Lecture Notes W1S4
Ecosystem: Structure and Functions
Ecology
Ecology deals with the study of organisms in their natural home interacting with
their surroundings. The surroundings or environment consists of other living
organisms (biotic) and physical (abiotic) components.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a group of biotic communities of species interacting with one
another and with their non-living environment exchanging energy and matter.
Now ecology is often defined as the study of ecosystems.
Ecosystem Characteristics
Ecosystems show large variations in their size, structure, composition etc.
However, all the ecosystems are characterized by certain basic structural and
functional features which are common. An ecosystem is a structural and
functional unit of ecology where the living organisms interact with each other
and the surrounding environment.
Types of Ecosystem
Types of Ecosystem An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in a desert, or as
big as an ocean, spanning thousands of miles.
1
There are two types of ecosystem:
• Terrestrial Ecosystem
• Aquatic Ecosystem
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems. There are
different types of terrestrial ecosystems distributed around various geological
zones. They are as follows:
1. Forest Ecosystems
2. Grassland Ecosystems
3. Tundra Ecosystems
4. Desert Ecosystem
Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem consists of several plants, animals and microorganisms that
live in coordination with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help in
maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major carbon sink.
2
Grassland Ecosystem
In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs.
Temperate grasslands, savanna grasslands are some of the examples of
grassland ecosystems.
Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or where
rainfall is scarce. These are covered with snow for most of the year. The
ecosystem in the Arctic or mountain tops is tundra type.
3
Desert Ecosystem
Deserts are found throughout the world. These are regions with very little
rainfall. The days are hot and the nights are cold.
Aquatic Ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems present in a body of water. These can be
further divided into two types, namely:
1. Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Marine Ecosystem
Freshwater Ecosystem
The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds,
rivers, streams and wetlands. These have no salt content in contrast with the
marine ecosystem.
4
Marine Ecosystem
The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial
salt content and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.
Aspects of eco-system
The eco-system can be defined as any spatial or organizational unit
including living organisms and non-living substances interacting to produce an
exchange of materials between the living and non-living parts. The ecosystem
can be studied from either structural or functional aspects.
Structural Aspect: The structural aspects of ecosystem include a
description of the arrangement, types and number of species and
their life histories, along with a description of the physical features
of the environment.
Functional: The functional aspects of the ecosystem include the
flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients.