Ecology -Components, interelatioships & dynamism

This PPT intends to explore the basic concepts of Ecology & dynamism

1. PLANT ECOLOGY
Basicconcepts;Levelsoforganization.Inter-
relationshipsbetweenthelivingworldandthe
environment,thecomponentsanddynamism,
homeostasis
By
N. Sannigrahi, Associate Professor
Department of Botany
NistariniCollege, Purulia (W.B) India

2. ECOLOGY
•Natureanddiversity-theawesomesourceofpleasureand
scientificexplorationsincetheonsetofhumanconsciousness.
Thetwocomponentsofnature,organismsandtheir
environmentsarenotonlymuchcomplexanddynamicbut
alsointerdependentandmutuallyreactiveandinterrelated.
Ecology,asyntheticsciencedealswiththevariousprinciples
whichexploretherelationshipsbetweentheorganismsandthe
environment.Ecology,thevastencyclopedicbiological
subjectstarteditsjourneysincethetimeimmemorialbut
etymologicallyitiscomprisingoftwoGreekwords-Oikos
meaninghomeordwellingspaceandlogosmeansthestudy
of.Kormondy(1969)firsttriedtogivethecredittoHenry
DavidThoreauin1853forthisterminology.ButGerman
biologist,ErnstHaeckelhasbeenconsensuallyagreedtobe
thefirstproponentsofthisterminology.

3. BASIC CONCEPTS
•Ecologybasicallyechoestheinteractionbetweenorganisms
andenvironments.
•Alllivingorganismsandtheirenvironmentsaremutually
reactivebitanimalpopulation,floraandvegetationare
independentthroughenvironmentandaremutuallyreactive.
•Environmentbeingdynamicworksasasieveselecting
organismsforgrowthfromsomanyformsandoneorother
factorsbecomecriticalatcriticalstagesoflifecycleofthe
species.
•Everyspeciesputsitsefforttomaintainitsuniformityand
structure,function,reproductionbypreservationsitsown
geneticpool,however,speciesisalsoplasticandreactstothe
environmenttogetitselfadjustment-somaticplasticity,the
ecadsorbytherecognitionoftheirgenesduringsexual
reproduction-ecotypes.

4. BASIC CONCEPTS
•Theenvironmentnotonlyinfluencesthelifeofanorganisms
butorganismstooalsomodifytheenvironmentbythedintof
theirgrowth,dispersal,reproduction,deathanddecay.The
dynamicenvironmentandtheorganismsmaketheunique
waysforthedevelopmentofthediffere3ntkindoforganisms
throughsuccession.Theprocesscontinuesuntiltheclimaxis
achieved.
•Bymeansofcoactionsandreaction.Theplantsandanimals
relatedtoeachotherbybiomesandunderclimaticconditions,
morethanonecommunitiesdevelop,somemayreachtothe
cli8maxstagewhereastheotherexperiencesdifferent
successionstages.
•Thusaninterdependencealongwithfreedomliessidebyside
intheinteractionbetweenorganismsandtheenvironmentto
makeitdynamic.

5. BASIC CONCEPTS
•1.Bioticandabioticcomponentsbuildupthestructuraland
functionalaspectsofecosystems.
•Discretebiologicalunitsconsistsofpopulation,communities
includingbiomesandeachpopulationoccupiesaspecific
niche-auniquefunctionalpositionwithrespecttoother
organismswithwhichitinteracts
•Varyingdegreeofinteractionspresentthatenables
competition,eitheratpopulationorcommunitieslevel,
•Energeticsofecosystemmaintaining10%lawofenergy
transfer,
•Mineralrecyclingaccountsofbiogeochemicalcycleslike
Nitrogen,carbon,sulpheretc,
•Successfulgrowthisgovernedbylawoflimitingfactor

