Ecology: Concepts and Ecosystems

Syllabus tag: KCSE | Biology | Form 3 | Topic 2 Ecology

Lesson objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Define the basic ecological terms and explain their relationships.
• Distinguish biotic from abiotic factors and state their effects.
• Explain the concept of an ecosystem and its components.
• Describe the interactions between organisms in a habitat.

Summary

Ecology is the study of organisms in relation to their environment. Organisms of one kind in an area form a population; several populations together form a community; the community with its physical surroundings forms an ecosystem. Conditions affecting organisms are abiotic (non-living) or biotic (living), and their interactions determine what can survive where.