Principles of Ecosystem - Earth and life science
- 1. The Principles of Ecosystem Niccolo John B. Borja
- 2. Additional Information Ecology is a field of science that studies the interactions between organisms and their environments. Ecologists study how organisms interact with one another as well as how they have adapted to their environments. An ecosystem is an ecological unit that includes all the interacting parts of an environment. It is a self-sustaining collection of organisms and their physical environment.
- 5. Speciation Involves the formation of a new species. A species is a group of individuals that can interbreed but cannot breed with any other group. For a new species to arise, populations or segments of populations must become isolated.
- 6. Two forms of isolation Geographic isolation – The physical separation of members of a population as a result of changes in an environment. Reproductive isolation – The inability of previously interbreeding organisms to produce offspring. One reason is the difference in ecological needs and breeding conditions among organisms of the same species.
- 10. Diversity Refers to the number of different species within an ecosystem. The size of the ecosystem, and its distance to the equator affects it. Larger ecosystems usually have a larger number of different habitats and smaller ecosystems within them. Therefore, larger ecosystems contain more species within it.
- 11. Diversity The region closest to the equator, known as the tropics, has the highest diversity of species. Because of abundant amounts of sunlight, high rainfall, and warm temperatures, the growing season never stops in the tropics.
- 14. Habitat Refers to the physical area where an organism lives. It is shaped by the soil, water, and air, and by the living organisms themselves.
- 19. Adaptation Adaptation is the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment. It may also refer to any change that increases the likelihood of an organism to survive or reproduce.
- 22. Interdependence Each organism is part of an intricately-linked system of living and non-living elements.
- 25. Evolution Evolution is a process observed in organisms where a species’ traits change through many successive generations.
- 28. Evolution The interactions of different organisms affect and influence the evolution of a species. Many plants have evolved to have tough leaves to prevent herbivores from eating them. While some herbivores have developed larger, flatter teeth that are suited for tough leaves. Coevolution occurs when two or more species evolve in response to each other.
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