OUR ENVIRONMENT : CLASS NOTES
Biotic components :- are the living components like plants, animals and microorganisms.
• They consist of • producers • consumers • decomposers.
1. Producers- green plants which produce food by photosynthesis.
2. Consumers :- herbivores,carnivores,omnivores,parasites
• Herbivores: which get their food directly from plants Eg:goats,deers,cow
• Carnivores:an animal that feeds on other animals. eg:tiger,lion
• omnivores: an animal or person that eats a variety of food of both plant and animal
[Link]:human,chimpanzee
• Parasites:an organism that lives on or in a host and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.
Eg:lice,cascuta
3. Decomposers :- are microorganisms which decompose dead plants and animals. They decompose
complex organic substances into simple inorganic substances in the soil which are again used by plants.
Eg: bacteria, fungi, some insects,worms
Abiotic components :- are the non living components like air, water, soil, minerals, sunlight ,
temperature, wind etc
Types of ecosystem
Natural ecosystems :- ✓forests ✓deserts ✓grass lands ✓fresh water ecosystem: ponds, lakes
✓Marine ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystem: pond, lake, ocean
Terrestrial ecosystem: forest,desert
Artificial ecosystems :- • gardens • parks • crop fields • aquarium • zoo
FOOD CHAIN
• A food chain is the flow of food energy from
one organism to the next and to the next and so
on.
• They usually start with a producer (plants) and
end with a carnivore.
• In a food chain an organism gets food from one
group of organisms.
Terrestrial food chain -----------eg:-------------
Aquatic food chain
Food web
Food web is a group of several
interconnected food chains.
In a food web an organism gets food
from more than one group of organisms.
Trophic levels :Each step in a food chain
where transfer of food energy takes place is
called trophic level.
• The first trophic level consists of producers.
• The second trophic level consists of primary
consumers(herbivores)
• The third trophic level consists of secondary consumers.(carnivores)
• The fourth trophic level consists of tertiary consumers. ( top carnivores)
• Since the transfer of food energy decreases at every trophic level, the number of trophic levels are
limited and do not exceed four or five.
• Great number of organisms can found at lowest tropic level
Significance of food chain
• Help to maintain equilibrium of ecosystem
• Helps to identify the flow of energy
• Helps to study the interdependence of organisms
• Helps to identify any threats to ecosystem which will disturb the
food chain
Flow of energy in an ecosystem
• Energy flow in trophic levels Green plants (producers) absorb
about 1% of solar energy falling on the leaves and stores it as food
energy during photosynthesis.
• During the transfer of food energy from one trophic level to the
next, 90% of the energy is lost to the environment and only 10% is
transferred to the next trophic level .(10% law)
• Flow of energy is unidirectional
• As energy moves progressively through the various tropic level it is
not available to the previous level • Energy available at each level
will be diminished due to the loss of energy
Question :
[Link] an ecological pyramid and indicate the trophic levels of
insects, snakes, grass and frogs in it. How much energy was
available at the producer level if 4J of energy is available to the
snakes?
Snake 4 J energy , then frog 4*10=40J ,insect 40*10=400J
Producer(grass) 400*10=4000J
Q. In a food chain contain of insects, snakes, grass and frogs How
much energy was available at the 3rd trophic level if the total energy available from the sun is 400000
KJ of energy ?
Sun energy = 400000kj
Producer(grass) will get 1% of it , 400000*1/100=4000 J
THEN,10% law is applicable
first trophic level get 4000*10/100= 400 j
second trophic level get 400*10/100=40 J
Third trophic level (snake )get 40*10/100=4j
Biological magnification
Definition: The process by which the harmful and toxic
substances enter the food chain and get concentrated in the
body of living organisms at each successive level in food
chain is called biological magnification
• Harmful chemicals like insecticides and pesticides ,metals
which are used to protect crops from insects and pests are
absorbed by plants and enter the food chain.
• It is also dissolves in water
• Since these chemicals are non biodegradable, they get accumulated at every trophic level and their
concentration increases.
• Since human beings occupy the highest trophic level, the concentration of these harmful chemicals is
maximum in our bodies.
EXAMPLES
• bald eagles were consuming large quantities of fish who had been affected by the DDT. Over time, the
chemical disrupted their ability to lay eggs with strong shells, causing the bald eagle population to
decrease to the point of near extinction.
