The study of the interactions between living things and their environments is known as ecology. In ecology, everything is connected to everything else and there is a constant interaction between organisms and their environment. The best way for us to understand the various levels of ecology is to look from the biggest entity biosphere, down to the smallest ecological unit, the population as follows:
Biosphere
- The entire part of the earth where living things exists. This includes soil, water, light, and air.
- A Biosphere can be divided into several Biomes. A biome is a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat is biome.
- Major Biomes include Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forests, Deserts and Tropical Rainforests.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a complex community of plants, animals, and microorganisms linked by energy and nutrient flows that interact together and with their environment. Thus, ecosystems are self-contained regions that include both living and nonliving factors. There is an exchange of materials and energy between the components of an ecosystem.
Community
- A community refers to a group of interacting plants and animals that show some degree of interdependence.
- All organisms within a community are either producers, or consumers or decomposers:
- Producers (or autotrophs)
- The producers have all of the raw building blocks to make their own food. From water and the gases and with the aid of the sun’s energy, autographs convert light energy to chemical energy. They accomplish this through photosynthesis.
- Consumers (or heterotrophs)
- Consumers or heterotrophs get their energy from the things they consume. They can not produce their own food and have to look outside world for those things to consume.
- Decomposers
- All organisms finally yield to decomposers, which break down organic matter into simple products. Generally, fungi and bacteria are the decomposers. They serve as the “garbage collectors” or “recyclers” in our environment.
Population
- A group of individuals that belong to the same species and that are interbreeding.