CHAPTER 2 ECOSYSTEM

• The flow energy in the ecosystem.

• The nutrient cycle in the ecosystem.
• The interdependence and interaction between
organisms and between organisms and the
environment.
• The role of humans in maintaining a balanced
ecosystem.
What is ecosystem?
Consists of
• living things (producer, consumer, decomposer)
• non-living things (soil and water pH, temperature,
humidity, sunlight,……).
• interactions within one another

Ecosystem is a system formed by the interaction of

living organisms and their non-living environment.
FOOD CHAIN AND FOOD WEB

• A food chain shows the feeding relationship and the

transfer of energy from producer to consumer.
• A producer is an organism that produces its own food
through photosynthesis.
• Most plants are producers because they use light
energy to produce food.
• Example: paddy plant
• A consumer is an organism that eats another
organism.
• Primary consumers are normally herbivores or
omnivores that eat producers.
A secondary consumer is a primary
carnivore that eats the primary
consumer.
Example: snake

Tertiary consumer
Normally are secondary carnivores
that prey on secondary consumers
For example: eagle, tiger
Herbivore Primary Secondary
carnivore carnivore
Decomposer

• A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead

animals and plants into simpler materials or nutrients
which can be used again by green plants.
• This interaction is known as saprophytism.
• Examples: bacteria, fungi
Food web
• The interconnection of a few food chains is called a
food web.
Energy flow in a food chain
 Energy flow in a food web
• Sunlight is the main energy source in a food chain
or a food web.
• Energy is transferred from one organism to another
organism in the food web.
• Some of the energy is lost as heat energy through
respiration.
• Energy is also lost in the form of chemical energy
through undigested food, or faeces.
• Green plants (PRODUCER) traps and change light energy into chemical
energy (food) through photosynthesis.

• Some of the chemical energy stored in the plants is transferred to the

PRIMARY CONSUMERS when PRIMARY CONSUMER eat the PRODUCER.

• When SECONDARY CONSUMER eat PRIMARY CONSUMER, some of the

energy stored will flow to the SECONDARY CONSUMER and
subsequently to the TERTIARY CONSUMER.

• ENERGY flows through a food chain or food web.

NUTRIENT CYCLE IN THE ECOSYSTEM

CARBON CYCLE

• Plants absorb carbon dioxide to produce glucose through the

process of photosynthesis.

• Glucose is a carbon compound oxidised by plant and animal cells

during respiration to produce energy and carbon dioxide.

• Carbon dioxide is reabsorbed by plants during photosynthesis.

• Carbon dioxide is released during the burning of fossil fuels and

decomposition of dead organisms.
 OXYGEN CYCLE

• Photosynthesis releases oxygen to be used by organisms during

respiration.

• Oxygen is also used during the burning of fossil fuels, rusting and
decomposition.

• Photosynthesis releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide from

the atmosphere.

• Respiration by animals and plants uses oxygen and releases

carbon dioxide.

• Both cycle maintain the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in

the atmosphere.
 WATER CYCLE

• Animals and plants release carbon dioxide and water

vapour as by-products of respiration.

• Water vapour rises to the atmosphere and becomes part of

the water cycle.

• Animals contirbute to the water cycle through perspiration,

urination and defaecation.

• Plants absorb soil water and transport it to the leaves for

photosynthesis.

• Excess water is lost through the process of transpiration.

 HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT DISRUPT THE NATURAL CYCLES

Burning of the fossil fuels. • Concentration of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere increases.
• Concentration of oxygen decreases.

Deforestation of trees in the forest. • The rate of photosynthesis decreases.

• The rate of transpiration decreases.
• Concentration of oxygen decreases.
• Concentration of carbon dioxide increases.
• Amount of rainwater decreases.

Excessive use of water • Water resources on Earth decreases.

Interdependence among living organisms and the environment creates a balanced
ecosystem.

A balanced ecosystem;
• Stable
• Does not change very much over a period of time.
• Has a continuous supply of basic needs such as oxygen, food, shelter and
breeding partners.

