Ecology
“Ecology is the branch of biology that studies the interactions among organisms and their environment.”
What is Ecology?
Ecology deals with the study of relationships between living organisms (plants, animals, humans) and their physical surroundings (soil, water, air, temperature, etc.). It focuses on how ecosystems function and how human activities impact natural systems.
Levels of Ecological Organization
- Organism: A single individual of a species.
- Population: Group of individuals of the same species living in an area.
- Community: Different species living together in a habitat.
- Ecosystem: Interaction of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components.
- Biosphere: The global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships.
Components of Ecosystem
- 1. Biotic Components: Living organisms such as producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers (bacteria, fungi).
- 2. Abiotic Components: Non-living things like air, water, temperature, sunlight, minerals.
Types of Ecosystems
- 1. Terrestrial Ecosystem: Forest, grassland, desert, mountain, etc.
- 2. Aquatic Ecosystem: Freshwater (ponds, lakes, rivers) and Marine (seas, oceans)
Food Chain & Food Web
- Food Chain: A sequence of organisms where each is eaten by the next member.
- Food Web: A network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.
Ecological Balance
Ecological balance is maintained when all components of the ecosystem work in harmony. Deforestation, pollution, and overexploitation of resources disrupt this balance.