In: Biology
List in the correct order and define in a sentence the different levels of ecological organization (individual, population, species, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere).
Define the terms planktonic, nektonic, pelagic and benthic organisms.
POPULATION ECOLOGY
Define the term population in a sentence.
In a paragraph, explain what is meant by a population’s biotic potential and the environmental resistance that limits this potential.
The correct order is (smallest to Biggest)
1. Individual – is an living thing or an organism.
2. Species – is defined as a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
3. Population – is defined as a group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time.
4. Community – includes all the population living in a specific area at a given time.
5. Ecosystem - includes all of the living things (plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with their non-living environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere).
6. Biome - is a set of those ecosystems which share similar characteristics with their abiotic factors such as climate, relief, geology, soils and vegetation.
7. Biosphere – is the living component of earth system and is defined as the sum of all the ecosystems on planet Earth.
Planktonic organisms are small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water. They include bacteria, archaea, algae, and protozoa etc.
Nektonic organisms are a collection of marine and freshwater organisms that swim and migrate freely. They include adult fishes, vertebrates, mollusks, and crustaceans etc.
Pelagic organisms are the organisms living in the pelagic zones (surface) of the lakes, sea and ocean etc. They include big fishes like tuna, shark, whale and dolphins etc.
Benthic organisms are the ones that live in the benthic zone (bottom) of the lakes, sea and ocean etc. They include worms, clams, crabs, lobsters, and sponges etc.
A population is a group of individuals of a given species that live in a specific geographic area at a given time.
Biotic potential of a species is the maximum rate at which its population can increase when there are no limits on its rate of growth. In general species with large individuals have lower biotic potential than those with smaller individuals. In reality, no species can keep on growing at a rate equal to its biotic potential due to environmental resistance that limits its potential. Environmental resistances are all of the limiting factors that act together to limit the growth of a population.
Thanks!