I. BASIC CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT

1. Ecology

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Ecology

o

The study of organisms and how they interact with the environment around them.

o

It focuses on the relationship between living things and their habitats.

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Ecologist

o

A person who studies the relationship between living things and their habitats.

⭐ Easy way to remember:

Ecology = organisms + environment + interaction

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2. Ecosystem

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Ecosystem

o

A geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, together with weather and landscape, work together to form a “bubble of life.”

o

It involves both living organisms and their surrounding physical conditions.

Example shown in the lesson:

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A marine/coral reef ecosystem

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Fish

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Corals

o

Other marine organisms

o

Water

o

Weather and surrounding physical conditions

⭐ Remember:

Ecosystem = living things + non-living surroundings working together

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3. Biome

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Biome

o

An area classified according to the species that live in that location.

Examples shown:

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Rainforest

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Grassland

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Coniferous forest

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Desert

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Tundra

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Deciduous forest

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Shrubland

🧠 Don't confuse:

Concept

Meaning

Ecology

Study of organisms and their interactions with the environment

Ecosystem

Area where organisms and physical conditions interact

Biome

Large area classified according to the species living there

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4. Environment

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Environment

o

Everything around us.

o

It includes natural surroundings as well as other factors that affect human and other living organisms.

The environment consists of four segments/spheres:

1.

Atmosphere

o

Gases or the air

2.

Hydrosphere

o

All water

3.

Lithosphere

o

Solid Earth

4.

Biosphere

o

All life

🧠 Memory trick:

A-H-L-B

•

A = Atmosphere → Air

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H = Hydrosphere → Water

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L = Lithosphere → Land/solid Earth

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B = Biosphere → Life

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V. THE FOUR SEGMENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

1. Atmosphere 🌤️

•

The gaseous layer surrounding Earth.

•

In the lesson, it is represented as “gases (the air).”

Layers shown in the lesson:

From lowest to highest:

1.

Troposphere

2.

Stratosphere

3.

Mesosphere

4.

Thermosphere

5.

Exosphere

Important distinction: Weather vs. Climate

Weather

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The short-term state of the atmosphere.

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Can change within minutes or hours.

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Example shown: rain.

Climate

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The long-term pattern of weather.

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Describes average weather over many years in one specific place.

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Example shown: tropical climate.

⭐ Remember:

Weather = short-term

Climate = long-term

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2. Hydrosphere 💧

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Represents all water on Earth.

•

Includes different forms and bodies of water shown in the lesson such as:

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Oceans

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Lakes

o

Rivers

o

Waterfalls

o

Ice/glaciers

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Seas and other bodies of water

The hydrosphere is one of the four major segments of the environment.

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3. Lithosphere 🪨

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Represents the solid Earth.

•

Associated with Earth's crust/land.

•

Includes the physical land materials and structures of Earth.

Connected examples:

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Soil

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Rocks

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Minerals

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Mountains

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Hills

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Valleys

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Deserts

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Plains

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Plateaus

The lesson identifies the lithosphere as the solid Earth.

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4. Biosphere 🌱🐟

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Represents all life.

•

Includes living organisms found in different parts of Earth.

Examples shown:

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Humans

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Birds

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Fish

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Other animals

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Plants/vegetation

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Marine organisms

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Microscopic organisms

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Dead plants and animals

The biosphere is identified as “all life.”

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VI. ELEMENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

The lesson identifies three major elements of the environment:

1.

Physical Elements

2.

Biological Elements

3.

Cultural Elements

1. Physical Elements 🏔️💧

These are the non-living physical features and conditions of the environment.

Include:

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Space

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Landforms

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Water bodies

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Climate

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Soils

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Rocks

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Minerals

Examples of landforms shown:

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Mountains

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Hills

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Valleys

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Deserts

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Plains

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Plateaus

Examples of water bodies shown:

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Waterfalls

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Straits

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Oceans

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Lakes

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Ponds

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Rivers

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Bays

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Wetlands

⭐ Key idea:

Physical = non-living parts of the environment

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2. Biological Elements 🌿🐘

•

Biological elements refer to the living components of the environment.

•

The lesson illustrates a variety of plants, animals and other living organisms.

Examples:

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Plants

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Trees

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Animals

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Fish

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Birds

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Insects

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Microorganisms

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Fungi

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Other living organisms

⭐ Key idea:

Biological = living things

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3. Cultural Elements 👥

•

The lesson identifies Cultural Elements as one of the elements of the environment.

