Kobe Conrad R.

Abellera
Ms. Romella Beringuela

NASC5 C-3R
Tamaraw

Exercise 1 Ecosystem Components and Interactions

I. Introduction
There is no universally accepted definition of life, with ideas on the nature of life
changing over the years (Wharton, 2004). In simple words, we cannot give the word
life a meaning. However, biologists have been inspired by the wonders of nature: the
living organisms and the environment, along with the occurrence of innumerable natural
phenomena. The curiosity of the very first biologists in the relationship of organisms to its
environment drew forth theories and principles that built the fundamentals of the study of
these interrelationship and interactions among various components of the ecosystem.
This study is known as the ecology, the word first coined by the German biologist Ernst
Haeckel in 1866.
The specific term attributed to the complex set of relationships among living
resources, habitats and residents of an area is the word ecosystem, the term coined by
Roy Clapham in 1930. It is also defined as the structural and functional unit of biosphere,
the highest order of life, consisting of community of living things and the physical
environment, both interacting and exchanging of materials. It is comprised of two
components: the biotic or the living component and the abiotic or the non-living
component. The biotic components of an ecosystem also interact with each other. These
interactions are in the form of feeding and non-feeding relationships. On the other hand,
the abiotic components interact with the living components in the form of physical factors
that play a role on the growth and development of the living components. The population
or distribution of these living components is also anticipated as one of the clear evidence
of relationships, whether feeding or non-feeding, and presence of physical factors
affecting it.
II. Objectives
At the end of the exercise, the students of NASC 5 Environmental Biology are
expected to:
1. Enumerate the different components of the ecosystem
2. Describe the interaction of the different components of the ecosystem
3. Understand the functioning of the ecosystem
III. Methodology
Two specific places were visited by the students of NASC 5 for this exercise.
These two places were the forest patch near the infirmary which is classified as an
example of natural forest ecosystem and the Edible Garden which is classified as an
example of agro-ecosystem. The interaction among the autotrophs, heterotrophs and the

environment where they belong to were observed on both of the natural and artificial
ecosystem. These organisms or the biotic components were named and the growth habit
(tree, shrub, herb, vines or creepers for plants and herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore for
animals) were classified. For microheterotrophs, there are various types that are neither
carnivore, herbivore nor omnivore (e.g. detritivore, decomposer) The number or the
population (one, few or many) and the distribution (even, clumped or random) of the
biotic components in the plot vicinity were also identified. The physical factors affecting
the ecosystems were enumerated, and their interactions with the living components are
described. All the data pertinent to the biotic components were tabulated to the first table
and the data pertinent to the physical factors present on both the natural and artificial
ecosystem were tabulated on the second table.
IV. Results
Table 1A A table showing the list of biotic components of the natural forest ecosystem
Biotic component

Habit or Type

Number
(one few
or many)

Distribution
(clumped, even,
random)

herb
herb
tree
vine
tree
tree
tree
tree
creepers

many
few
many
few
many
one
few
few
few

clumped
random
random
random
clumped
random
random
random
clumped

Autotrophs
1. Anahaw
2. Fern
3. Kaong
4. Vine-like plant
5. Ipil-ipil
6. Paper Mulberry
7. Rubber tree
8. Antipolo
9. Bamboo-like plant
Heterotrophs
Macroheterotrophs
1. Ant
2. Termite
3. Spider
4. Butterfly
5. Bug
6. Mushroom
Microheterotrophs
1. Lichens
2. Molds

omnivore
herbivore
omnivore
herbivore
herbivore
decomposer
s

detritivore

many
many
one
one
few
few

even
even
random
random
random
random

many
few

random
random

Physical factors
affecting
organisms
light intensity, air
temperature,
water, soil, wind
velocity, relative
humidity

light intensity,
soil, air
temperature,
water, wind
velocity, relative
humidity

Table 1B

A table showing the list of biotic components of the agro-ecosystem

Biotic component

Habit or
Type

Number
(one few
or many)

Distribution
(clumped, even,
random)

