BASIC ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
The ecosystem is defined as a set of organisms or living-things that interact with their
environment. It is a biotic community and its surroundings, part inorganic (abiotic) and
part organic (biotic), the latter including producers, consumers, and decomposers. The
set of organisms are recognized as members of their respective populations. The study
of ecosystems is ecology.
Example: A mangrove forest in the Philippines is an ecosystem where mangrove trees
(producers) provide habitat for fish and crabs (consumers), while bacteria and fungi
(decomposers) break down dead matter.
Organizations of life
1. Species - a group of organisms that can breed with each other.
Example: All carabaos in a rice field are one species.
2. Population - an interbreeding group of individuals belonging to a species
living together in a locality. Example: A flock of egrets in a rice paddy.
3. Community - a group of individuals belonging to various populations (i.e., of
different species) living together in a given locality. Example: Egrets, frogs,
insects, and rice plants in the same field.
4. Ecosystem - community of different species interacting with one another and
with the chemical and physical factor making up its nonliving environment.
Subdivisions of ecology
1. Autecology - the ecology of an organism or taxonomic group; also, the study of
how organisms affect plants. Example: Study of how Narra trees respond to
drought.
2. Synecology - deals with the study of groups of organisms, which are
associated together as a unit. Example: Study of how trees, insects, and birds
interact in a tropical rainforest.
Divisions of biology
1. Basic (horizontal) – concerned with fundamentals common to all life, or at least are
not restricted to particular organism, e.g. morphology, ecology, etc.
2. Taxonomic (vertical) – divisions dealing with more limited groups of organisms,
e.g.
botany, entomology, etc.
, Basic concepts of ecology
1. Everything is related to everything else.
Example: Overfishing affects not just fish but also bird species and coral reefs.
2. There is a strength and quantity in the unity of differences. Example: A rainforest
functions well because of its variety of trees, insects, and animals.
3. Consumption must not exceed production. Example: Overharvesting bamboo leads
to erosion.
4. Everything in nature has a purpose. Example: Earthworms help in soil fertility.
5. Nature is more concerned in improving quality than increasing quantity. Example:
Healthy, diverse forests are better than vast monocultures.
6. The tendency is towards an ecosystem more efficient and effective in its resources.
Structural components of ecosystem
1. Biotic components
Three basic categories of organisms
a. Producers (autotrophs)
- Mostly green plants that manufacture food from simple inorganic substances and
light energy.
- Photosynthetic green plants: use chlorophyll to absorb light energy
- Photosynthetic bacteria: use purple pigment to absorb light energy
- Chemosynthetic bacteria: use high-energy inorganic chemicals such as hydrogen
sulfide
b. Consumers (phagotrophs)
- Chiefly animals, which ingest other organisms, particulate organic matter, plants or
other animals.
Division of consumers according to food source:
1. Primary consumers animals that feed directly on producers.
a. herbivores animals that eat only plat material.
b. carnivores secondary and higher order consumers
c. omnivores consumers that feed on both plants and animals.
2. Secondary consumers animals that feed on primary consumers.
The ecosystem is defined as a set of organisms or living-things that interact with their
environment. It is a biotic community and its surroundings, part inorganic (abiotic) and
part organic (biotic), the latter including producers, consumers, and decomposers. The
set of organisms are recognized as members of their respective populations. The study
of ecosystems is ecology.
Example: A mangrove forest in the Philippines is an ecosystem where mangrove trees
(producers) provide habitat for fish and crabs (consumers), while bacteria and fungi
(decomposers) break down dead matter.
Organizations of life
1. Species - a group of organisms that can breed with each other.
Example: All carabaos in a rice field are one species.
2. Population - an interbreeding group of individuals belonging to a species
living together in a locality. Example: A flock of egrets in a rice paddy.
3. Community - a group of individuals belonging to various populations (i.e., of
different species) living together in a given locality. Example: Egrets, frogs,
insects, and rice plants in the same field.
4. Ecosystem - community of different species interacting with one another and
with the chemical and physical factor making up its nonliving environment.
Subdivisions of ecology
1. Autecology - the ecology of an organism or taxonomic group; also, the study of
how organisms affect plants. Example: Study of how Narra trees respond to
drought.
2. Synecology - deals with the study of groups of organisms, which are
associated together as a unit. Example: Study of how trees, insects, and birds
interact in a tropical rainforest.
Divisions of biology
1. Basic (horizontal) – concerned with fundamentals common to all life, or at least are
not restricted to particular organism, e.g. morphology, ecology, etc.
2. Taxonomic (vertical) – divisions dealing with more limited groups of organisms,
e.g.
botany, entomology, etc.
, Basic concepts of ecology
1. Everything is related to everything else.
Example: Overfishing affects not just fish but also bird species and coral reefs.
2. There is a strength and quantity in the unity of differences. Example: A rainforest
functions well because of its variety of trees, insects, and animals.
3. Consumption must not exceed production. Example: Overharvesting bamboo leads
to erosion.
4. Everything in nature has a purpose. Example: Earthworms help in soil fertility.
5. Nature is more concerned in improving quality than increasing quantity. Example:
Healthy, diverse forests are better than vast monocultures.
6. The tendency is towards an ecosystem more efficient and effective in its resources.
Structural components of ecosystem
1. Biotic components
Three basic categories of organisms
a. Producers (autotrophs)
- Mostly green plants that manufacture food from simple inorganic substances and
light energy.
- Photosynthetic green plants: use chlorophyll to absorb light energy
- Photosynthetic bacteria: use purple pigment to absorb light energy
- Chemosynthetic bacteria: use high-energy inorganic chemicals such as hydrogen
sulfide
b. Consumers (phagotrophs)
- Chiefly animals, which ingest other organisms, particulate organic matter, plants or
other animals.
Division of consumers according to food source:
1. Primary consumers animals that feed directly on producers.
a. herbivores animals that eat only plat material.
b. carnivores secondary and higher order consumers
c. omnivores consumers that feed on both plants and animals.
2. Secondary consumers animals that feed on primary consumers.
