Ecosystems
A ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Organisms include animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, viruses and proctista. The physical
environment includes non-living organisms like soil, nutrients, water etc.
Microorganisms
Microorganisms (microbes) are living organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
They can only be seen by using a microscope. Micro means tiny and organism mean living thing.
Microorganisms are usually made of single cells for example bacteria, microscopic fungi,
protozoa and algae
Microorganism Description Benefits & Uses Diseases Caused
Not considered fully
Bacteriophages can be used Influenza (Flu),
"alive." A particle of
to treat bacterial infections. Common Cold,
Virus genetic material
Vaccines use viruses to build COVID-19,
SARS-CoV-2 (DNA/RNA) in a
immunity. AIDS,
HIV protein coat that
Key tools in genetic Measles,
requires a host cell to
engineering. Rabies
replicate.
Strep Throat,
Single-celled organisms Digestion (gut microbiome), Tuberculosis,
with a simple cell Food production (yogurt, Urinary Tract
Bacteria
structure (no nucleus). cheese), Infections
E. coli
Found in nearly every Decomposers in ecosystem, (UTIs), Food
environment on Earth. Antibiotic production Poisoning (e.g.,
Salmonella)
A kingdom that includes
Food production (bread,
single-celled yeasts and
Fungi beer, wine, cheese).
multicellular Athlete's Foot,
Baker's Yeast, Antibiotics (Penicillin).
molds/mushrooms. Ringworm
Mushrooms Decomposers that recycle
They absorb nutrients
organic matter.
from their environment.
Single-celled, complex Base of the food chain in
eukaryotic organisms aquatic environments.
Protozoa Malaria
(have a nucleus). Most Decomposers.
Amoeba Dysentery
are motile and live in Regulate bacterial
water or as parasites. populations.
Microorganism Description Benefits & Uses Diseases Caused
Produce ~50% of Earth's
Plant like organisms oxygen (via photosynthesis).
Algae may cause skin
mostly fount in water Food source for
Seaweed irritation.
surface humans/animals
Biofuels.
Microorganisms are everywhere, they live in the air, in the soil, in water, on our skin and inside
our bodies. Most of them can make things decay/rot i.e., they are decomposers.
Fungi can make fruits decay forming mold eg., bread mold.
Microorganisms break down/decompose dead bodies and animal waste. Fungi and bacteria are
the most important decomposers, and almost all decomposers are microorganisms. If the dead
bodies and waste are not broken down, they pile up creating very large heaps of dead plants,
dead animals and animal dung everywhere.
Decomposed material produces nutrients and energy for plants and other animals’ survival.
Decomposers feed and gain energy on almost every organism after it dies. They also feed on
waste from animals.
Growing microorganisms
A single microorganism is too small to see without a microscope, but when left to grow, a single
cell of a bacterium or fungus divides repeatedly to make a collection of many cells called a
colony. The colonies are big enough to be seen using a microscope.
Colonies can be grown/cultured safely in the laboratory in a Petri dish containing a nutrient rich
agar jelly that is free of any other unwanted microorganisms.
Food Chain
A food chain is a simple, linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients pass from one
living thing to another in an ecosystem. It answers the question: "Who eats whom?" e.g.,
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Hawk → Decomposers (Fungi/Bacteria)
acacia tree → springbok → cheetah
grass → termite → aardvark → leopard
Trophic Levels
Producers (Plants & Algae): The start of every chain. They make their own food via
sunlight through the process of photosynthesis.
Primary Consumers (Herbivores): Eat the producers e.g., grasshopper eats grass.
Secondary Consumers (Carnivores/Omnivores): Eat the primary consumers e.g., a frog.
Tertiary Consumers (Top Carnivores): Eat the secondary consumers e.g., a hawk.
Decomposers (Fungi & Bacteria): The "clean-up crew." They break down dead
organisms at all levels, returning nutrients to the soil for producers.
Energy Transfer: Energy is lost at each step (as heat, through excretion).Therefore, there is
rarely more than 4 or 5 levels in a food chain and that’s why they appears as an Energy Pyramid.
The sun provides the initial energy for almost all food chains on Earth.
Food Web
A food web is a complex, interconnected network of multiple food chains within an ecosystem.
It shows the many different feeding relationships between organisms.