STRUCTURE OF THE ECOSYSTEM
by Antonio C. Antonio
January 20, 2015
The structure of the ecosystem can be classified in terms of
spatial (meaning: space) and temporal (meaning: time) arrangements of the
biotic communities. It could also be
understood as the organization of the different populations of species in space
and time in the communities. The
relatively large ecosystem structure is composed of the following:
TROPHIC STRUCTURE – A trophic structure refers to the
feeding relationship between the animal populations that comprise the biotic
community. Ecosystem structure can also
be viewed from the way different organisms interact with each other in terms of
feeding relationships of the species in the community. Trophic structure is the pattern of movement
of energy and matter through an ecosystem.
It is the result of compressing a community food web into a series of
trophic levels. All plants in the
ecosystem comprise the primary producers or autotroph subsystem. On another hand, all animal that feed on
plants are called the herbivores or the macro consumer subsystem. There are also micro organisms that get their
energy requirement from decomposing plants and animal litter that belong to the
decomposers or detritus subsystem.
SPATIAL STRUCTURE – Spatial pertains to space. In a forest community, different groups of
animals find food and habitat in the different layers of the trees and plants
--- from the canopy down to the forest floor.
The different species of plants and animals are located at specific
areas or layers within the ecosystem or forest ecosystem… this type of
organization is called spatial structure.
TEMPORAL STRUCTURE – Temporal structure refers to the time
of the day or season of the year when a particular species is active. There are animals that are active during
daytime and are called diurnal while those active during night time are known
as nocturnal. There are also other
adoptive species that can be active at any time of the day.
There really is a complex relationship between species of
plants and animals found in an ecosystem structure… part of the dynamism of the
structure of the ecosystem.
Just my little
thoughts…
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