Presentation by:Zeal for the mission group

One of the very serious problem not only in our country, but all over the world is DEGRADATION.

DEGRADATION: the wearing down of the land by the erosive action of water, wind, or ice.

This means that people must collaborate, cooperate and work hand in hand

WE need to inculcate in our minds the need to love, care and nurture the environment.

Adoption of new valueChange of habits and lifestyleTowards the PRESERVATION and CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

Environmental awareness, consciousness and understanding

People provide SOLUTIONS to environmental problems of their community.

HOUSE OR LIVING PLACE (EARTH)STUDY OR SCIENCE OF

BY: German biologist ERNST HAECKEL

Ecology is the study of relationships between living organisms and their environment, as no living organisms in isolation. Organisms interact with one another and with the chemical and physical components of the nonliving environment

Deals with the relationship between an organism or population and the environment.

Focuses on the relationships between communities and their environment.

MANGO TREE

Mangifera indica

Population◦ It is a group of organisms

belonging to the same species living together in a certain area or habitat.

Community◦ It is a group of organisms

belonging to different species living together and interacting in a certain area or habitat.

Ecosystem◦ It is a group of organisms

and their interaction or interrelationships with the nonliving environment.

Biosphere◦ It is composed of all living

organisms on or around the earth.

Ecological Niche◦ It is the physical space

occupied by an organism and its functional role in the ecosystem.

Habitat◦ It is the place where an

organisms lives.

Identify the components of an ecosystem, and give the roles/functions of the components

Compare the flow of energy and material in an ecosystem

Describe and cite examples of the interaction of organisms in an ecosystem

Explain the interaction between living things and their environment

Give the use of the different kinds of ecosystems and communities as well as the problems confronting them.

Ecosystem It is an interaction of

the living organisms and nonliving environment.

It is an area within the natural environment in which physical factors such as rocks & soil, function together along with interdependent organisms, such as plants & animals, under the same habitat to form a stable system.

1. Biotic or Living components◦ Bio means life. Therefore, the biotic components

refer to the living world of an ecosystem.◦ Such as plants, animals and microorganisms.

2. Abiotic Or nonliving components◦ Which includes air, water, soil, inorganic

substances, organic substances that link biotic and abiotic factors, and climate regime in a given area.

1. Autotrophs◦ These are organisms that fix light energy and

use simple inorganic substances to build up complex substances and which includes plants.

2. Heterotrophs◦ these are the organisms that utilize, reaerrange

and decompose the complex materials, particularly the animals, bacteria, and fungi.

Primary Producers Green plants are called producers or the first level of biotic component of the ecosystem.  Through photosynthesis  plants synthesize their own food like  proteins and fats and hence are also called autotrophs.  Besides this, producers also maintain CO2/O2 balance of nature.

Herbivores ◦ Also called as plant eaters. These are the primary

consumers that eat plants only. Carnivores

◦ Meat eaters, the secondary consumers that ingest other animals for their food

Omnivores ◦ Which eat both plants and animals

Microorganisms◦ Obtain nourishment by absorbing dissolved

organic material.◦ they are called saprotrophs or osmotrophs◦ They are responsible for the decomposition or

breaking down of dead organic matter. Detritus feeders

◦ They extract nutrients from partly decomposed matter

◦ Such as crabs, termites, carpenter ants and earthworms.

Hydrosphere(water)◦ One of the most unusual natural compounds

found on earth, and it is also one of the most important.

◦ Covers 71% of the earths surface and a meduim of transport of several ecosystems.

Solvent Carrier Temperature regulator Protectant Lubricant Has high heat capacity Has high heat conductivity

Dissolving of minerals and nutrients for use in natural processes in the body.

Hydrolysis Support of aquatic organisms Fertilization of gametes Dispersal and germination of seeds,

gametes and larval stages of aquatic organisms

Photosynthesis Osmosis and turgidity

Transpiration Translocation of microorganisms and

organic compounds As habitat for aquatic organisms

Lithosphere(solid outer portion of the earth)◦ The role of soil in the ecosystem is that they are

the source of all nutrients and water for living organisms in terrestrial ecosystem.