SPECIES
• A group of similar organisms which
can interbreed to produce fertile
offspring.
• For example; clown fish
POPULATION
• A group of organisms of the
same species living in the
same habitat.
• For example; a population of
clown fish
COMMUNITY
• Several populations of different species
interact with one another to form a
community
• For example; a population of clown fish
and a population of banner fish living in
the sea.

ECOSYSTEM
• An ecosystem consists of several
communities that interact wih one
another and their environment.
• For example; marine ecosystem (the
corals)
THE ADAPTION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS LIVING IN THE DESERT, TUNDRA AND TROPICS
DESERT TROPICS
• Camels store fats in the • High light intensity and
hump as energy source. humidity encourages the
• Cactus trees have growth of various types of
succulent stems which plants.
stores water. • Mammals have short fur to
reduce stored heat.
• Reptiles become non-active
during a very hot day.
TUNDRA
• Artic fox has small ears
and thick fur to reduce
the loss of heat.
• Plants that are able to
grow in his area are only
mosses and grasses due
to the prolonged cold
climate and little
distribution of rain.
 INTERACTION BETWEEN LIVING ORGANISMS

PREY-PREDATOR SYMBIOSIS COMPETITION

In this interaction, the • Commensalism This interaction occurs when

predator obtains • Mutualism animals or plants compete
benefits while the prey • Parasitism for the same resources such
is eaten by the predator. as space, water, food or
mating partners.
 COMMENSALISM
• One organism benefits while
the other organism does not
receive any benefit or harm.
• Remora fish is the
commensal that attaches
under a shark receives
protection, free transport
and eat leftover food from
the shark. The shark (host)
does not benefit from this
interaction
MUTUALISM
• An interaction where both
organisms receive benefits.
• Interaction between lichen and
green algae and fungus. The
green algae produces food for
the fungus while fungus
provides water, mineral and
shelter for the algae.
PARASITISM
• An interaction in which one
organism benefits while the
other is harmed.
• Tapeworms (parasite) obtain
shelter and food in the human
intestine (host). Humans are
harmed in this interaction
because the loss of nutrients
to the tapeworm.
 5. Disadvantages of using 1. The use of natural predators to
chemical substances: control the population of pest
a) Pollute the environment species.
b) Harmful to human health

2. Prey-Predator interaction:
4. Disadvantages of biological a) Owls and snakes are used to
control: BIOLOGICAL reduce the number of rats
a) Effects are slower compared to CONTROL (pests) in oil palm plantations.
chemical control b) Fishes are reared in ponds to
b) May cause imbalance in the eat mosquito larvae.
food chain if the predator also
feeds on animals other than
3. Advantages of biological control:
the pest.
a) Does not pollute the environment
b) Predator only feeds on the specific prey (pest)
and not any other animals.
c) Cheaper than pesticides.
 • Diseases reduce • Lack of food source reduces population size
population size of • Decreased population of anchovies and sardine
plants and animals. fish (food source for penguins) causes the
death of penguins due to starvation.

• Migration of an organism
into an ecosystem FACTORS WHICH AFFECT
changes the balance of POPULATION SIZE
population.
• Migration of birds to
warmer climate during • Predators reduce the population size of
winter. the organisms.
• Increased population of crown-of-thorns
• Prolonged drought causes a lot starfish that feeds on corals reduces the
of plants to due because of numner of coral species in the deep ocean
insufficient water. which threatens the balance of marine
ecosystem.
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A STABLE, PRODUCTIVE AND
BALANCED ECOSYSTEM

1. A stable ecosystem in which destruction of natural habitats does not

take place.
2. A productive ecosystem in which resources are used without
depleting them.
3. A balanced ecosystem in which the population of different species in
the food chain is not affected.
 • Reduce, reuse • Practise selective logging by
• Maintain forest and recycle waste making sure only matured
reserves. materials. trees are cut down. Then
followed by replanting of
new trees.

• Take legal action STEPS TO CONSERVE AND • Establish rehabilitation

against those who PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT centres such as Sepilok
pollute and destroy Orangutan Rehabilitation
the ecosystem. Centre in Sabah.

• Educate the public by • Support the activities and • Build marine

creating awareness on the efforts by organisations such parks to preserve
importance of conservation as the Worldwide Fund coral reefs.
and preservation. (WWF) and the Malaysia
Nature Society (MNS) .