Ecology - Ecology is the study of the interrelations of living organisms, whether at the
population, community, or ecosystem level, and of the relationships between organisms and
their environment.
Environmental Science - Environmental Science is a broad area of study focused on how man
influences and changes the biosphere and environment.
Biogeochemical cycle - the process by which essential elements like carbon, nitrogen, and
water are recycled through the Earth's ecosystems, involving interactions between living
organisms and the environment (air, water, soil, and rocks).
Biotic Factors - Living organisms and their interactions within an ecosystem.
Abiotic Factors - Nonliving components of an ecosystem that influence living organisms.
Major Types of Cycle
Carbon Cycle - describes the movement of carbon atoms through Earth's atmosphere, oceans,
soils, and living organisms. Carbon is a key element in all life forms and plays a crucial role in
regulating the Earth's climate.
Nitrogen Cycle - the process through which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical
forms as it moves through the Earth's atmosphere, soil, and living organisms. Nitrogen is an
essential nutrient for plants and animals, as it is a key component of proteins and DNA.
Water Cycle - the continuous movement of water within the Earth’s atmosphere, surface, and
underground.It describes how water circulates through different phases—liquid, vapor, and
solid— while moving between various reservoirs like oceans, rivers, lakes, clouds, and
groundwater.
Precipitation - any kind of weather condition where something's falling from the sky.
Precipitation has to do with things falling down, and not just from the sky. It's also what happens
in chemical reactions when a solid settles to the bottom of a solution.
Phosphorus Cycle - the process through which phosphorus moves through the Earth’s
ecosystems, including the soil, water, and living organisms. Unlike other biogeochemical cycles,
the phosphorus cycle does not have a significant gaseous phase, meaning phosphorus
primarily moves through rocks, water, and biological systems.
Sulfur Cycle - the movement of sulfur through the Earth's atmosphere, biosphere (living
organisms), hydrosphere (water), and lithosphere (earth’s crust). Sulfur is an essential element
for all living organisms, as it is a key component of proteins and vitamins, and it plays an
important role in the Earth's environmental processes.
Oxygen Cycle - the process by which oxygen is exchanged between the Earth’s atmosphere,
biosphere (living organisms), and other Earth systems. Oxygen is essential for respiration in
most living organisms, and it also plays a critical role in processes like combustion and the
formation of ozone in the atmosphere.
Components of Biogeochemical Cycles
Reservoirs (Long-term storage) - Reservoirs are crucial for long-term water storage, enabling
the management of water resources for various purposes like drinking water, irrigation, and
power generation, especially during dry seasons.
Exchange Pools (Short-term cycling) - an "exchange pool" refers to a component of the cycle
that holds an element or water for a relatively short period of time, facilitating rapid exchange
between biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem.
Ecosystem - Ecosystem is composed of two types of elements, the biotic (living) and abiotic
(non-living) elements.
Terrestrial Ecosystem - Terrestrial ecosystem is the ecosystem that is found at the top of the
land and is exclusive to the land only.
Four types of terrestrial ecosystem:
Forest Ecosystem - Forest ecosystems are areas of the landscape that are dominated by trees
and consist of biologically integrated communities of plants, animals and microbes, together
with the local soils (substrates) and atmospheres (climates) with which they interact.
Grassland Ecosystem - A grassland ecosystem is a biome characterized by open areas
dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants, with few or no trees, and often found in
semi-arid climates.
Tundra Ecosystem - The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of
precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert.
Desert Ecosystem - Desert ecosystems are characterized by arid environments with low
precipitation, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation, where organisms have adapted to
survive in these harsh conditions.
Aquatic Ecosystem - An aquatic ecosystem is a water-based environment in which species
like fish, plants, and microbes that rely on the water to survive.
Two types of aquatic ecosystem:
Freshwater Ecosystem - Fresh water is a precious resource on Earth's surface. It is also home
to many diverse fish, plant and crustacean species. The habitats that freshwater ecosystems
provide consist of lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands, streams and springs.
Marine Ecosystem - A marine ecosystem is a specific part of the global aquatic system,
encompassing all ecosystems from the shoreline to the deep sea, characterized by high salinity
and diverse lifeforms, especially in tropical shallow waters like coral reefs.
Aerial Ecosystem - It must be taken into account that most organisms and species use the air
as a means of transport, to interact or search for food.
Examples of an aerial ecosystem are:
● Insects
● Plants
● Bats
How do all living and nonliving things work together in nature?
1. The grasshopper eats the plants
2. The mouse eats the grasshopper
3. The snakes eats the mouse
4. The eagle eats the snake
5. When the eagle dies, fungi break down the body and turn them into nutrients
Biomes - A biome is a large, distinct ecological community of microbes, plants, and
animals that have a similar climate and habitat.
● Tundra - Tundra is a cold, treeless biome characterized by permafrost
(permanently frozen ground), short growing seasons, and low-lying vegetation like
mosses, lichens, and small shrubs, found in the Arctic and on high mountain tops
● Taiga - Taiga is the biome that is also known as boreal forest. Comes from the
Russian language which means “land of the little sticks” , taiga biomes are mostly
cold, silent and long winters.
● Temperate Forest - A temperate forest is a forest biome located in the mid-latitude
regions, between the tropics and polar regions, characterized by a mild climate
with four distinct seasons and a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees.
● Tropical Rainforest - A tropical rainforest is a dense, hot, and humid forest biome
that is close to the equator. It is distinguished by a wide variety of plant and
animal life as well as substantial annual rainfall (more than 100 inches).
● Desert - A desert is a dry land that has scarcity in vegetation. It is mostly covered
in sand. It is highly described as hot and empty.
● Grassland - The grassland biome is made up of large open areas of grasses. They
are maintained by grazing animals and frequent fires. Types of grasslands include
savannas and temperate grasslands.
● Savanna - Savannas are transitional between rain forests and deserts, featuring a
mix of grasses and scattered trees or shrubs.
● Mediterranean - Also known as sclerophyll ecosystem. It is characterized by
shrubs, small trees, and grasses, adapted to survive in dry conditions.
● Freshwater - Freshwater is a biome that has low-salt water concentration which
biotics that live here will not be able to survive in a high-salt concentration.
Examples of it are ponds, lakes, stream rivers, and wetlands.
● Marine - This water biome is the largest biome in the world, as it includes the five
major oceans that cover 70% of the Earth.