6. BASIC CONCEPTS
•Boththestructuralandfunctionalaspectsofecology,Tansely
(1935)emphasizedtheroleofenvironment,withthevariousfactors
interactingwitheachotherinhiscomprehensivetermecosystem
whichinvolvesallthelivingandnon-livingfactorsworkingwith
synchroziation.withthenewconceptofmodernecology,following
arethebasicconceptsinthemodernlightofecology.
•1.Whenthebioticandabioticcomponentsareconsidertedasthe
structuralandfunctionalunitsoftheecosystems,discretebiological
unitsconsistofpopulationandcommunities,includingbiomesare
included.
•2.Thenaturalinteractioneitherpositiveornegativedeterminealong
withabioticparameters,thedegreeofsuccessaparticular
populationhaswithinagivenhabitat.
•Theunidirectionalenergyflowinvolvedtheenergeticsof
ecosystem.

7. BASIC CONCEPTS
•3.Thebiogeochemicalcyclesfrequentlyregulatetherateof
movementofcyclingofchemicalsforsustainablesupplyof
nutrientsintheecosystem.
•4.Theminimalandmaximallevelsoftoleranceforecological
factorsaregovernedbythelawoflimitingfactors,
•5.Undernaturalconditions,thedifferentkindofpopulation
undergosuccession.Ecosystemsundergoanorderlyprocessof
changewithtime,passingfromalesscomplextomorecomplex
state.Thisprocessnotonlyinvolveschangesinspeciescomposition
butalsochangesinphysicalenvironmentofacommunitytoa
stabilizedstateknownasclimax.
•7.Thencometheprobabilitiesofdisruptionandexploitationof
ecosphere.Speciesdiversityofanecosystemisreducedeitherby
manmadeornaturalcondition.Whethermanagedornatural-
disturbancescausedaseriousconcernintheecosystem.

8. SUB-DIVISIONS OF ECOLOGY
•BASEDONTAXONOMICAFFINITIES:PlantEcology&
animalecology
•BASEDONHABITAT
•Whetherfreshwater,marine,estuarine,grassland,forestsetc,it
istermedasHabitatecology,
•BASEDONLEVELSOFORGANISATION
•Autecology-Ecologyofindividualsatagiventimetogether
withtheinfluenceofenvironmentuponit,
•Synecology-Ecologicalinteractionsamongthemultiple
groupsoforganismslikeplants,animals,microbestogetherto
createamorecomplexsituationsexisttobuildupa
community.Thisagainsubdividedunderthefollowing
headings-Populationecology,Communityecology,Biome
ecology,Ecosystemecologyetc.

9. LEVELS OF ORGANISATION
•Speciesmakethebasicunitofstudyinecology.Ateachlevel,
thebiologicalunithasaspecificstructureandfunction.Atthis
level,theform,physiology,behavior,distributionand
adaptationsinrelationtotheenvironmentalconditionsare
studied.Theorganismsofthesimilartypehavethepotential
forinterbreeding,andproducefertileoffspring,whichare
calledspecies.Theorganismperformsallthelifeprocesses
independently.However,partsoforganismcannotexist
independentlyofoneanother.Anorganismisfullyadaptedto
itsenvironment.Ithasadefinitelifespanincludingdefinite
seriesofstageslikebirth,hatching,growth,maturity,
senescence,aginganddeath.Competition,mutualismand
predationarevarioustypesofinteractionbetweenorganisms.

10. LEVELS OF ORGANISATION
•Thelevelsoforganizationsinecologyfollowthebasicpattern:
•Cells-Organs--Species-----Population----Community—
Ecosystem----Landscape-Biome-----Biosphere—Environment
•Inecology,apopulationisagroupofindividualsofthesame
species,inhabitingthesamearea,andfunctioningasaunitof
bioticcommunity.Theinteractionbetweenpopulationsis
generallystudied.Theseinteractionsmaybeapredatorandits
prey,oraparasitewithitshost.Competition,mutualism,
commensalism,parasitism,andpredationarevarioustypesof
interactions.
•Bioticcommunityorganizationresultsfrominterdependence
andinteractionsamongstpopulationofdifferentspeciesina
habitat.Thisisanassemblageofpopulationsofplants,
animals,bacteriaandfungithatliveinanareaandinteract
witheachother.

