Chapter 7

Chapter 7.1 Ecology

Biotic Factors: Factors involving other living things. (Predator-Prey)

Abiotic Factors: Factors involving non-living things. ( Light intensity)

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Food Chain:

It indicates the flow of energy along a sequence of organisms.

Less than 10% of energy of the original energy is being passed down the food chain.
(Reason: Most of the energy is used for life processes (respiration) and lost as heat to the environment

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TERMINOLOGY

Producer: Organisms that produce their own foods.

Herbivores: Organisms that feed only on plants. (1st order consumer)

Carnivores: Organisms that feed only on animals. (2nd order consumer)

Omnivores: Organisms that feed on both animals and plants. (3rd order consumer)

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Nutrient Cycle

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Different interactions between organisms

Mutualism: Both organisms benefit

Commensalism: One organism benefits while the other is neutral

Parasitism: One organism benefit while the other is harmed.

Note: Parasitism is not the typical predator and prey interaction as its parasites are smaller than their host.

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Chapter 7.2 Ecosystem

Ecosystem refers to biotic factors and abiotic factors. It is also self-supporting.

Above is a diagram of a rainforest ecosystem.

The tallest trees are at the emergent level

The canopy layer is the layer that block 70%-100% of sunlight from reaching the forest floor.

The under-storey layer has a large concentration of insects.

The forest floor layer contains decaying organisms and many fungi grow here.

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Mangrove system.............

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Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

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