Energy and Environment

Ecology
Ecology is the reciprocal relationship between living and surrounding. It study the relationship based
on biotic factor and abiotic factors.

Living
(biotic)

Ecology

Surrounding
(abiotic)

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Ecological Factors

Biotic factors
(Living interacting with surrounding)
Produces e.g., bacteria,
cyno-bacteria, blue-green
algae, green algae and plants

Abiotic factors
(SWATS)
Soil water, air, temperature
and sun light

Consumer e.g., animals, amoeba etc.

De-composers e.g., bacteria, fungus

Ecological Hierarchy
Ecological heirarchy

Biotic heirarchy

Abiotic heirarchy

Individual

Unit of ecology

Species

Group of similar individuals

+ Always in-breed

Niche
Micro-habitat

Exclusive space of a species + Maximum resources

Maximum availability of individual + Many species co-exist

Population Group of many species

Habitat

Area of maximum activity + Many species co-exist,

Many species occupy same habitat play different function

Biotic Community Group of many

populations

Range

Maximum geographical area of movement of a spaces

+ Factors are limiting beyond this

Eco system

Terrestrial (forest, grass lands etc.)

Aquatic (fresh water, marines etc.)

Land scape
Biosphere

Living beings + Atmosphere + Lithosphere + Hydrosphere

Biotic Factor Interactions

Biotic Factor Interactions

Positive
A

B (Benefits)

Symbiosis
Mutulism
(Beneficial, obligatory)
1. Rhizobium and leguminous
plant (biological nitrogen
fixation)

Negative

Protocoperation
(Beneficial, non-obligatory)
e.g., Ergit (bird) and Cattle

Ammensalism
(Loss of one mediated
by chemicals)

Commensalism
(One is benefited without
others benefit or loss)

1. Antibiotics
1. Ecoli and Humans)

2. Tusli plant

2. Epiphytes

3. Weed parthenium shows

Allelopathy

3. Shark and Pilot fish and

Succer fish

2. Lichens (algae + fungus)

B (Loss)

3. Jackal or Hyena and Tiger or

lion

3. Micorhizza (plant + fungus)

4. Cattles and cellulose digesting
bacteria

Parasitism

Predation

1. Virus

1. Carnivores

2. Bacteria

2. Omnivores

3. Fungus
4. Protozoa
5. Amarbel
(casusta)
6. Sandal wood
(bamboo
parasite)

4. Cattles and cellulose digesting

bacteria

5. Myrmecophilly (Ant + Green

plant)

Important Examples of Biotic Interactions

Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Biological Nitrogen Fixation : It is the process of conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into
ammoniaand then into compounds of nitrogen like nitrate and nitrates with the help of microorganisms
like bacteria.The bacteria which help in this process are ammoniafying and nitrifying bacteria
respectively.

Rhizobium

Pea, chick pea

grain

Niff genes

Ro
ot
no
du
les

Legumes

Pigment
[leg-heamoglobin]
air/O2 capture
Leguminous plant

Nitrogenase enzyme
Atmospheric nitrogen
Nitrate

Lichens
Lichens

Fungus
Protection

Algae
(Food + Nutrition)

SO2 Pollution indicator

Usnea

Start forestation in already occupied

areas or burnt forest areas
Forest fire
Usnic acid + highly inflamable

Mycorhizza
Mycorhizza = Plant root + Fungus

Plant root
(provide food)
Fungus
(bring water
from soil)
Epiphytes

Epiphytes

Trees growing over trees

for mechanical strength
and sun light
In tropical ever green forest
because of dense forest
and stratification

Food Chain
Food Chain : it is a series in ecological heirarety which creates a pattern of exchange of carbon and
energy between biotic factors through a mode of nutrition.
Types of Nutrition

Types of Nutrition

Auto trophic
(synthesize
theiroum food)

Hetro-trophic
(depends on others
for food)

Hetrotrophic

Holotrophism (Kill & eat)

Parasitism (Eat & kill)

Holozoic

Holophytic

Saprotrophism

e.g., Virus, bacteria,

fungus, protozoa and
plants.