◦ The rocks facilitate the storage and movement of groundwater; they are the source of mineral constituents of sediments and soils; and they serve medium of storage and transportation of groundwater.

◦ Sediments serve as the habitat for aquatic organisms and the source of nutrients for aquatic organisms.

Three Components of Lithosphere◦ Soil- a complex mixture of rock fragments, highly

altered minerals, organic debris and living organisms which supports plants in the terrestrial environment.

◦ Rocks- consolidated units of the earth’s crust which consists of minerals that have come together by hardening of lithification of sediments, by solidification from molten mass or by alteration of a preexisting rock.

◦ Sediments- rock fragments that may or may not be chemically altered by weathering which are carried by wind or water.

Atmosphere(air)◦ It is the site of weather and different gases

which are needed by living organisms Stratosphere

◦ it is where the ozone layer is found, absorbs ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun, thus preventing excessive amounts of UV rays to reach the surface of the earth.

Energy◦ It never appears or disappears into nothing . It

can always accounted for. It is everywhere.◦ For life to exist, the earth must constantly

receive energy inputs from the sun and make energy outputs mostly as heat, which passes on the outer space.

◦ Energy from the sun maintains all the life processes in the earth ecosystem.

Solar energy◦ Radiated in all directions, part of it is toward the

earth; but the atmosphere keeps some solar radiation from reaching the earth.

Energy Input Ecosystem Energy Output

energy used in energy lost in

photosynthesis respiration

HeatSolar

Energy

Food Production

and Consumption

It states that energy can be transformed from one form to another but can never be created or destroyed.

It also tells us that one cannot get something from nothing. Although the amount of energy in various forms may change, the sum in all forms remains constant.

It states that every time energy is transformed, it tends to go from a more organized and concentrated form to a less organized and more dispersed form that it is no longer useful.

The ecological implication of the second law is that the transfer of energy from one use to another is never very efficient . The energy decreases in each successive step.

Food ChainFood ChainFood WebFood WebTrophic Trophic LevelsLevels

What is Food Chain?What is Food Chain?

•It is the transfer of energy and material through a series of organisms as each on is fed by the next.•The series of feeding relationship between organisms that shows who eats whom.•A series of steps of eating and being eaten.•A food chain is the way energy goes from one living thing to another through food.

•It is the transfer of energy and material through a series of organisms as each on is fed by the next.•The series of feeding relationship between organisms that shows who eats whom.•A series of steps of eating and being eaten.•A food chain is the way energy goes from one living thing to another through food.

What is Food Web?What is Food Web?

•A relatively complex series of feeding relationships which may comprise a group of food chains.•made of many food chains in a community of plants and animals.

•A relatively complex series of feeding relationships which may comprise a group of food chains.•made of many food chains in a community of plants and animals.

What are Trophic Levels

What are Trophic Levels

•Composed of three basic levels, the producer, various level of consumers and decomposers.•It refers to the number of steps of the organisms are away from primary production

•Composed of three basic levels, the producer, various level of consumers and decomposers.•It refers to the number of steps of the organisms are away from primary production

What is the importance of water cycle in the ecosystem?◦ One of the earth’s great

cycles is the water or hydrological cycle. Water constantly moves from the atmosphere to the earth to the oceans and back to the atmosphere. Water changes the surface of the earth. It is not simply found in the bodies of water., underground and in the atmosphere.

◦ It is constantly cycled from one of these locations to another. The water cycle is driven by energy from the sun and by gravity. It provides the connection among the atmosphere, the lithosphere, and the hydrosphere. It makes the presence of life on earth possible.

ATMOSPHERE

LITHOSPHERE

HYRDOSPHERE

Precipitation. Condensed water vapor that falls to the Earth's surface . Most precipitation occurs as rain, but also includes snow, hail, fog drip, graupel, and sleet. Approximately 505,000 km3 (121,000 cu mi) of water fall as precipitation each year, 398,000 km3 (95,000 cu mi) of it over the oceans.