Physical factors
affecting
organisms

Autotrophs
1. Kangkong
2. Kamote
3. Pineapple
4. Talong
5. Patola
6. Banana
7. Alugbati
8. Papaya
9. Rose
10. Musical notes
11. Magnolia
12. San Francisco
13. Onion
14. Lemon grass

creepers
creepers
herb
herb
vines
herb
vines
tree
herb
shrub
tree
herb
herb
herb

many
many
few
one
one
few
many
few
few
many
one
few
few
few

clumped
clumped
random
random
random
random
clumped
random
even
even
random
even
random
random

light intensity, air

temperature,
water, soil, wind
velocity, relative
humidity

Heterotrophs
Macroheterotrophs
1. Ant
2. Butterfly
3. Fly
4. Frog

omnivore
herbivor
e
omnivore
omnivore

many
one
few
one

clumped
random
random
random

light intensity,
soil, air
temperature,
water, wind
velocity

Microheterotrophs

Physical
Factor

Physical/Biotic
Factor affecting/
interacting with it

Description of
interaction
between factors in
Column 1&2

Light
Intensity

Autotrophs and
heterotrophs

Takes part on the

growth and
development of
plants. Heightens
the sense of sight
of animals.

Air
temperature

Autotrophs and
heterotrophs

Takes part on the

life processes of
plants, specifically
transpiration

Role of Physical Factor

Natural
Ecosystem
Controls the
growth of
producers

Signals
change in
processes,
like
transpiration
in plants

Artificial
Ecosystem
Controls the
growth of
producers and
takes a role
on provision
of sunlight to
man-made
structures
housing the
ecosystem

Soil

Autotrophs and
heterotrophs

Site of nutrientuptakes and

cycles between
biotic components
and soil

Water

Autotrophs and
hetertrophs

Medium for life

processes

Relative
Humidity

Autotrophs and
heterotrophs

Wind Velocity

Autotrophs and
heterotrophs

Plays a role on the

regulation of body
temperature
of
animals
and
transpiration
in
plants
Affects sense of
direction of
animals especially
when migrating.
Increases output
of photosysnthesis
in plants

Wave
Velocity
Table 2

Foundation
of basic
ecosystem
function

Foundation of
basic
ecosystem
function

NONE

A table showing the physical factors of the environment, their interactions and
their role in the ecosystem

Human
Plants

Bug

Spider

Decomposer

Figure 1A A figure showing a food web in an natural forest ecosystem

Fly

Frog

Plants

Human

Decomposer

Figure 1B A figure showing a food web in an artificial ecosystem

V. Discussion
It is noticeable in the area that certain autotrophs display distribution patterns on
the area. As shown in Table 1A, autotrophs of the tree type, whose population ranges
from few to many and the distribution is either clumped or random, dominated the list of
all the autotrophs in the natural forest ecosystem. These plants had undergone
secondary development which can be observed through the thickening of its girth and
outward elongation of upper appendages. The other plants, whose population ranges
from one to many and the distribution is either random or clumped, were observed
growing on the area where sunlight seeps through especially the vine types which
developed tendrils specialized for clinging on the barks of the trees. These vines and the
trees they had clung on exhibit commensalism as the vine benefits while the tree
remains unharmed.
In the Table 1B, the ecosystem where the autotrophs and heterotrophs belonged
to is considered as artificial agro-ecosystem. Even though the ecosystem is man-made,
interactions among the autotrophs, heterotrophs and and the abiotic components of the
area still exists. As seen in the Table 1B, the majority of the autotrophs were of the herb
type whose number ranges from one to many and the distribution is either even or
random. Unlike the natural ecosystem, the artificial ecosystem had even patterns of
autotrophs in it. Hence it indicates that there is a very high competition between those
plants in an even pattern. The other plants of the tree, shrub, creepers and vine type,
whose population ranges also from one to many, exhibits pattern of either clumped or
random. Even though the ecosystem was modified, all of the autotrophs could still
interact with the abiotic components through the form of physical factors administered by
human intervention (e.g automatic water supply).
Since the autotrophs exhibits growth and development like other forms of life, it
is expected that they interact not only to the other biotic components but also to the
abiotic components in the area that might aid them in achieving the full potential of
growth and development. Based on the observations, the autotrophs respond to its
environment as phototropism was observed on them due to the elongation of the
appendages towards the sunlight. Aside from the sunlight, the plants tend to exhibit
growth so they can strengthen the anchorage of their roots to the soil, which leads to
high absorption rate of water, and maximize the potentials of the processes like
photosynthesis, a process which they convert light energy to chemical energy which
requires carbon dioxide and produces oxygen in return, and transpiration, a process
wherein the autotrophs release water in their leaves. Light intensity induces