Eat dead and

decaying
e.g., decomposer

Animals
e.g., Carnivores

Plants
e.g., Herbivores
Types of Food Chain

Food chain

Apex interaction
of biotic factor

Types

Predator

Parasitic

Detritus or saprotrophic

Predation
dependent

Parasitism
dependent

Dependent on saprotrophism

Longest food
chain, maximum
trophic level 3 to 4

Food chain of
varying length

Smallest food chain

Predator Food Chain

Organism
Green plant & algae

Trophic level (Level of nutrition)

Producer

Herbivorous

Primary consumer

Carnivorous

Secondary consumer

Omnivorous

Top consumer

Consumer

Significance of Food Chain

1. Food web : Network of food chain linked over any trophic level.
Food chain-1

Food chain-2

Plant

Plant

Deer

Goat

Tiger
Large fish

Small fish

Food chain-3

Algae
Food web maintains the availability of nutrients in many eco-system together or help in flow of
nutrients from one eco-system to another.
It improves the overall productivity of the ecosystem.
2. Productivity of ecosystem : Flow of energy across food chain levels.
Sun
(100% energy)

46-48%
reaches earth surface

Green plants or algae synthesize

glucose as the outcome
of photosynthesis
Gross Primary
Productivity

Glucose (Major Energy Substrate)

50% of it(23% of total)

used in photosynthesis
called as Photosynthetically
Active Radiation (PAR)

Used by producers in food synthesis

(52 to 56% or 12 to 13% total)

Net Primary
Productivity

Used by consumers by predation (10%)

Lost in respiration (90%)

(Used by plants in respiration, 90% of total)

Secondary
Productivity

3. Ecological pyramids : Graphical representation of ecosystem, composition and function based on food chain.
Top consumer
(always as top
of pyramid)
Secondary
consumer
Primary
consumer

Types of pyramid
Pyramid of energy always upright
Generally upright
Pyramid of number
Bell or urn shape in large tree ecosystem
Generally upright
Pyramid of biomass
Inverted in small pond ecosystem

Producer
(Always at base
of pyramid)

Bell shape pyramid

Top consumer

Inverted
Producer
Pyramid of number in large tree ecosystem Pyramid of biomass in small pond ecosystem

4. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

Bioaccumulation : Accumulation of harmful or toxic persistence substances like pesticides and
insecticide over the food chain across different trophic level is called as bioaccumulation.
Biomagnification : It is increasing accumulation of harmful or toxic persistence substances like
pesticides and insecticide over the upper trophic level of food chain. Maximum accumulation is at
highest trophic level.
Organism of food chain

Number of individuals

Amount of pesticide per individual

Plant

10 thousand

0.1 g per individual

Insect

1 thousand

1 g per individual

Chickens

100

10 per individual

Humans

10

100 per individual

1000 grams

Biomagnification

Amount of
pesticide added

Maximum impact on
highest trophic level

Extinction of Vultures in India

Oxytocin

help in child birth

Used in
dairies
Unfertile cattle

Milk production
Pain

Beef

Milk production
Diclofenac
Pain killer

Bones get porous

due to diclofenac
Vulture
Extinct now

5. Biological control
Biocentral : It is a method developed by certain alteration in the food chain in such a way that if the
number of organism any tropic level is increased beyond a threshold limit then it shows an impact
over the number of organisms present in the earlier tropic level of the food chain in such a way that it
is decreased.

It is used in development of biopesticides in organic farming.

Plant

Insect (Number decreased)

Fungus (Number increased)

Organic Farming (farming without chemicals)

Organic phosphates bone meals

Anaerobic
Compostingorganic matters
digestion

Biofertilizers

Vermicomposting
Earthworms
Organic matter
microbes

Ammonia nitrate
rich substance

N2 rich substance
Soil aeration
Enrich organic matter
after death

N2 fixing microorganisms
Bacteria Rhizobium, Nitrosonomas, Nitrobactor, Nitrococcus
Algae

Cyonobacteria like spinsllina

Anabeana
Nostoc etc.

Biopesticides
Dependent on biological control

Fungus Trichodema, Beuveria

There are pathogens of insects

like, bacteria, fungus & virus etc.