Snowmelt. The runoff produced by melting snow.

Infiltration. The flow of water from the ground surface into the ground. Once infiltrated, the water becomes soil moisture or groundwater.

Runoff. The variety of ways by which water moves across the land. This includes both surface runoff and channel runoff. As it flows, the water may seep into the ground, evaporate into the air, become stored in lakes or reservoirs, or be extracted for agricultural or other human uses.

Subsurface Flow. The flow of water underground, in the vadose zone and aquifers. Subsurface water may return to the surface (e.g. as a spring or by being pumped) or eventually seep into the oceans. Water returns to the land surface at lower elevation than where it infiltrated, under the force of gravity or gravity induced pressures. Groundwater tends to move slowly, and is replenished slowly, so it can remain in aquifers for thousands of years.

Evaporation. The transformation of water from liquid to gas phases as it moves from the ground or bodies of water into the overlying atmosphere. The source of energy for evaporation is primarily solar radiation. Evaporation often implicitly includes transpiration from plants, though together they are specifically referred to as evapotranspiration. Total annual evapotranspiration amounts to approximately 505,000 km3 (121,000 cu mi) of water, 434,000 km3 (104,000 cu mi) of which evaporates from the oceans.

Sublimation. The state change directly from solid water (snow or ice) to water vapor.

Advection. The movement of water — in solid, liquid, or vapor states — through the atmosphere. Without advection, water that evaporated over the oceans could not precipitate over land.

Condensation. The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air, creating clouds and fog.

Transpiration. The release of water vapor from plants and soil into the air. Water vapor is a gas that cannot be seen.

Precipitation over the ocean is more than three times greater than that over land. This precipitaion may take any several courses:◦ It may be immediately reevaporated by the sun’s

energy. (Simultaneous evaporation.)◦ It may fall into the ocean(major water reservoir)

◦ It may fall into land masses, which results : It may infiltrate the soil to be absorbed by plants

roots, used in photosynthesis and transpired It may run off to join streams and rivers and

eventually reach ocean. Water is primarily responsible for eroding the earth’s surface.

It may sink downward to join groundwater reservoirs and then reappear later as springs, seeps or lakes.

It may be evaporated once again.

In ecology and Earth science, a biogeochemical cycle or nutrient cycle is a pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through both biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth. In effect, the element is recycled, although in some cycles there may be places (called reservoirs) where the element is accumulated or held for a long period of time (such as an ocean or lake for water).

Nutrient Cycle: Living organisms need 30-40 elements for normal development.

Most important elements:◦ Carbon: ◦ Hydrogen◦ Oxygen◦ Nitrogen◦ Sulfur◦ Phosphorus

The most important feature of a biogeochemical cycle is that the biotic and abiotic components are tightly intertwined with one another. Without cycles, the biogeochemical cycle would cease; and without biogeochemical cycles, all life would cease.

Movement of the nutrient element from the environment to organisms and back to the environment.

Involvement of biological organisms A geological reservoir (atmosphere and

lithosphere) Chemical change

Gaseous nutrient cycle: it is in which the reservoir of the nutrients in the atmosphere.◦ The typical gaseous nutrient cycles are the

carbon dioxide, the oxygen cycle and the nitrogen cycle.

Sedimentary nutrient cycle: it is in which the nutrient reservoir is sedimentary rocks, soil and minerals.◦ It includes the phosphorus cycle and the sulfur

cycle. These cycles are slower and tend to exert a more

limiting influence on living organisms.

The major reservoir of nitrogen is the earth’s atmosphere. Atmospheric nitrogen is combined with other chemicals into organic compounds used by plants and animals. It is a vital component of proteins which are necessary to all living things. When plants and animals die, their bodies are broken down by bacteria into ammonia, a nitrogen compound. Other bacteria change the ammonia to nitrates. Still other bacteria break down the nitrates and release back the nitrogen as gas back into the atmosphere.

