Unit 6: The structure of ecosystems

Ecosystems
Limiting factors
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Water scarcity in plants
Water scarcity in animals
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Adaptations to cold in animals

Skin insulation
Hibernation
Adaptations to cold in plants

Rizomes and bulbs (Underground

structures)

Fallen leaves

Growing close to the

ground
 Adaptations to heat in animals

Nocturnal, structures to dissipate Sweating

heat

Reduce exposure to the sun

Adaptations to heat in plants

Branch density (cojinetes

espinosos)
Sclerophylly (Hard leaves)

Hairs Thorns
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Adaptations to sunlight in animals

Bioluminescence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKjFVBVGad0
Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOPliKfxk8Y
http://www.madrimasd.org/blogs/ciencia_marina/2008/10/28/105107
Adaptations to sunlight in plants

Epyphyte
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Lack of oxygen in high altitudes

Increase in red blood cells

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7KZxIR
1t-o
Lack of oxygen in aquatic environments
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Varying salt concentrations

Osmosis
Varying salt concentrations in plants

Halophytes
Varying salt concentrations in animals

Saltwater fish Freshwater fish

Varying salt concentrations in animals

Marine birds
Adaptations of living things to the environment

1. Water scarcity

2. Temperature changes

3. Sunlight

4. Lack of oxygen

5. Varying salt concentrations

6. Lack of food
Lack of food

Storing in mouth

Hibernation
Populations

• Set or group of organisms of the same species that live in

the same territory and can reproduce together.

INTRASPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS
Populations

• Cooperative
INTRASPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS
• Competitive
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Colonies: common coral. Individuals are the same
 Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Colonies: different individuals (Portuguese man of war)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr1ps0
ooDhU
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Colonies: different individuals (Volvox).
Asexual reproduction involved.
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Families
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Types of families:

According to the individuals forming the family:

• Parental (parents + offspring)
• Matriarchal (mother + offspring)
• Patriarchal (father + offspring, seahorse)
• Filial (only offspring)
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Types of families:

According to the number of parents:

• Monogamous (male+female, birds, mammals)

• Polygamous (male+several females, sea lions)
• Polyandric (female+several males, ospreys)
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esJXJS4G3FM
Caste systems
Cooperative intraspecific relationships
Social
Competitive intraspecific relationships
Intraspecific competition controls the population size
Communities

• Community or biocenosis is the set or group of populations of

different species that live in the same area and have
relationships between each other.

INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS
Communities

• Favourable (+)
INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS
• Harmful (-)
• Neutral (0)
Favourable interspecific relationships (+)

• Mutualism

• Symbiosis

• Commensalism

• Protocooperation
Mutualism

• (+,+)
• Non permanent
• Biological exchange between species
Favourable interspecific relationships (+)

• Mutualism

• Symbiosis

• Commensalism

• Protocooperation
Symbiosis

• (+,+)
• Permanent
• Strong dependence
• Endo- (internal, rhizobia bacteria)
• Ecto- (exterior or ducts,
intestinal flora)
 Lichens
Very closed relationship between
an algae and a fungus
Favourable interspecific relationships (+)

• Mutualism

• Symbiosis

• Commensalism

• Protocooperation
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Scavengers, Inquilinism,
Tanatocresis, Phoresy, Epibiont
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Scavengers
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Inquilinism
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Inquilinism: an inquiline (from Latin
inquilinus, "lodger" or "tenant") is an
animal that lives commensally in the
nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an
animal of another species
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Tanatocresis: one individual lives in or
gets benefit of the organic remains of
another animal. E.g: Hermit crab in sea
gastropods shells.
Commensalism

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• Phoresy: the term is rooted in the
Greek words phoras (bearing) and
phor (thief).
It is used to describe a non-permanent,
commensalistic interaction in which
one organism (a phoront or phoretic)
attaches itself to another (the host)
solely for the purpose of travel
Epibiont

• (+,0)
• Benefit for one individual
• The term comes from the Ancient Greek
meaning "living on top of“.
• It is an organism that lives on the surface
of another living organism.

• Epiphytes: organisms living on the

surface of plants.
• Epizoic: organisms living on the surface
of animals.
Favourable interspecific relationships (+)

• Mutualism

• Symbiosis

• Commensalism

• Protocooperation
Protocooperation

• (+,+)
• Mutual benefit
Harmful interspecific relationships (-)

• Parasitism

• Predation

• Competition
Parasitism

• (+,-)
• Parasite and host
Harmful interspecific relationships (-)

• Parasitism

• Predation

• Competition
Predation

• (+,-)
• Predator and prey
Harmful interspecific relationships (-)

• Parasitism

• Predation

• Competition
Competition

• (+,-)
• Resources: territory, food or sunlight
Competition

• (+,-)
• Resources: territory, food or sunlight

• Which is stronger or more intense, intra or

interspecific competition?
Ammensalism

• (0, -)

• An individual species harms another

without obtaining benefit.

• Antibiosis is a type of ammensalism.

Examples of Ammensalism
• Elephants stepping on ants or leveling brush does
not benefit the elephant but causes harm
Examples of Ammensalism
• Algal blooms can lead to the death of many species
of fish and other animals, however the algae do not
benefit from the deaths of these individuals
Examples of Ammensalism
• One of the best examples of ammensalism is the one
established between humans and other species under
extinction due to human actions like habitat
devastation by fires, ecological accidents, pollution
of water, etc.
Antibiosis

• (0, -), (+, -)

• One individual (fungi or bacteria)
produces toxic chemical substances than
inhibit the growth or kill other individuals.
• One way scientists have used ammensalism to help
humans can be found in the relationship of the
bread mold Penicillium with bacteria. Penicillium
releases a chemical called penicillin which kills
bacteria without benefiting the bread mold. Luckily
we use this secretion as medicine!