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★ consists of a  community of organisms  together with their physical  environment acting as a  biological unit.

★ Basic functional unit of  ecology.

TERM ECOLOGY in 1935. He realized the importance of considering organisms and  their environment as an integrated system.

3 BIOTIC COMPONENTS

7 ABIOTIC COMPONENTS

➢ Chemosynthetic bacteria use the geothermal energy  in hot springs or deep-sea vents to produce more  complex nutrients.

➢ Green Plants  (on land)

➢ Phytoplankton

➢ Algae

➢ Herbivores

➢ Form the 2nd trophic level

Trophic level of Secondary Consumers

Predators that occupy the 4th trophic level