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Ecosystem
Q. What do you mean by Ecosystem? What are its basic categories?
A: An ecosystem is a system in which living organisms (like plants, animals, microbes) interact with each
other and also with non-living abiotic components (such as water, air, soil) to form a balanced, self-sustaining
unit.
The basic categories of ecosystems are:
1. Terrestrial Ecosystems: Found on land, including forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundra.
2. Aquatic Ecosystems: Found in water and divided into:
Freshwater Ecosystems: Lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams.
Marine Ecosystems: Oceans, seas, and coral reefs.
Arti cial Ecosystems: Aquariums.

Q: Describe the structure and functions of ecosystem.

A: Structure of an Ecosystem: An ecosystem has two main components:
1. Biotic Components: It includes the living organisms, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
2. Abiotic Components: It includes the non-living elements like water, sunlight, soil, and air.

Functions of an Ecosystem:
1. Productivity: This refers to the rate at which solar energy is converted by plants (producers) into biomass
through photosynthesis. This energy becomes the base of the food chain, supporting all life in the
ecosystem.
2. Decomposition: Dead plants and animals are broken down by decomposers like bacteria and fungi. This
process releases essential nutrients back into the soil and water, making them available for plants to use
again.
3. Energy Flow: Energy ows from producers (plants) to various consumers (herbivores, carnivores) through
food chain and food web. This unidirectional ow of energy supports the survival and functioning of all
organisms in the ecosystem.
4. Nutrient Cycling: Nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, are continuously recycled
between organisms and the environment. It ensuring a steady supply of these essential elements for life.

Q: Explain productivity.
A: Productivity in ecology refers to the rate at which biomass or organic matter is produced by plants (primary
productivity) or consumers (secondary productivity) in a given area over a speci c time period. It is typically
measured in terms of weight (grams per square meter) or energy (kilocalories per square meter) per year.

Q: De ne primary productivity.
A: Primary productivity is the rate at which plants and phytoplankton produce organic matter (biomass)
through photosynthesis in a speci c area over time. It is measured in grams per square meter (g/m2/yr1) or
kilocalories per square meter per year (kcal/m2/yr1).
Primary productivity can be divided into-
GPP: gross primary productivity (total production by producers),
NPP: net primary productivity (available biomass after respiration losses).
Hence, GPP-R=NPP, where R is respiration loss.

Q: De ne secondary productivity.
A: Secondary productivity is the rate at which consumers (herbivores and carnivores) generate new biomass
by consuming organic matter produced by primary producers. It re ects the energy or organic matter created
in the trophic levels above primary producers, measured over a speci c area and time period.

Q: Explain decomposition.
A: Decomposition is the process by which dead organisms are broken down into simpler organic and
inorganic substances by decomposers (bacteria, fungi, and other detritivores). This process recycles nutrients
back into the ecosystem and makes them available for uptake by plants and thus contributes to soil health.
Decomposition is essential for maintaining ecosystem balance and nutrient cycling.

Q: What is detritus?
A: Dead plant remains such as leaves, bark, owers and dead remains of animals, including faecal matter,
constitute detritus.


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Q: Explain the process of decomposition.

A: Decomposition is the breakdown of dead organic matter into simpler substances, involving several
important steps:

a. Fragmentation: Detritivores, such as earthworms, break down large pieces of organic material into smaller
fragments, increasing the surface area for further decomposition.
b. Leaching: Water-soluble nutrients and organic compounds are washed away from the decomposing
material into the surrounding deep soil or water, enriching these environments.
c. Catabolism: Microorganisms, primarily bacteria and fungi, metabolise the smaller organic fragments,
convert complex compounds into simpler molecules and release energy.
d. Humi cation: During this process, some of the organic matter is transformed into humus, a dark and
amorphous substance which is highly resistant to microbial degradation.
e. Mineralisation: The nal step involves the conversion of organic nutrients into inorganic forms (like nitrates
and phosphates), which can be readily absorbed by plants.

These steps work together to recycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem health.

Q: What are the factors that a ect decomposition?

A: The rate of decomposition is in uenced by the chemical composition of detritus and climate.

Chemical Factors:
1. Decomposition is slower when detritus contains tough compounds such as lignin and chitin.
2. Decomposition is faster when detritus has high nitrogen content and water-soluble substances, like
sugars.

Climatic Factors:
1. Soil moisture increases microbial decomposition activity.
2. Warm temperature environment speeds up decomposition and cold temperature slows it down.
3. Lack of oxygen (anaerobic conditions) slow decomposition, causing organic materials to accumulate.