The major reservoir of phosphorus is sedimentary rock, which is available to the basic cycle in small amounts as a result of weathering. The cycle does not have a major gaseous phase and therefore moves at a very slow pace. It begins with dissolved phosphates, which are absorbed by plants through their roots and incorporated into all cells in complex molecules. Animals get phosphorus from plants. When plant and animal die or excrete waste products, their organic compound are broken down by phosphotizing bacteria into organic dissolved phosphates.

Notice that in all biogeochemical cycles, the nutrient usually enters the living systems through vegetation.

Animals are unable to free and absorb the nutrient elements from the soil.

Plants easily absorb nutrients along with the soil water through root system.

An ecosystem depends on plants not only to supply the necessary nutrient to maintain the flow of energy but also to fix the solar energy.

How do Organisms

interact with each

other?

How do Organisms

interact with each

other?

•Mutualism•Competition•Parasitism•Commensalism•Predation

•Mutualism•Competition•Parasitism•Commensalism•Predation

Population1

Population2

General Nature of Interaction

Mutualism + + The interaction is favorable to both and

obligatory.

Competition _ _ Both organisms are affected.

Parasitism + _ Population 1, the parasite, generally the organism that benefits

and the host is the organism that is harmed.

Commensalism

+ 0 Population 1, the commensal, the benefits while population 2 is not

affected.

Predation + _ Population 1, the predator is the organism that eats; population 2,

the prey, is the organism that is eaten.

MutualismMutualism

•A biological interaction in which the growth and survival of both interacting species are enhanced.•In nature, neither species can survive without the other.• A relationship between two organisms of different species that benefits both and harms neither.

•A biological interaction in which the growth and survival of both interacting species are enhanced.•In nature, neither species can survive without the other.• A relationship between two organisms of different species that benefits both and harms neither.

CompetitionCompetition

•A type of interaction between two populations in which they vie for the same limited resources.•the struggle between organisms of the same or different species for limited resources such as food or light.

•A type of interaction between two populations in which they vie for the same limited resources.•the struggle between organisms of the same or different species for limited resources such as food or light.

CommensalismCommensalism

A type of interaction between two species populations where one population benefits and the other is unaffected.

A type of interaction between two species populations where one population benefits and the other is unaffected.

ParasitismParasitism

A type of interaction between a host and a parasite. Called a destructive symbiosis where parasite harms the host And benefits at the expense of the host.

A type of interaction between a host and a parasite. Called a destructive symbiosis where parasite harms the host And benefits at the expense of the host.

PredationPredation

A relationship between the prey and the predator. The predator is the organism that eats and generally larger than the prey, the organism that is being eaten.

A relationship between the prey and the predator. The predator is the organism that eats and generally larger than the prey, the organism that is being eaten.

KINDS OF

ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES

The climate of the given region is a description of the average temperature and precipitation that may be expected on each day throughout the entire year. Climates in different parts of the world vary widely. Soil type and topography may also contribute to the diversity found in biome because

these two factors affect the availability of moisture.

A. Terrestrial Communities/Ecosystems

How do terrestrial ecosystems differ from aquatic ecosystems?

Tropical Rain ForestLocation: Northern South America,

CentralAmerica, Congo, western and central

equatorial Africa, Madagascar, Southern Asia, various islands in the India and Pacific Oceans

How are the various kinds of aquatic ecosystems similar and different from one another?

Description: Lakes and ponds are physical depressions that allow precipitation and groundwater to accumulate; in rivers and steams, water flows by gravity toward oceans or large lakes.

Environmental parameters: The low concentration of dissolved solids is determined primarily by soils around the water body. Seasonal vertical stratification in lakes separates water masses.

What are the functions of coral reefs?

Coral Reefs

Location: They extend from the coastline outward, often over a continental shelf, to a depth of 200 meters. In the tropics, coral reefs are major shallow coastal forms.

Environmental parameters: They are characterized by high productivity due to coastal upwelling and transport of nutrients from estuaries; the water column mixes to the bottom except where seasonal vertical stratification development. Tidal currents promote mixing.