photosynthetic capability of plants but when exceeds above the normal, the plants
respond to it by curling up its leaves to lessen the surface area facing the sun and to
avoid deprivation of water inside the leaves. Wind velocity, air temperature and humidity
also affect the autotrophs as indicated in Table 2. Greater air currents, warmer air and
low humidity on the environment increase the driving force for transpiration. Aside from
the plants, there are no other groups of photosynthetic organisms present on both of the
ecosystems.
Majority of the heterotrophs observed in both of the natural and artificial
ecosystems were in the Class Insecta, whose type is either herbivore or omnivore as
seen in Tables 1A and 1B. Unlike the plants, the heterotrophs cannot produce its food.
Hence, animals have to hunt or eat to procure nutrients essential to live. For the natural
ecosystem, the animals were more numerous than plants considering the number of
ants and termites in their respective colonies. On the other hand, in the artificial
ecosystem, the plants were more numerous than animals due to the manipulation of
human to this kind of ecosystem. Aside from the ants and termites, the spider, whose
type is omnivore, butterfly and bug, whose types are herbivores and mushrooms were
also observed in the area. Considering the ants and termites, there was a noticeable
pattern and that is they were clumped in the same area. It is expected that they have a
relationship with each other and that is classified as mutualism. House
(1984) proposed that the nest sharing of ants and termites represents mutualism
between the two. However, the cost it will take for the two colonies is unknown in these
associations. These macroheterotrophs number and distribution were identified as one
and random respectively. The heterotrophs observed in the artificial ecosystem were
ants, fly, butterfly and a frog. The ants were also seen in a colony while the fly and the
butterfly were individually seen. There were also a presence of mushrooms and other
fungi in the plot vicinity of the natural forest ecosystem. Dighton (2003) indicates that
these fungi play a role in some of the major processes in the ecosystem like the process
of transforming carbon dioxide and nutrients into plant biomass, the energy
transformations among components of food webs and the transformations carried out by
saprotrophic decomposers that use the energy and nutrients from the dead plants and
animals. There are also other organisms in the soil whose function is same as the
fungus. Majority of these organisms are bacteria like the Streptomyces and other
actinomycetes that play a role in organic matter decomposition conductive to crop
production (Ningthoujam et al. 2009). Earthworms are also responsible for the fertility of
the soil and it is known since 1881 when Darwin (18091882) published his last scientific
book entitled The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms with
observations on their habits according to Bhadauria et al., (2010). The presence of
microheterotrophs was also noticed only for the natural ecosystem. Lichens and molds
were seen attached on woody barks of the trees. Having a number ranges from few to
many while the distribution is random, lichens and molds play a role in the ecosystem as
well as the fungi. Lichens are anticipated to only exist when there is clean air in the
vicinity. Molds role in the ecosystem are similar with that of fungi.

VI. Conclusion
The two main components of an ecosystem are the biotic or the living component
and abiotic or the non-living component of an ecosystem. The biotic components interact
with each other in the form of feeding and non-feeding relationships. The food chain and
food web where the biotic components are involved exhibits feeding relationship. Nonfeeding relationships exhibited in many forms depending on who is benefitted or harmed
in the relationship. The number and distribution pattern indicates the interaction among
the species. Not only have the biotic components interacted with each other but also to
the abiotic factors present in the area. The abiotic components interact with the biotic
components through the form of physical factors that might improve living components
growth and development. The ecosystem serves as the ground for the organisms to
exhibit all signs of life, wherein some may procure nutrients themselves with the aid of
the physical factors, or may procure nutrients by eating other biotic components, and
they exhibit interactions essential to survive.
VII. References