the site in order to avoid bias. A good way to do this is to use a random number generator to
select co-ordinates within the sample area.
 a) Species Richness: The total number of different species in a specific area or
ecosystem, representing the diversity in terms of the variety of species present.

b) Species Evenness: A measure of the relative abundance or distribution of each

species within a community, indicating how evenly individuals are distributed among
different species.

a) Greatest Species Richness:

 Species richness is determined by the total number of different species present.

 Count the number of non-zero populations for each forest to determine species
richness.
 Forest 1: 3 species (Species 1, 2, 3)
 Forest 2: 3 species (Species 1, 2, 3)

Therefore, both Forest 1 and Forest 2 have the same species richness.

b) Greater Evenness:

 Evenness is related to the distribution of individuals among species.

 Calculate evenness by assessing the balance of populations for each species in each
forest.
 Forest 1:
 Species 1: 100
 Species 2: 87
 Species 3: 71
 Species 4: 0
 Forest 2:
 Species 1: 5
 Species 2: 11
 Species 3: 200
 Species 4: 7
 Compare the distribution of populations for each species in the two forests. If the
populations are more balanced, it indicates greater evenness.
 Conclusion:
 Forest 1 has greater evenness as the populations are more evenly
distributed among the species compared to Forest 2.