Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

The physical world is composed of living and non-living things. They are generally referred to as the biotic and the abiotic. The abiotic is the physical objects like rivers, mountains, volcanoes and water-bodies. The biotic is the world of flora and fauna. Flora The word “flora” is used to designate plant life. The word “flora” is derived from the Latin name of Flora, the goddess of plants, flowers. In Roman mythology. Flora was a symbol of nature and flowers and fertility in Roman mythology. Fauna Fauna is all of the animal life. Fauna’s name derived from “to favour, nurture,” because it was believed by the ancient Roman religion that Fauna is the goddess who nurtures all that is useful to living creatures. Flora and fauna mean plants and animals. These two forms of life along with other life forms constitute a biota.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• What is Flora and • The physical world is Fauna? composed of living and non-living things. They are generally referred to as the biotic and the abiotic. The abiotic is the physical objects like rivers, mountains, volcanoes and water- bodies. The biotic is the world of flora and fauna.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Flora • The word “flora” is used to designate plant life. The word “flora” is derived from the Latin name of Flora, the goddess of plants, flowers. In Roman mythology. Flora was a symbol of nature and flowers and fertility in Roman mythology.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Fauna • Fauna is all of the animal life. Fauna’s name derived from “to favour, nurture,” because it was believed by the ancient Roman religion that Fauna is the goddess who nurtures all that is useful to living creatures. • Flora and fauna mean plants and animals. These two forms of life along with other life forms constitute a biota.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Importance of Flora and Fauna • The importance of flora or plants on the land or in the oceans makes our life possible. Plants are the oxygen producing and carbon dioxide absorbing natural apparatus without which life would not be possible. Besides the plants are essential resource for human well-being. The Amazon rainforests not only supply oxygen but are the source of sustenance for the region.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• The ecosystem is a consistent, harmonized holistic organisation functioning according to its own laws. It sustains on its own laws and maintains its own balance independent of outsiders. Human intervention has posed a danger to the ecosystem and endangered many species of plant and animal life. • Rapid destruction of trees has affected bird habitat and correspondingly many plant species.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• The biosphere, (from Greek bios = life, sphaira, sphere) is the layer of the planet Earth where life exists. This layer ranges from heights of up to ten kilometres above sea level, used by some birds in flight, to depths of the ocean such as the Puerto Rico trench, at more than 8 kilometres deep. These are the extremes; however, in general the layer of the Earth containing life is thin: the upper atmosphere has little oxygen and very low temperatures, while ocean depths greater than 1000 m are dark and cold. In fact, it has been said that the biosphere is like the peel in relation to the size of an apple.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• The biosphere is unique. So far there has been no existence of life elsewhere in the universe. Life on Earth depends on the sun. Energy, provided as sun light, is captured by plants, some bacteria and protists, in the marvellous phenomenon of photosynthesis. The captured energy transforms carbon dioxide into organic compounds such as sugars and produces oxygen. The vast majority of species of animals, fungi, parasitic plants and many bacteria depend directly or indirectly on photosynthesis.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Competition & Predation • Predation is when one organism eats another organism to obtain nutrients. The organism that is eaten is called the prey. Examples of predation are owls that eat mice, and lions that eat gazelles. Competition is when individuals or populations compete for the same resource, and can occur within or between species. When organisms compete for a resource (such as food or building materials) it is called consumptive or exploitative competition. When they compete for territory, it is called interference competition. When they compete for new territory by arriving there first, it is called preemptive competition. An example is lions and hyenas that compete for prey.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Commensalism • Commensalism is a relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Examples are barnacles that grow on whales and other marine animals. The whale gains no benefit from the barnacle, but the barnacles gain mobility, which helps them evade predators, and are exposed to more diverse feeding opportunities. There are four basic types of commensal relationships.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Parasitism • Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed, but not always killed. The organism that benefits is called the parasite, and the one that is harmed is the host. Parasites can be ectoparasites -- such as ticks, fleas, and leeches -- that live on the surface of the host. Parasites can also be endoparasites -- such as intestinal worms – that live inside the host. Endoparasites can be further categorized into intercellular parasites, that live in the space between cells, or intracellular parasites, which live inside of cells.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

• Mutualism • Mutualism is a relationship in which both species benefit. Mutualistic interaction patterns occur in three forms. Obligate mutualism is when one species cannot survive apart from the other. Diffusive mutualism is when one organism can live with more than one partner. Facultative mutualism is when one species can survive on its own under certain conditions. On top of these, mutualistic relationships have three general purposes. Trophic mutualism is exemplified in lichens, which consist of fungi and either algae or cyanobacteria.

Introduction to Characteristics of the biosphere and separate ecosystems

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27.03.2019