Bacteria Bacillus thuringenesis

Virus

Abiotic Factors
1. Sun light : Sun light
,X-rays, UV

Electro magnetic waves

VIBGYOR

IR

Heating spectrum
,X-rays

Micro

Radio

Non heating spectrum

Very high energy spectrum

No ecological importance
C
B
A

UV

VIBGYOR

High energy

No ecological importance

Low energy

Fat metabolism & vitamin D synthesis

Photosynthesis

Photolysis of water
H2O

Chlorophyll

(Mg. containing, Mg most abundant)

Red and Blue light

Glucose

IR

Maximum photosynthesis
+ ve ecological
phenomina

CO2 + H2 + O2

Maintain
habitability

Heat waves
CO2, water vapour, CH4, CFC

Absorb IR

Lower atmosphere heats up

Green house
effect

Atmosphere
Atmosphere :
5 layers
Reflection of , X-ray

0.04% CO2

20.8% O2

+ trace exosphere

Thermopause

Ionosphere

640 kms

Mesosphere
Stratopause

1 movement of jet planes

Ozone layer present

Stratosphere

Climatic activity, rainfall, cloud formation, wind current

Tropopause
Troposphere

O3

Temperature

78% N2

64 kms
12 kms

O3 + O

O3 layer
UVB1C
Descipation
Poles
Height
Thickness

1216 km

Equator
Height

2325 km

24 km

Thickness

12 km

Heating of Earth

Sun

, X-ray

Ionosphere

EMW
UV1V1BGYOR, IR, MW, Radio

UV, B, C desipation
Ozone layer
UVA, VIBGYOR, IR, MW, Radio

Heats earth surface

UVA and VIBGYOR,

EARTH

Lo
Eff
ng
ec
wa
t
ve
rad
iat
ion
in
IR

Co
ol
su s ea
rfa rth
ce

Reflection of VIBGYOR

Gr
ee
nH
ou
se

2 to 96C
57 to 2C

15 to 57C

3. Water :

3% Fresh water

97.5% marine

96.6%
Oceans

0.9%
Salt water
lake and
wetlands

1.56%
glaciers, frost
snow

0.08
rivers, ponds
and lakes

0.04%
soil and under
ground water

Water as Habitat
Pond Lentic

River Lotic
Between river and land ripparian
between river and oceans esturine
Away from sea sure littoral

Organisms

Limnetic

Plankton

On the sea sure nerictic

200 meters

Profundal

Benthos

Photic

Neustons

Necktons

Benthic

4. Soil
Soil Grizons
O

Organic matter humus

Microorganisms

Water absorption, plant growth

Gravels
Bed rock

D
Soil Degradation
1. Soil erosion
(a) Sheet erosion weathering of upper layer
of soil by wind or water e.g., agriculture
runoff
(b) Rill erosion : erosion in channels 1 m deep
form rills
(c) Gulley erosion : Deep rills e.g., Chambal
etc.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Soil acidification
Nutrient runoff
Salinization
Desertification
Water logging
Organic substances coming from municipal
industries waste
8. Weathering and nutrient leaching
9. Basic of accumulation

Soil Conservation
1. Forestation
(a) Afforestation unplanned
(b) Reforestation Planned
2. Crop rotation : Legumenous and other crops
into seasons.
3. Mixed cropping : More than one type of crops a
filled in a season.
4. Strip cropping : Cropping in different strips of
difference crops.
5. Deep ploughing and aeration
6. Organic farming
7. Counter binding
8. Tarrace farming
9. Mulching
10. Preventation of shifting cultivation (Jhumming)
11. Improvement in irrigation like drip irrigation.

5. Temperature

Temperature :
Polar

90 N/S81 N/S

Sub polar zone

69 N/S79.5 N/S

Temperate

45 N/S65 N/S

Tropical

0 N/S40 N/S

Cold Blood Organism or Poikilo Terms e.g., Forgs, Snakes, Lizzards, Dinosoras
Worm Blooded Organism or Homoisotherms e.g., Mammels and Human
Hibernation or Winter Sleep e.g., Frog
Aestivation or Summer Sleep e.g, Polar Bear