8.

1 The Abiotic
and Biotic
Components of
the Environment
 Food chain, food web and trophic levels
A food chain usually starts with a producer from which energy is transferred through
several levels of consumers.
When organisms in a food chain die, they are decomposed by the decomposers, usually
bacteria and fungi, which secrete digestive enzymes into the environment.
Each category of organism in a food chain is known as a trophic level.

Grass Grasshoppers Frogs Snakes

(producers) (primary consumers) (secondary consumers) (tertiary consumers)

A pyramid of numbers is a diagram showing the number of organisms at each trophic

level in a food chain in ascending order.
a) The producers, which form the first trophic level, are the base of the pyramid.
b) The primary consumers occupy the second trophic level while the secondary the tertiary
consumers occupy the third and fourth trophic levels respectively.
Pyramid of Numbers
Energy flow within a food web
As one organism eats another, energy is transferred from one trophic level to the
text.

In a food web, the producers absorb solar energy and convert it during photosynthesis
into chemical energy stored in organic molecules.
Some of this energy is used by the producer, for example, during cell division, growth
and reproduction.
 From the previous slide we can see that only about 10% of the energy in an organism
is transferred when one member of a food chain is eaten by the next
The large energy loss from one trophic level to the next explains why food chains
contain no more than four or five levels
Each trophic level contains less energy than the previous one
 Interaction Between Biotic Components In
Relation To Feeding
-Symbiosis = Commensalism, Mutualism,
Parasitism
Interaction Between Biotic Components In
Relation To Competition
-Intraspecific Competition
-Interspecific Competition
 SYMBIOSIS
Definition: A close relationship between two
or more different species that live closely
together and interact with each other
Symbiosis can be classified into:
-Commensalism
-Mutualism
-Parasitism
 COMMENSALISM
One species (the commensal) get benefits while the
other (the host) get neither benefits nor harm
For examples, a sea anemones and clown fish.
-Clown fish lives among the poisonous tentacles of
sea anemones and protected from its predators.
-Clown fish also feed on remnants of anemones
food.
Another example is epiphytes (such as pigeon
orchids) that grow on trees not to gain nutrients
from tree but to reach for sunlight.
Clown Fish and Sea Anemones
Pigeon Orchids
 Mutualism

A relationship between two species of organisms in

which both benefits.
Example: lichen, which made up of alga and fungi
The alga produces food for itself and also for the
fungus.
The fungus supplies carbon dioxide and nitrogenous
products for alga to produces food.
Lichen
 Parasitism

A relationship between two organisms in which one

organism (the parasite) get benefits and the other
(the host) is harmed.
They are divided into ectoparasties and
endoparasites.
Ectoparasites (e.g. :fleas) lives on the surface of host
body.
Endoparasites (e.g. :tapeworms) which attach to the
linings of the hosts intestine.
The host usually nutrients to the parasites.
A Flea
Tapeworm
 PREY-PREDATOR

A relationship where an organism which is smaller,

called prey is hunted and eaten by a stronger animal
the predator.
Predators usually have a canine teeth and sharp
claws to hold and kill its prey.
The prey-predator relationship helps in controls the
population in an ecosystem and maintain balance in
nature.
An owl feeding on a rat
 The interaction between biotic components
in relation to competition
Competition is an interaction between organisms living
together in a habitat and competing for the same
resources that are in limited supply.
Plants compete for light, nutrients, water and space.
Animals compete for food, shelter and breeding mates.
The competition between individuals of the same
species is called an intraspecific competition.
The competition between individuals of different
species is known as an interspecific competition.
The dynamic equilibrium between the
population if rabbits and lions
 The End

Thank You.