•

Important: The provided slide for Cultural Elements does not give a written definition or detailed list. Therefore, the notes should not add a definition that was not provided in the material.

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VII. TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT

The lesson identifies three types of environment:

1. Physical Environment

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Concerns the physical/non-living surroundings.

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Examples include land, water, climate, soil, rocks and minerals.

2. Social Environment

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Concerns the social systems and interactions surrounding people.

The slide illustrates:

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Eco-awareness

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Environment

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Deforestation

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Social support

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Working together

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Corporations

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Government

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Social ethics

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Legal process

3. Psychological Environment

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Concerns the mental/psychological relationship people have with their environment.

•

The lesson visually contrasts a damaged/depleted environment with a healthier green environment, emphasizing how the environment can be connected with people's psychological perspective and condition.

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VIII. HUMAN INTERACTION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

Human Social Systems ↔ Environment & Ecosystems

Humans and the environment interact with one another.

The lesson presents:

Human Social Systems

↔

Interactions

↔

Environment & Ecosystems

Examples of human activities shown include:

❌ Negative interaction

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Deforestation

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Mining

✅ Positive interaction

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Composting

This demonstrates that human activities can have different effects on environmental systems.

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IX. THREE GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The lesson identifies three goals:

1. Learn how nature works

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Understand how natural systems function.

2. Understand how we interact with the environment

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Recognize the relationship between human activities and the environment.

3. Find ways to deal with environmental problems and live more sustainably

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Develop ways to address environmental problems.

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Promote a more sustainable way of living.

🧠 Simple sequence:

UNDERSTAND NATURE → UNDERSTAND OUR IMPACT → FIND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

WEEK 2: BIOMES, ECOSYSTEMS & PHILIPPINE ECOSYSTEMS

Clean, systematic study notes based on the uploaded lesson

1. BIOMES

Biome — a group of land ecosystems with similar climates and organisms.

• A biome is determined mostly by climate, especially temperature and precipitation.

• The lesson identifies 6 major land biomes and 2 major water ecosystems.

6 Major Land Biomes

• Rainforests

• Deserts

• Grasslands

• Deciduous forests

• Boreal forests (taiga)

• Tundra

2 Major Water Ecosystems

• Freshwater ecosystems

• Marine ecosystems

2. RAINFORESTS

• Two main types: temperate rain forests and tropical rain forests.

Temperate Rainforests

Temperate — having moderate temperatures.

• Example/location in the lesson: northwestern coast of the United States.

• Receives more than 300 cm of rain per year.

• Has huge trees such as cedars, redwoods, and Douglas firs.

Tropical Rainforests

• Found in regions close to the equator.

• Warm and humid all year long.

• Receives lots of precipitation.

• Has diverse plant growth.

Rainforest Layers

Canopy — a leafy roof formed by the tallest trees.

Understory — a second layer made up of shorter trees and vines.

• Understory plants grow well in the shade created by the canopy.

• The forest floor is nearly dark, so only a few plants live there.

3. DESERTS

Desert — an area that receives less than 25 cm of rain per year.

• Some deserts receive no precipitation at all during an entire year.

• Deserts often undergo large temperature shifts during the course of a day.

• Example: the Namib Desert in Africa cools rapidly after the sun goes down.

• Example: the Gobi Desert in central Asia is cooler and can experience freezing temperatures in winter.

Desert Adaptations

• Desert organisms must be adapted to lack of rain and extreme temperatures.

• Saguaro cactus: its stem expands to store water.

• Gila monster: spends weeks in cool, underground burrows.

• Many other desert organisms are active mainly at night, when temperatures are cooler.

4. GRASSLANDS

Grassland / prairie — an area populated mostly by grasses and other non-woody plants.

• Receives about 25–75 cm of rain per year.

• Fires and droughts are common.

• Grasslands are home to many of the largest animals on Earth.

• Grazing by large herbivores helps maintain grasslands.

Savanna

Savanna — a grassland located closer to the equator than prairies.

• Can receive as much as 120 cm of rain per year.

• Besides grasses, scattered shrubs and small trees can grow there.

5. DECIDUOUS FORESTS

Deciduous trees — trees that shed their leaves and grow new ones each year.

• Examples: oaks and maples.

• Receive enough rain to support trees and other plants: at least 50 cm per year.

• Growing season lasts about 5–6 months.

6. BOREAL FOREST (TAIGA)

• Mostly contains coniferous trees.

Coniferous trees — trees that produce their seeds in cones and have needle-shaped leaves.

• Examples: fir, spruce, and hemlock.

• Has very cold winters with a lot of snow.

• Summers are warm and rainy.

