Basics of environment

Key Definitions

A branch of biology that studies the interactions among organisms and

Ecology
their biophysical environment.
A community or organisms together with the environment in which they
Ecosystem
live.
Is a zone of junction between two or more diverse ecosystems. Eg.
Ecotone marshlands (between dry and wet ecosystems), mangrove forests
(between terrestrial and marine ecosystems).
A gradation from one ecosystem to another when there is no sharp
Ecocline
boundary between the two.
A plant or animal species that occupy a particular habitat which is adapted
Ecotype to local environmental conditions. Eg. common grasses such as Agrostis
tenuis
Ecological Is the unique functional role or place of a species in an ecosystem. No two
Niche species can have same ecological niche within a habitat.
The smallest ecologically-distinct landscape features in a landscape
Ecotopes mapping and classification system. They represent relatively
homogeneous, spatially-explicit landscape functional units.
Population which is characterised by the same genotype but different
Ecophene
phenotype in a particular habitat.
It delineates large areas of the Earth’s surface within which organisms
have been evolving in relative isolation over long periods of time,
Ecozones
separated from one another by geographic features, such as oceans, broad
deserts, or high mountain ranges, that constitute barriers to migration
It is the type of natural environment in which a particular species of
Habitat
organism lives.
It is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place
Biotope
for a specific assemblage of plants and animals.
The area in which an animal lives and moves on a periodic basis. It is
Home range related to the concept of an animal's territory which is the area that is
actively defended.
Biotic community is also called as Biocoenosis, all interacting organisms
Biocoenosis
living together in a habitat.
 Species/Biotic interactions

Type of Interaction Sign Effects Examples

+/+ Both species benefit from Pollinator and Plants, Plants
Mutualism interaction and mycorrhizal fungi, clown
fish and anemone
+/0 one species benefit, one Sucker fish on shark, Beetles
Commensalism
unaffected on cow dung
-/0 one species is harmed, the Large tree shades a small
Amensalism other is unaffected plant, retarding growth of
small plant.
+/- one species benefit, one is Ticks on dog
Parasitism
disadvantaged
-/- each species affected Usually between same
Competition
negatively species
+/- one species benefit, one is Lion and Zebra
Predation
disadvantaged
0/0 no net benefit or harm to
Nuetralism either
species

Different Species/Organisms

Edge species Species which occur primarily or most abundantly in the ecotone or
boundary junction of two ecosystem. Eg. Birds in grassland
Keystone species A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its
environment relative to its abundance. Eg. Elephants, Wolf, Prairie dog,
Bees, Jaguars, Sea otters etc.
Foundational A species that has a strong role in structuring a community.
species A foundation species can occupy any trophic level in a food web.
Flagship species A species chosen to raise support for biodiversity conservation in a
given place or social context. Eg. Tiger for campaign in India.
Umbrella species These species are very similar to keystone species, but they are usually
migratory and need a large habitat.
Pioneer species Hardy species which are the first to colonize barren environments or
previously biodiverse steady-state ecosystems that have been
disrupted. Eg. Lichens, lyme grass
Alien species Is a species introduced outside its normal distribution.
Invasive species A species which is able to spread beyond its introduction site and
become established in new locations.
Invasive alien Alien species whose establishment and spread modify ecosystems,
species habitats, or species. Eg. Lantana Camera, Prosopis juliflora etc
Exotic Species It means alien, non-indigenous, non-native species.
Ecological Organisms that occupy the same or similar ecological niches in different
Equivalents geographic regions.

Plant species with same genetic stock and physically different. These
Ecad
are reversible.
Endemic species Species that exist only in one geographic region.
Indicator species Any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the
environment and its problems. Eg. Mosses often indicate acid soil,
Lichens indicate air pollution (SO2).
Generalist Species which able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental
species conditions and can make use of a variety of different resources.
Specialist species Species which thrive only in a narrow range of environmental
conditions or has a limited diet. (narrow niche)
Euryphagic The species that have a wide range of tolerance for food.
Eurythermal The species that have a wide range of tolerance for temperature.
Euryhydric The species that have a wide range of tolerance for water.
Euryhaline The species that have a wide range of tolerance for salinity.
Stenothermal The species that have a narrow range of tolerance for temperature.
Endotherms Animals that primarily produces its own heat.
Homeotherms Animals that have a constant body temperature.
Hydrocoles Aquatic animals that need water like fish.
Mesocoles Terrestrial animals that need moderate amounts of water.
Xerocoles Terrestrial animals that can tolerate extremely dry conditions.
Ectotherms Animals that primarily gains heat through the environment.
Poikilotherms Animals whose body temperature adjusts depending on the
environment.
Autotrophs Organisms that can produce their own food from the substances
available in their surroundings using light (photosynthesis) or chemical
energy (chemosynthesis).
Heterotrophs Organisms that cannot synthesize their own food and rely on other
organisms — both plants and animals — for nutrition.