Vegetation: Commonly included in this group are plankton algae which dominate productivity; some large benthic plants are present where water clarity permits. In coral reefs, symbiotic algae live in coral animals; other large algae and turtle grass predominate.

Animals: Microscopic plankton abound in the water column; rich bottom fauna of worms, shellfish and crustaceans; diverse and abundant fish fauna; jellyfish, turtles, fish-feeding birds, dolphins and whales regionally abundant.

Functions: (1) They are important as fishery and nursery areas and as tourist spots; (2)they provide protection from erosion of coastlines; (3) and almost half of the potential pharmaceuticals being explored are from the coral reef and ecosystem.

Environmental concerns: Pollutants from estuaries and coastal ecosystems contaminate shellfish and fish. Rising sea levels will inundate many low-lying coastal areas. Overfishing of coastal fisheries causes loss of breeding stock and changes in ecology. Past whaling in coastal areas has depleted the stocks of most species. Dynamite and cyanide fishing kill many aquatic organisms leading to biodiversity loss and habitat destruction. Global warming can cause coral bleaching.

Mangrove Ecosystem

Description: Mangroves are woody, seed bearing, highly specialized plants ranging in size fro shrubs to tall trees. Most mangrove species live on muddy soils, but they grow also on sand, peat and coral-rock. There are two kinds of mangrove ecosystem, the mangrove swamps which consist of large trees and their associated species and the nipa swamps characterized by the growth of stemless palms.

Location: Mangroves are found along the coastal waters of tropical and subtropical regions, tidal flats extending along rivers, streams and its tributaries where the water is brackish.

Environmental parameters: Mangroves are characterized by poor soil aeration, variable salinity, high humidity, light to moderate winds, and moderate to strong currents and waves.

Plants: Mangrove trees dominate the ecosystem due to their ability to survive in both marine water and freshwater. The most important mangrove families are the Combretaceae, the Verbenaceae and the Rhizophoraceae. Besides the mangrove tree species may other plant species thrive such as jelly bean plant, salt brush, bead weed and malalencus.

Animals: Aside from fish, a wide variety of invertibrates live in the mangrove ecosystem such as worms, protozoa, barnacles, oysters and crabs.

Environmental concerns: Thousand of hectares of

mangrove areas have been destroyed due to the following: firewood collection, charcoal making, conversion to fishpond/aquaculture, conversion to commercial and real-state development, salt-making industry, dumping areas for solid wastes and oil spills.

Open Ocean

Location: It covers 70% of the earth's surface, from the edge of the continental shelf outwards.

Environmental parameters: It reaches great depths (as much as 11 000 meters); except for the upper 200 meters, it is without light and cold. It is nutrient-poor, except where vertical currents bring deep water to the surface (upwelling.)

Animals: It has a diverse zooplankton fauna together with fish fauna adapted to different depths. The bottom fauna is sparse except in regions of deep hydrothermal vents. Seabirds, whales, dolphins, tuna, sharks, flying,fish, squid, etc. as well as unique deep-sea fish with bioluminescence are present.

Vegetation: Commonly included are plankton species (coccolithophorids, diatoms, dinoflagellates). The vegetation varies according to nutrient availability.

Environmental concerns: Ozone shield depletion will kill phytoplankton in the Antarctic, affecting the entire food chain. Drift-netting in the high seas depletes fisheries and kills ocean birds, turtles and mammals. Whaling has led to steep declines in most whale species, which are still not of danger in spite of danger in spite of a moratorium. Warm temperature, pollution and other factors cause the red tide phenomenon, which poses a danger to human health. Oil pollution from ships could harm and kill aquatic organisms and destroy habitats of organisms.

I. Agroecosystem What are the

characteristics and properties of an agroecosystem?

An agroecosystem is an ecosystem which is modified or regulated by man in order to produce food. It is self-sufficient where the living organisms and the nonliving components of the environment interact to exchange energy and matter in a continuing cycle.

It is also referred to as community of plants and animals interacting with their physical and chemical environments that have been modified by people to produce food, fiber, fuel, and other products for human consumption and processing. It comprises domesticated plants and/or animals and the people who manage them.