Q: What is a trophic level?

A: A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web that represents a group of organisms with the
same role in the ow of energy. Each level transfers energy to the next level, but some energy is lost as heat
at each stage. Common trophic levels are:

Tertiary Consumers (apex predators) - they eat other carnivores or herbivores.

⬆
Secondary Consumers (carnivores) - they eat herbivores.
⬆
Primary Consumers (herbivores) - they eat producers.
⬆
Producers (plants) - they produce their own food.

Q: What is PAR?
A: Only about 50% of incoming solar energy is usable by photosynthesis on earth. This is known as
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) which is between 400 to 700 nm of light. Plants capture only
2-10% of the PAR and this small amount of energy sustains the entire living world.

Q: Describe energy ow in each trophic level of ecosystem.

A: Except for the deep sea hydro-thermal ecosystem, sun is the only source of energy for all ecosystems on
Earth. Energy ow in an ecosystem moves through di erent trophic levels such as:

1. Producers (e.g. plants) capture energy from the sun and convert it into food through photosynthesis. This
energy becomes the base of the food chain.
⬇
2. Primary Consumers (herbivores, e.g. birds) eat the producers and get some of their stored energy.
⬇
3. Secondary Consumers (small carnivores, e.g. dogs) eat the primary consumers, gaining a portion of their
energy.

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⬇
4. Tertiary Consumers (apex predators, e.g. lions) are at the highest level, consuming other carnivores.

At each level, only about 10% of energy is passed onto the next level. This type of ow of energy keeps
ecosystems functioning but limits the number of trophic levels due to energy loss at each stage.

Q: De ne food chain and food web.

A: A food chain is a linear sequence in which energy and nutrients pass from one organism to another,
starting with a producer and moving through di erent levels of consumers.
A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that show the multiple feeding
relationships among organisms within an ecosystem.

Q: What are the di erences between food chain and food web?
A: Di erences between Food Chain and Food Web are:
Food chain Food web

Structure A single, linear sequence of organisms where A complex network of multiple interlinked
each one is eaten by the next food chains
Complexity Simple and straightforward with limited More complex, showing many interactions
organisms involved
Stability Less stable; if one organism is removed, it can More stable; alternative pathways allow other
disrupt the entire chain organisms to ll up
Energy ow Shows a single path of energy ow Illustrates multiple energy ow paths within
an ecosystem
Signi cance Represents only a small part of an ecosystem Provides a more realistic and complete view
of ecosystem interactions

Q: What are DFC and GFC? What is the di erence between them?
A: Detritus Food Chain (DFC): A food chain that begins with dead organic matter (detritus) and involves
organisms such as decomposers (bacteria and fungi) that break down this biomass is called detritus food
chain or DFC.
Grazing Food Chain (GFC): A food chain that starts with living plants (producers) and illustrates how energy
ows from these producers to primary consumers (herbivores) and then to secondary and tertiary consumers
(carnivores) is called grazing food chain or GFC.

Key Di erences:
a. Starting Point: The detritus food chain starts with dead organic matter, while the grazing food chain starts
with living plants.

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b. Role of Decomposers: Decomposers play the primary essential role in the detritus food chain for nutrient
recycling, whereas they play a lesser signi cant role in the end of grazing food chain.

Q: De ne standing crop.
A: The standing crop is the total amount of living biomass (organic matter) present at a particular time in a
speci c area of an ecosystem. It is typically measured in terms of number or weight (no. or grams per square
meter). For example, in a grassland, the standing crop is the total biomass of grasses and herbivores (like
rabbits) in a speci c area at a given time.

Q: What are ecological pyramids? What are its types?

A: Ecological pyramids are diagramatic representations that show the structure of an ecosystem by
illustrating the number, biomass, or energy at each trophic level in a food chain.

Types of Ecological Pyramids:

1. Pyramid of Numbers: Shows the number of organisms at each trophic level.
2. Pyramid of Biomass: Displays the total biomass (amount of living matter) at each trophic level.
3. Pyramid of Energy: Illustrates the energy ow through each trophic level. It is always upright, as energy
decreases with each level.

Pyramid of Number Pyramid of Biomass Pyramid of Energy

Sometimes, pyramid of biomass or number can be inverted. For example, in a terrestrial ecosystem, one
single tree (producer) may support a lot of birds (consumers). Or in an aquatic ecosystem, a small biomass of
phytoplankton (producer) may support large amount of zooplanktons (consumer).

Inverted Pyramid of Biomass


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