How do ecosystems differ from populations

Thus, in the first image, species would fall between population and community in a sense. Although you can have multiple populations of kangaroos all living in different populations and communities, and all of these kangaroos would be in the same species.

What is the difference between organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome and biosphere? Kate M. Jun 8, These are all different terms used to organize life on Earth. See explanation. Explanation: These are different terms used to organize life on our planet.

Related questions What is environmental science? What's the relationship between environmental science and environmental sustainability? Population ecologists are particularly interested in counting the Karner blue butterfly, for example, because it is classified as federally endangered.

However, the distribution and density of this species is highly influenced by the distribution and abundance of wild lupine. Researchers might ask questions about the factors leading to the decline of wild lupine and how these affect Karner blue butterflies. For example, ecologists know that wild lupine thrives in open areas where trees and shrubs are largely absent.

In natural settings, intermittent wildfires regularly remove trees and shrubs, helping to maintain the open areas that wild lupine requires. Mathematical models can be used to understand how wildfire suppression by humans has led to the decline of this important plant for the Karner blue butterfly. Community ecology studies interactions between different species; abiotic and biotic factors affect these on an ecosystem level. A biological community consists of the different species within an area, typically a three-dimensional space, and the interactions within and among these species.

Community ecologists are interested in the processes driving these interactions and their consequences. Questions about conspecific interactions often focus on competition among members of the same species for a limited resource.

Ecologists also study interactions among various species; members of different species are called heterospecifics. Examples of heterospecific interactions include predation, parasitism, herbivory, competition, and pollination. These interactions can have regulating effects on population sizes and can impact ecological and evolutionary processes affecting diversity. For example, the larvae of the Karner blue butterfly form mutualistic relationships with ants. Mutualism is a form of a long-term relationship that has coevolved between two species and from which each species benefits.

For mutualism to exist between individual organisms, each species must receive some benefit from the other as a consequence of the relationship.

Researchers have shown that there is an increase in the probability of survival when Karner blue butterfly larvae caterpillars are tended by ants. This might be because the larvae spend less time in each life stage when tended by ants, which provides an advantage for the larvae.

Meanwhile, the Karner blue butterfly larvae secrete a carbohydrate-rich substance that is an important energy source for the ants. Both the Karner blue larvae and the ants benefit from their interaction.

Karner blue butterfly caterpillar : Karner blue butterfly caterpillars form beneficial interactions with ants. Whereas a population narrows down interactions to all members of single species, the organism level narrows even further to the actions and interactions of one individual organism.

So in our soil sample, if the population contains all 14 individuals of a single worm species, the organism level would focus on just one individual from among those 14 worms. The vast majority of ecological interactions contain far more diversity and complexity than what you might find in a single soil sample.

For example, in the polar regions interactions might range from the hunting patterns of the polar bear down to the tiniest krill.

The water temperature, nutrients, sunlight and tides impact how much microscopic algae forms beneath the ice. Krill populations flock to feed on the growing algae, while numerous species of fish and other creatures feed on the krill. Seals, seabirds, octopus and other creatures then eat the fish, while polar bears feed on the seals.

Minute interactions between these creatures also occur, and abiotic factors also impact creatures on all levels. For example, temperature impacts the sea ice, which directly impacts how successfully polar bears can stalk and hunt seals. Within a system, numerous interactions occur from the organism level all the way up to the ecosystem as a whole. Marina Somma is a freelance writer and animal trainer. She holds a B. Community - All the different species that live together in an area.

Ecosystem - All the living and non-living components of an area. Hope this helps! Related questions What is population dynamics? How can the carrying capacity of an ecosystem change?