11. LEVELS OF ORGANISATION
•Abioticcommunityisahigherecologicalcategorynextto
population.Thesearethreetypesofbioticcommunity,they
are:animals,plantsanddecomposers(i.e.,bacteriaandfungi).
Abioticcommunityhasadistinctspeciescompositionand
structure.
•Theecosystemsarepartsofnaturewherelivingorganisms
interactamongstthemselvesandwiththeirphysical
environment.Anecosystemincomposedofabiotic
community,integratedwithitsphysicalenvironmentthrough
theexchangeofenergyandrecyclingofthenutrients.The
termecosystemwascoinedbySirArthurTansleyin1935.An
ecosystemhastwobasiccomponents:
•(i)Abiotic(non-living),and(ii)Biotic(livingorganisms).

12. FACTORS OF ENVIRONMENT
•Abioticcomponentscompriseinorganicmaterials,suchas
carbon,nitrogen,oxygen,CO
2,wateretc.,whilebiotic
componentsincludeproducers,consumersanddecomposers.
•Landscape:Alandscapeisaunitoflandwithanatural
boundaryhavingamosaicofpatches,whichgenerally
representdifferentecosystems.
•Biome:Thisisalargeregionalunitcharacterizedbyamajor
vegetationtypeandassociatedfaunafoundinaspecific
climatezone.Thebiomeincludesallassociateddeveloping
andmodifiedcommunitiesoccurringwithinthesameclimatic
region,e.g.,forestbiomes,grasslandandsavannabiomes,
desertbiome,etc.
•Onaglobalscale,alltheearth’sterrestrialbiomesandaquatic
systemsconstitutethebiosphere.

13. FACTORS OF ENVIRONMENT
•Biosphere:Theentireinhabitedpartoftheearthandits
atmosphereincludingthelivingcomponentsiscalledthe
biosphere.
•(i)Thehydrospherewhichincludesallthewatercomponents,
•(ii)Thelithospherecomprisesthesolidcomponentsofthe
earth’scrust,and(iii)Theatmosphereformedofthegaseous
envelopeoftheearth.Thebiosphereconsistsofthelower
atmosphere,thelandandtheoceans,riversandlakes,where
livingbeingsarefound.
•Thus,thedifferentfactorsoftheenvironmentplaysavery
crucialroleinthisregardtobuildupthestructuraland
functionalorganizationsintheenvironmentaswellasa
tendencytorecycleandreplenishinordertomaintaina
dynamicequilibriumofthesurroundings.

14. INTER-RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE
LIVING WORLD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
•Environmentisacomplexofsomanyattributeslikelight,
temperature,soil,wateretcthatsurroundsanorganism.Any
externalforce,substanceorconditionthatsurroundsand
affectsthelifeofanorganisminanywaybecomesthefactor
oftheenvironment-environmentalfactors,ecologicalfactors
areeitherbioticorabioticfactors.Ecologicalfactorsmaybe
twotypes-
•1.Directfactors-Light,temperature,humidityofair,soilair,
soilwater,soilnutrientsetc.
•2.Indirectfactors-includesoilstructure,soilorganisms,
altitude,wind,slopeetc.
•Generallyfourcategoriesoffactorsareincluded-

15. INTER-RELATIONSHIPS
•1.Climaticoraerialfactors-Light,temperature,rainfall,
Humidityofair,Atmosphere
•2.Topographicfactors-altitude,directionofmountainchains,
valleys,Steepnessandexposureofslopes,
•3.Edaphicfactors-Thesedealwiththeformationofsoil,its
physicalandchemicalpropertiesanddetailsoftherelated
aspects,
•4.Bioticfactors-theseareallkindsofinteractionsbetween
thedifferentformsoflifelikeplants,animalsand
microorganismsetc.
•Allthesefactorsplayaverycrucialroleforthesustainable
environmentalcomplextomaketheavenueoftheformation
oflifeanditsgradualchangescorrespondingtothechangesof
thesurroundings.

16. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC INTERACTIONS

17. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC INTERACTIONS
•Theeffectsofenvironmentonthelifeofanorganismsisthe
interactionoftheecologicalfactors.Inthenormalconditions,
atthesametime,thelifeofanorganismiseffectedbythesum
ofalltheecologicalfactors-theenvironment-notbythe
individualfactors.Allthefactorsareinterrtelated.But
variationsinoneeffectmayhavestrongeffectuponthe
organisms.Thelawofthelimitingfactorsgoverntheguiding
principlesofthelifeofanorganismsaswellasthedifferent
metabolismofthecounterpartsoftheenvironment.
Increasinglytheintensityoflightaffecttherateofthe
photosynthesisalongwiththeincreaseofthetemperature.
Sincevariousecologicalfactorsaffectthelifeofanorganism
inaholisticmanner,itbecomesdifficulttounderstandthe
mechanismofthenatureofinfluenceofindividualfactor.

18. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC INTERACTIONS
•Tounderstandthemechanismofenvironmentalinfluence,it
thusbecomesessentialstudytheeffecttheeachfactor
separatelyandthisistoconsideredasanalyticalapproach.Let
usgivesomeexamplesinthisregard.
•1.Lightdirectlyorindirectlyeffectstheplantslifeon
chlorophyllproduction,heatingaction,effectontranspiration
rate,stomatamovement,distributionofplantsalongwiththe
overallvegetativeandreproductivedevelopmentofplantslife.
•2.Temperatureeffectsonplantsandanimalslifeon
metabolism,reproduction,growthanddevelopment,on
crossingover,sex-ratio,colorationandmorphology.Animals
maybeeitherendothermic,exothermicleadingtoagross
phenotypicchanges.
•3.Rainfalleffectsonhydrologicalcycle
•.

19. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC INTERACTIONS
•4.Topographicfactorslikemountainchains,directionof
mountainsandvalleys,steepnessofslopeanditexposurehave
strongeffectuponorganisms.
•5.Soil-Mineralmatter,organicmatter,soilwater,soil
atmosphere,biologicalsystemsetcaresomeofthefactorsof
soilthathavestrongeffectupontheplantsandanimalsofthe
environment.
•Inadditiontotheaforesaidissues,thereareothernumberof
factorsthathavestrongsynergisticorantagonisticeffectupon
thecounterpartsofthedifferentcomponentsofthebioticand
abioticconstituentsofthesystem.Thus,thelivingworldand
theabioticconstituentsplayaveryimportantrelationshipto
maintainadynamicequilibriumoftheenvironmentsincethe
onsetoflifeintheblueplanet.

20. DYNAMISM OF ENVIRONMENT

21. DYNAMISM
•Becauseecosystemsconsistoflivingthingsthatcanchange,it
makessensethattheecosystemitselfcanchangeovertime.
Forexample,ifacertainpopulationexperiencesasignificant
transformation,itwillaffecttheentireecosystem.
Sincetheinceptionoflifeontheblueplanetfollowedthe
differentphysical,chemicalandbiologicalchanges,the
environmenthastakenthepresentshapeenrichedwiththe
diversityoflifeforms.Anyecosystemifexperiencesanykind
ofchangesaffectthegross.Takefortheexampleof
disappearanceofoneconsumer,itwilleffectupontheother
consumersinthesuccessivelevels.Theecologicalpyramidof
energy,numberandbiomassareinterrelatedtouponone
another.Naturealwaystriestomaintainasustainableand
replanishablesystemtomaintainadynamicequilibriumas
earthisaclosesystemasfarasmatterbutanopensystemas
farasenergy.

22. THANKS FOR YOUR PLEASURE
•ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
•Images for Google
•Different websites
•Ecology & Environment-P.D.Sharma
•Concepts of Ecology-Kormondy
•Ecology &Environmental Biology-Saha
•Ecology-Odum
•Disclaimer:Thispresentationhasbeendevelopedasfree
knowledgesourceswithoutanyfinancialinterestofthe
developer.