Terrestrial Agro-Ecosystem

This is an interaction that takes place on the land rather than in water. It may be observed in the air, trees and on the ground.

Interaction between Biotic and Abiotic Factors in the Terrestrial Agro-Ecosystem Environment:

• Animal dung and droppings can serve as nutrients to the soil.
• Animals feed on plants and fruits to obtain their food.
• Plants generally release oxygen into the environment during photosynthesisPhotosynthesis is the process by which green plants, and some algae and bacteria, convert the energy of sunlight into chemical energy. This energy is then used to synthesize carbohydrates such as... More.
• Plants and animals also respire to release carbon dioxide to the environment which is used by plants to manufacture their food.
• Plants obtain nutrients and water from the soil which enables them to prepare their food.

Food Chain:

Animals such as goats, sheep and cattle eat plants, especially grasses, and in turn, the animals are eaten by man.

This kind of feeding cycle or relationship is termed food chain. It is a linear feeding relationship that exists among living organisms.

Example of Food Chain in Living Organisms:

\( \scriptsize \underset{1^{st} \: Tropic \: level}{\underset {(Producers)}{Grasses}} \: \rightarrow \: \underset{2^{nd}\: Trophic \: level}{\underset{(Consumers)}{ \{ Cow \: \rightarrow \: Tick \: \rightarrow \: Bird \} }} \: \rightarrow \:\underset{3^{rd} \: Tropic \: Level}{ \underset{(Decomposer)}{Bacteria}} \)

• Producers: Grasses.
• Primary consumers: Cow.
• Secondary Consumers: Tick (Parasite)
• Tertiary Consumer: Bird.
• Decomposer: Bacteria.

Food Web:

It is a non-linear feeding relationship among organisms.

It is more complex than a food chain. Many consumers are observed in this process depending either directly or indirectly on the producers.

Interaction that takes place in a typical Food Web:

• The grown plants like weeds, grasses and others serve as Food for farm animals like goats, sheep and cattle.
• The animal faeces and urine (excretory products) contain nitrogenous waste that adds to the fertility of the soil after the decomposition activities of micro-organismsMicrobes are organisms that are too small to be seen without using a microscope. They include organisms like bacteria, archaea, and single-cell eukaryotes (organisms whose cells have a nucleus e.g. amoeba... More.
• The energyEnergy is the ability to do work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, and electrical energy. Units of Energy: The SI unit... More cycle comes into play in the community.
• Cycles like nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, water cycle and others bring about a stable community on the land and aquatic community.