Ecology:
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| Simple diagram of abiotic factors. By: Meghina, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
- ecosystem:
- the study of interactions between organisms and their environment (abiotic and biotic) which determines their distribution and abundance.
- ecosystem components:
- abiotic: temperature, sunlight, soil, nutrients
- biotic: producers, consumers, decomposers
- producers:
- green plants, algae, phytoplankton
- autotrophic
- photosynthesize: use sunlight energy to convert inorganic compounds into large organic molecules
- 6 CO2 + 6 H2O ----light energy---> C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2
- consumers:
- animals, zooplankton
- cellular respiration: oxygen required, break down the organic fuel molecules in food to harvest energy
- require oxygen
- types of consumers:
- primary
- secondary
- teriary
- quaternary
- primary consumers:
- feed on producers
- herbivores: cows, deer, snails, rabbits, insects
- secondary consumers:
- eat primary consumers
- carnivores: birds, fish, rodents, frogs, lions
- tertiary and quartenary consumers:
- "top carnivores"
- snakes, hawks, sharks, large fish
- Together these make up a food chain. Each level is a trophic level.
- detritivores:
- feed on detritus: dead organic mater
- includes animal wastes and secretions
- scavengers
- rodents, worms, insects, lobsters
- decomposers:
- microbial detritivores are called decomposers
- bacteria, fungi
- secrete enzymes onto detritus, break down molecules, release CO2 and heat.
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| A simple food chain. By LadyofHats - Own work, CC0 |
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