Key Concepts

Food Chain
Grazing food chain - starts with green plants which are producers. Eg.
A sequence of
Eg. Grass – Grasshopper – Mouse –Snake - Hawk
organisms that
feed on one
Detritus food chain - starts with dead organic matter. Eg. Litter –
another, form a
Earthworm – Chicken – Hawk
food chain.
Natural interconnection of food chains and a graphical representation
Food Web
(usually an image) of what-eats-what in an ecological community.
Producers – Primary Consumers – Secondary Consumers – Tertiary
Trophic Levels
Consumers.
Ecological Efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the
Efficiency next.
Ecological Shows the rate of energy flow and/or
Pyramid Pyramid of Energy productivity at successive trophic levels. It is
Graphical always upright.
representation of Shows the number of individual organisms at
Pyramid of
the relationship successive trophic
Numbers
between different levels. It can be upright or inverted.
organisms in Pyramid of Shows the biomass at successive trophic levels. It
an ecosystem. Biomass can be upright or inverted.

Gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, or other

Bioaccumulation
chemicals in an organism.
Biomagnification/ Refers to the tendency of pollutants to concentrate as they move from
Bioamplification one trophic level to the next.

An ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top

Trophic Cascading
predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative populations
of predator and prey through a food chain.
 Physiological - Based on body
Any physiological, behavioural
chemistry and metabolism.
or morphological attribute of an
Ecological Morphological – characteristics
organism that enables it to
Adaptation like appearance, body shapes.
survive and reproduce in its
Behavioral - adaptations that
respective habitat.
affect how an organism act.
Small changes that take place in the body of a single organism over
Acclimalation short periods, to overcome small problems due to changes in the
surrounding.
Primary succession Occurs when new land is formed or bare
rock is exposed, providing a habitat that
can be colonized for the first time.
Secondary succession A previously occupied area is re-colonized
following a disturbance that kills much or
Ecological Succession all of its community.
Autogenic succession When succession is brought about by
A process by which living inhabitants of that community
the structure of a itself.
biological community Allogenic succession When succession is brought about by
evolves over time. outside forces.
Autotrophic succession Succession in which, initially the green
plants are much
greater is quantity.
Heterotrophic Succession in which the heterotrophs are
succession greater in quantity.
Sequences of Nudation (bare area without any life form) – Invasion – Competition
Ecological Succession and Coactions – Reaction – Stabilisation (Climax).
Sere or Seral It is an intermediate stage found in ecological succession in an
Community ecosystem advancing towards its climax community.
It is ecological succession for microorganisms like Bacteria, Fungai
Serule
etc.
 ECOLOGICAL CYCLES

Bio-Geo-Chemical Gaseous Cycles Hydrologic Cycle that involves the

Cycle (Atmosphere or the cycle continuous circulation
hydrosphere is the of water in the Earth-
The ways in which an reservoir) atmosphere system.
element moves Carbon cycle Carbon and its compounds
between its several are continuously exchanged
biotic and abiotic between three spheres of the
forms and locations earth.
in the biosphere. Nitrogen cycle Cycle by which nitrogen is
converted into multiple
NOTE: Energy flows chemical forms as it circulates
through an among three spheres of the
ecosystem and is earth.
dissipated as heat, Sedimentary Cycle Phosphorus Cycle that describes the
but chemical (Earth’s crust is the cycle movement of phosphorus
elements are reservoir) through the litho, hydro, and
recycled. biosphere.
Sulphur cycle Is the collection of processes
by which sulphur moves
between rocks, waterways
and living systems.
Nitrogen Cycle Hydrologic cycle

