Environmental Engineering
CHAPTER II
ECOLOGY OF
LIFE
ECOLOGY
Scientific study of the processes regulating
the distribution and abundance of organisms
and interactions among them, and the study
of how these organisms in turn mediate the
transformation of energy and matter in the
biosphere.
The goal of ecology is to understand the
principles of operation of natural systems and
to predict their responses to change.
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
Individual, Species, Organism
An individual is any living thing or organism. Individuals
do not breed with individuals from other groups.
Population
A group of individuals of a given species that live in a
specific geographic area at a given time.
Community
Includes all populations in a specific area at a given time.
A community includes populations of organisms of
different species.
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
Ecosystem
Include more than a community of living organisms
(biotic) interacting with the environment (abiotic).
Biome
A set of ecosystems sharing similar characteristics with
their abiotic factors adapted to their environments.
Biosphere
Sum of all ecosystems established on Earth.
BIOME
Biome is very large ecological areas on the
earth’s surface, with fauna (animals) and flora
(plants) adapting to their environment.
Biomes are often defined by abiotic factors
such as climate, relief, geology, soils and
vegetation.
BIOME
DIFFERENT TYPES
Desert Biome
Aquatic Biome
Forest Biome
Grassland Biome
Tundra Biome
BIOME
Desert Biome
Make up about 20% of total land cover on
earth and are characterized by little (less
than 50cm/yr) or no rainfall.
Kinds of Dessert Biome
Hot and dry desert
Semi-arid desert
Coastal desert
Cold desert
BIOME
Aquatic Biome
Includes all water bodies on the earth’s
surface. These biome make up about 73%
of the total earth’s surface.
Groups
Freshwater Biome
Marine Biome
BIOME
Forest Biome
Make up about 30% of the total land cover
on earth and are of incredible value to life
on earth. They are a store of carbon and
play a very important role in climate control.
Three Main Biome
Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Forest
Boreal Forrest (Taiga)
BIOME
Grassland Biome
These are massive areas dominated by one or a
few species of grass, with a few sparsely distributed
trees.
Two Main Types
Savanna Grassland (South America & Australia)
Temperate Grassland (South Africa, Argentina &
Central North America)
BIOME
Tundra Biome
Known to be the coldest of all terrestrial
(land) biomes with least bio-diversity
capacity.
Tundra got its name from Tunturia a finish
word means barren land.
Two Main Types
Artic Tundra
Alpine Tundra