7. TUNDRA

Tundra — an extremely cold and dry biome.

• Usually receives no more precipitation than a desert biome.

Permafrost — soil that remains frozen for most/all of the year; in the lesson, most tundra soil is frozen all year long.

• During summer, only the top layer of soil thaws while the rest remains frozen.

• Because rainwater cannot soak into the permafrost, shallow ponds and marshy areas form during summer.

Tundra Plants & Animals Shown

• Polar bear

• Wolf

• Reindeer

• Arctic fox

• Arctic hare

Alpine Biomes

• Found in mountain regions worldwide.

• Examples of mountain regions mentioned: Andes, Alps, and Rocky Mountains.

8. ECOSYSTEMS

• The lesson then divides water ecosystems into freshwater and marine ecosystems.

9. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS

• Include streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.

Rivers & Streams

• Animals adapt to the current.

• Adaptations include hooks and suckers that help organisms cling to rocks and streamlined bodies that help them move with/against water.

• Few plants or algae can grow because of strong currents.

• Animals may rely on seeds and leaves that fall into the water as food.

Ponds & Lakes

• Bodies of standing or still freshwater.

• Lakes are larger and deeper than ponds.

• Ponds are shallow enough for sunlight to reach the bottom, allowing plants to grow there.

• Lakes and large ponds are often too deep for plants to grow on the bottom, so algae grows and floats on top of the water.

10. MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

• Include estuaries, intertidal zones, neritic zones, and the open ocean.

Estuary

Estuary — where freshwater from a river meets saltwater from the ocean.

Intertidal Zone

Intertidal zone — the area between the highest high-tide line and the lowest low-tide line.

• Organisms must survive pounding waves, changes in water level, and temperature changes.

• Examples shown: barnacles, starfish, snails, and clams.

Neritic Zone

Neritic zone — the area below the low-tide line that extends over the continental shelf.

• Sunlight passes through this zone, so photosynthesis can occur and plants can grow.

• Contains many living things.

• Coral reefs may form in warm water.

Open Ocean

• Separated into two zones: surface zone and deep zone.

Surface zone — the first few hundred meters of the ocean, where light penetrates.

Deep zone — the area below the surface zone; it is totally dark and is home to many unusual organisms.

11. PHILIPPINE ECOSYSTEM

• The lesson presents Philippine ecosystems under aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Aquatic Ecosystem — Freshwater

Lotic — running waters.

• Examples: streams, rivers, springs, and brooks.

• Philippine waterfall examples shown in the lesson: Maribina Falls, Nahulugan Falls, Balongbong Falls, Hicming Falls, and Hinik-hinik Falls.

Lentic — still water.

• Examples shown: Lake Danao (Leyte) and Taal Crater Lake.

Aquatic Ecosystem — Marine

• Beach examples shown in the lesson include: Batag Beach, Talisoy Beach, Kumaragat Beach, Carangayan Beach, Caramoan Beach, Tuwad-tuwadan Beach, Mamangal Beach, and Muraw Beach.

Terrestrial Ecosystem

Tropical rainforest — the world's richest terrestrial ecosystem in biodiversity, according to the lesson.

• Forest examples shown: Sayang Mossy Forest, Mt. Amuyo Forest, Mt. Pulag, and Balbalasang–Balbalan National Park.

12. QUICK RECALL — HIGH-YIELD

• Biome → group of land ecosystems with similar climates and organisms.

• Biome is determined mostly by climate → temperature + precipitation.

• Rainforest → temperate or tropical.

• Desert → less than 25 cm rain/year.

• Grassland/prairie → mostly grasses/non-woody plants; 25–75 cm rain/year.

• Savanna → grassland closer to equator; up to 120 cm rain/year.

• Deciduous → trees shed and regrow leaves yearly.

• Boreal/taiga → conifers; cold snowy winters; warm rainy summers.

• Tundra → extremely cold/dry; permafrost.

• Freshwater → rivers/streams + ponds/lakes.

• Marine → estuary + intertidal + neritic + open ocean.

• Lotic → running water; lentic → still water.

13. HOW TO CONNECT THE LESSON

• Climate (temperature + precipitation) → helps determine the biome.

• Biome → characterized by particular organisms adapted to its conditions.

• Freshwater ecosystems → running or still water.

• Marine ecosystems → saltwater environments with distinct zones.

• Philippine ecosystems → local examples of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Source: Uploaded file, “BIOMES-ECOSYSTEMS-and-PHILIPPINE-ECOSYSTEM-Lesson-2.pdf.”