Processes involved: Processes involved:

• Nitrogen fixation - process of • Evaporation - conversion of water from
converting N2 into biologically available liquid to gas stage.
nitrogen. • Transpiration - water vapour discharged
• Nitrification - process that converts from plant leaves.
ammonia to nitrite (NO2-) and then to • Condensation - the transformation of
nitrate (NO3-). water vapour to liquid water droplets in
• Assimilation – process by which plants the air, forming fog and clouds.
and animals incorporate the NO3- and • Precipitation - the condensed water
ammonia formed. vapour falling to the Earth surface.
• Denitrification - process that converts • Percolation - water flows vertically
nitrate to nitrogen gas. through the soil and rocks under the
effect of gravity.
• Nitrogen fixation done by • Sublimation - process in which solid
microorganisms (bacteria and blue- water such as snow or ice directly
changes into water vapour.
green algae) or atmospheric
• Runoff - is a visible flow of water in rivers,
phenomenon (thunder and lightning) or
creeks, and lakes.
industrial processes (fertilizer factories). • Snowmelt - the runoff created by melting
• N2 fixing bacteria Eg. – Rhizobia, snow.
Cyanobacteria, Azotobacter vinelandii,
Nostoc, Clostridium spp, Klebsiella Reservoirs – Oceans (97.25), Ice caps and
pneumonia etc. glaciers (2.05), Groundwater (0.68), Lakes
(0.01), Soil moisture, Atmosphere,
• Denitrifying bacteria Eg. –
Streams and Rivers
Pseudomonas.
Carbon Cycle Phosphorus cycle Sulphur cycle

Processes involved: • Source - phosphate • Reservoir - organic (coal,

• Photosynthesis - by land rocks, volcanic dust, oil and peat) and
plants, bacteria, and sediments. inorganic deposits (pyrite
algae converts carbon • Processes – rock and sulphur rock).
dioxide or bicarbonate Weathering, erosion, • Processes – Weathering,
into organic molecules. mining, decomposition. erosion, mining,
• Respiration - animals and decomposition.
plants add carbon dioxide • On land phosphorus is
to the atmosphere usually found in the • Two of its compounds
through form of phosphates. hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
cellular respiration. • Slow process. and sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Combustion – when organic • No real gas phase (less add a gaseous
material is burnt, it releases role of Atmosphere). component to its normal
carbon dioxide. sedimentary cycle.

• Decomposition - After
death, it releases carbon
into the air, soil and
water.
• Major reservoirs –
Atmosphere,Oceans,Terre
strial,biosphere,
Sediments.
 Primary Gross All the organic matters
Ecological Productivity Productivity Primary produced by autotrophs
(generation Productivity using solar energy.
The rate of generation of of biomass
biomass in an ecosystem is from Net Primary NPP = GPP – Energy lost
called Productivity, which is autotrophic Productivity by respiration.
expressed in units of energy (eg: organisms)
joules per meter² per day) or in
units of dry organic matter (eg: Secondary The accumulation of energy at the
kg per meter² per year). Productivity consumer’s level.

Terrestrial ecosystem: Tropical rain forests, Swamps,

marshes > Temperate forest > Taiga > Savannah >
Descending order of ecosystems Agricultural land > shrub land > Temperate grassland >
based on their productivity Tundra > Desert
Aquatic ecosystem: Estuaries >Lakes and streams >
Continental shelf > Open ocean.

Decomposition Fragmentation It is the initial stage of decomposition.

Fragmentation means the breakdown of detritus
process by into smaller pieces by the detritivores.
which organic Leaching By the process of leaching, water soluble inorganic
substances are nutrients go down into the soil horizon and get
broken down into precipitated as unavailable salts.
simpler organic Catabolism Various fungal and bacterial enzymes convert the
matter. The detritus into simpler inorganic compounds. This
term process is called as Catabolism.
decomposition
means “to break Humification Process of formation of a dark coloured layer of
down” amorphous substance on the soil called humus.
Mineralisation Process of the degradation of the hummus to
release inorganic nutrients.

Essential Plant Nutrients

Non-mineral Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
Primary macronutrients N, P, K
Secondary Ca, S, Mg
Minerals
macronutrients
Micronutrients Zn, Cl, B, Mo, Cu, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni