DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM Lesson Note
This SS2 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE lesson note covers DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM for First Term, Week 2.
Learning Objectives
- At the end of the topic, the students will be able to;
- Definition of Agricultural Ecology and Ecosystem
- Understand the Component of farm ecosystem e.g biotic and abiotic
Lesson Note
INTRODUTIONAL MATERIALS USE: Essential Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools by O. A IWENA Published by TONAD
TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURSES: Charts showing the concept of Agricultural ecology and its importance
A. DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY
Agricultural ecology can simply be defined as study of the relationships and interactions between crops and animals and their biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Agricultural ecology can also be defined as a field of study which deals with the relationship of living organisms with one another and with the environment in which they live.
An ecosystem refers to a community of crop plants and farm animals functioning together with their non-living environment. Hence, ecosystem consists of living factors (plant and animals) interacting with the non-living factors in a farm environment.
B. COMPONENT OF FARM ECOSYSTEM
The farm ecosystem is made up of two main components. These are the BIOTIC (living) components and the ABIOTIC (non-living) components
1. BIOTIC COMPONENTS: The biotic components include the living things (crop plants and farm animals). The biotic components can be grouped into two classes. These are AUTOTROPHISM and HETEROTROPHISM
AUTOTROPHISM: This is a group of organisms which can use sunlight or chemicals to manufacture their food from inorganic substances during the process of photosynthesis.
HETEROTROPHISM: This is a group of organisms mainly farm animals which
2. ABIOTIC COMPONENTS; The abiotic components of an ecosystem include the non-living things which are:
Climatic factors like temperature, wind, sunlight and rainfall
Inorganic materials and nutrients such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus
Edaphic factors like soils , rocks and topography
WEEKLY EVALUTION
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
The study of the relationship between organisms and their environment is called ____
A. genetics
B. ecology
C. anatomy
D. physiology
An ecosystem consists of_____
A. only living organisms
B. only non-living things
C. living organisms and their physical environment
D. plants and animals only
Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem?
A. soil
B. water
C. temperature
D. earthworm
Which of the following is an abiotic factor?
A. grass
B. insect
C. rainfall
D. bacteria
The major source of energy in most ecosystems is ______
A. soil
B. water
C. the sun
D. wind
A place where an organism normally lives are called its _______
A. niche
B. Habibat
C. population
D. community
Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor affecting agricultural production?
A. light
B. temperature
C. soil pH
D. predation
The removal of unwanted plants from a farm is known as ____
A. irrigation
B. weeding
C. mulching
D. harvesting
Agricultural ecology is mainly concerned with ____
A. the study of farm buildings only
B. the interactions between agricultural organisms and their environment
C. the breeding of animals only
D. the marketing of farm products
Energy flow in an ecosystem is generally _____
A. cyclic
B. one-way
C. reversible
D. random
Evaluation
•
The study of the relationship between organisms and their environment is called ____
A. genetics
B. ecology
C. anatomy
D. physiology
•
An ecosystem consists of_____
A. only living organisms
B. only non-living things
C. living organisms and their physical environment
D. plants and animals only
•
Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem?
A. soil
B. water
C. temperature
D. earthworm
•
Which of the following is an abiotic factor?
A. grass
B. insect
C. rainfall
D. bacteria
•
The major source of energy in most ecosystems is ______
A. soil
B. water
C. the sun
D. wind
•
A place where an organism normally lives are called its _______
A. niche
B. Habibat
C. population
D. community
•
Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor affecting agricultural production?
A. light
B. temperature
C. soil pH
D. predation
•
The removal of unwanted plants from a farm is known as ____
A. irrigation
B. weeding
C. mulching
D. harvesting
•
Agricultural ecology is mainly concerned with ____
A. the study of farm buildings only
B. the interactions between agricultural organisms and their environment
C. the breeding of animals only
D. the marketing of farm products
•
Energy flow in an ecosystem is generally _____
A. cyclic
B. one-way
C. reversible
D. random
Theory Questions
1a) What is agricultural ecology?
2a. Define ecosystem
b. Name FOUR biotic factors and FOUR abiotic factors in a farm ecosystem.