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Populations and Ecosystems (The Structure of Ecosystem (Trophic levels:…
Populations and Ecosystems
The Structure of Ecosystem
Species Composition
the number and diversity of species that coexist in an ecosystem
depends on whether the climate is mild or stressful, the soil is rich or poor
the species tolerance ranges are broad or narrow
Physiognomic Structure
the physical shape and size of the organisms and their distribution in relation to each other and to the physical environment
Temporal Structure
the changes that an ecosystem undergoes with time
the time span can be short or very long
Trophic levels: feeding levels
Secondary Consumers: feed on primary consumers
Tertiary Consumers: feed on secondary consumers
Primary Consumers: feed on producers
Decomposers: breakdown the remains of all types of organisms
Producers: plants that produce food
The Structure of Population
Age Distribution: Demography
analysis of age distribution in plants is hard to determine
generation time and intrinsic rate of natural increase affect population growth rate
the manner in which population responds to various factors in its habitat is partly affected
Geographic distribution
Local Geographic Distribution
clumped distribution: the distribution in which the spacing between plant is either small or large
random distribution: this term is used when there is no obvious, identifiable pattern to the position of the individuals
uniform distribution: distribution in which all the individuals are evenly spaced from their neighbors
boundaries of the geographic range ( the ability of a plant species to spread throughout a geographic area is a result of its adaptations to the abiotic and biotic components of that area)
k- selection: populations fluctuate at or near the carrying capacity (K ) of the environment in which they reside and face intense competition from other plant species
r-selection: A disturbance usually produce r conditions like a fire or flood destroys many individuals in the area and growth population is extremely rapid
Plants in Relationship to their Habitats
Abiotic(non-living) components of habitat
Climate: the survival of an organism on a certain region depends upon the climatic conditions that the organism can resist
Disturbance: the phenomena such as fire, landslides, snow, avalanches and floods, they bring significant and radical change to the ecosystem
Latitude and Altitude: Regions of high altitude on mountain tops are similar to those high latitude
Soil factors: the nutrients that are present in the soil determines the plant's growth, first plants that invade the new soil called pioneers.
has three layers of horizon
B Horizon: it is called a zone of deposition and consists of humus and clay. It is rich in nutrients.
C Horizon: it is mostly composed of parent rock and rock fragments.
A Horizon: it is called zone of leaching and consists of litter and debris
Biotic (living factors) components of habitat
when individual of one species or other species come together then they react, the interaction can be mutualism or competition
animals, fungi, and prokaryotes are important part of the plant's habitat. The various relation are commensalism, predation or pathogenic
the plant itself being in the habitat means the plant is modifying the habitat. Habitat modification might be beneficial, detrimental or neutral