- The farmer decides the plant (species and variety) to grow.

- It is composed of one or few species only, simple flora.

- The age and status of growing plants is uniform.

- The farmers supplies water and fertilizer uniformly. high.

1. Productivity is the desired output of a system or output of valued product per unit resource input. It is measured in terms of crop yield or net income.

2. Stability is the property of short-term homeostasis or the consistency of productivity in the face of small, disturbing forces arising from the normal fluctuations and cycles in the surrounding environment.

3. Sustainability is the ability of the system to persist in the face of repeated stress or major perturbation or it is the ability of the agrosystem to maintain productivity when subjected to major disturbing forces.

4. Equitability is the evenness of distribution of the productivity of the agroecosystem among the human beneficiaries, i.e., the level of equity that is generated.

5. Authonomy is the extent to which a social system is able to function at a normal level, using only resources derived from the ecosystem over which it has effective control.

6. Solidarity is the ability of the social system to make and implement decisions in managing ecosystem.

1. Soil erosion, overgrazing Huge area of productive, semi-arid, lands

are being turned into worthless deserts each year by overgrazing.

Continued grazing makes grass difficult to grow. As a result, topsoil losses compactness and this will lead to rapid soil erosion.

2. Land conversion Agricultural lands, prime agricultural lands

included, are being converted into residential areas and commercial areas due to urbanization and industrialization

3. Pollution Pesticides are transported by air, water and soil,

resulting in pollution. Pesticides are found in the food we eat as well as in deep wells located near agricultural areas. The health effect in humans include increased incidence of tumors, cancer, sterility, etc. pesticides kill not only pests but beneficial animals as well.

4. Loss of generic diversity The release of high-yielding varieties or hybrids

which was strongly advocated by the government in the name of modernization and world competitiveness has also caused indirect extinction of indigenous or traditional varieties. With constant use of these hybrids, the pure lines are displaced, causing genetic erosion in many of our crop sciences.

5. Depletion of ground water and salinization

In many farms, the withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation is excessive during the dry season. This has caused the groundwater to recede, affecting the availability of potable water for domestic use. Also, when much groundwater is withdrawby agroecosystems near coastal areas, saltwater intrusion usually occurs.

How does an urban ecosystem differ from a natural ecosystem?

Urbanization is an increasing concentration of the population in cities and a transformation of land use and society to a metropolitan pattern of organization. A city or urban ecosystem is a differentiated community with a population and resource base large enough for urban residents to specialize in arts, crafts, services or profession rather than natural resource-based occupations (Cunningham and Saigo, 1999).

What problems accompany urbanization?

People are pulled to urban areas of jobs, a better life, better livelihood opportunities and better basic services. They may also be pushed into urban areas by modern mechanical agriculture which uses less farm labor and allow large landowners to but out subsistent farmers who cannot afford to modernize. Without jobs or lands, those people are forced to move to cities. There jobs may expose to people to dust, hazardous chemicals, excessive noise and dangerous machinery. Problems such as pollution, garbage, flooding, proliferation of squatters shanties, traffic congestion and increase in the incident of communicable diseases are also correspondingly increasing (Miller, 1994).

1. Scarcity o trees, shrubs and other natural vegetation

This is problematic because plants absorb air pollutants, give off oxygen, help cool the air as water evaporates from their leaves, muffle noise, provide wildlife habitats, and give aesthetic pleasure.

2. Alternative of local and sometimes, regional climate

Generally cities are warmer, rainier, foggier, and cloudier than suburbs and nearby rural areas.

3. Lack of water This requires expensive reservoirs, canals and

deep well.

4. Rapid runoff of water from asphalt and concrete

This can overload sewers and storm drains, contributing to water pollution and flooding in cities and downstream areas.

5. Production of large quantities of air pollution, water pollution, and garbage and other solid waste

6. Excessive noise Every day, one every nine Filipinos lives,

works, or plays around noise of sufficient duration and intensity to cause some permanent hearing loss, and that number is rising rapidly.