• Species like Shark, Swordfish, Orange Roughy, Tuna, King Mackerel, or Tilefish contain proportionally
larger levels of toxic mercury than smaller fish and shellfish.
EFFECT
• Reproductive implications for marine and other animal life
• Disrupting the natural food chain as species die off
In human
Cancer • Kidney failure • Liver disease • Birth defects • Brain damage • Respiratory disorders • Heart
disease etc….
HOW DO OUR ACTIVITIES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?
Depletion of ozone layer in the atmosphere
• “The ozone layer is a region in the earth’s stratosphere that contains high concentrations of ozone and
protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun.”
• thinning of the ozone layer by air pollutants is called
ozone depletion
How ozone is formed
• Ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms (O3).
• At higher levels in the atmosphere the UV radiation
splits some oxygen molecules (O2) into free oxygen
atoms which combines with oxygen molecules (O2) to
form ozone
ozone-depleting substances
• ozone-depleting substances that contain chlorine :chlorofluorocarbon(CFC), carbon tetrachloride,
hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and methyl chloroform.
• ozone-depleting substances that contain bromine :halons, methyl bromide, and
hydrobromofluorocarbons.
• Chlorofluorocarbons are the most abundant ozone-depleting substance
• One atom of chlorine can destroy more than 100,000 ozone molecules
Reasons for ozone depletion
Use of ozone depleting substances
Emission of harmful products by factories
Over use of automobile vehicles which emitting harmful gases
Effect of ozone depletion
Effects on Human Health
• health issues such as skin diseases, cancer, sunburns, cataract, quick ageing, and weekend immune
system
Effects on the Environment
• Strong ultraviolet rays may lead to minimal growth, flowering and photosynthesis in plants. The
forests also have to bear the harmful effects of the ultraviolet rays.
• UV radiation also affects terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, altering growth, food chains and
biochemical cycles.
• Aquatic life just below the water’s surface, the basis of the food chain, is particularly adversely
affected by high UV levels.
• UV rays also affect plant growth, reducing agricultural productivity.(crops like corn, rice etc)
• Destruction and disturbances in marine ecosystem
Action to protect the ozone layer The Montreal Protocol
• In 1987, to address the destruction of the ozone layer, the international community established the
Montreal Protocol on ozonedepleting substances.
• objective : to cut down the production and consumption of ozonedepleting substances, in order to
reduce their presence in the atmosphere and thus protect the Earth's ozone layer.
• So the use of CFCs is now being reduced to protect the ozone layer
HOW TO STOP OZONE DEPLETION
Stop air pollution
Awareness
Stop using CFC emitting products
Managing the garbage we produce
• Garbage: it is unwanted materials and objects that people have thrown away. It is often also called
trash, garbage, rubbish, or junk.
• It can be solid, liquid, or gas
• Some of the garbage is biodegradable and some are non biodegradable.
• Garbage causes pollution of air, water and soil. So it should be disposed properly.
Biodegradable wastes: wastes which are decomposed into harmless substances by
microorganisms.
• E. g. vegetables, fruits, pulses, cereals, cotton, jute, wool, wood, leather, paper, animal dung, animal
bones
Non biodegradable wastes :- are wastes which are not decomposed by microorganisms.
• E. g. polythene bags, plastics, synthetic fibres, glass, metals, synthetic rubber, insecticides
Methods of garbage disposal are
i) Land fills
ii) Recovery and Recycling
iii) Production of biogas and manure
iv) Preparation of compost v) Incineration vi) Sewage treatment
Landfill
The Landfill is the most popularly used method of waste disposalused today. This process of
waste disposal focuses attention on burying the waste in the land
Recovery and Recycling
Resource recovery is the process of taking useful discarded items for a specific next use.
• These discarded items are then processed extract or recover materials and resources or
convert them to energy in the form of useable heat, electricity or fuel.
• Recycling is the process of converting waste products into new products to prevent energy
usage and consumption of fresh raw materials.
Production of biogas and manure
• The anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste produces biogas, a valuable energy resource
• Manure is the decomposed form of dead plants and animals which is applied to the soil to
increase the production. It is a natural form of fertilizer and is cost-effect
Composting
• Similar to sanitary landfilling
• Yields a stable end product – good soil conditioner and may be used as a base for fertilizers
• Decomposable organic matter is separated and composted
Vermicomposting
• Ideal for biodegradable wastes from kitchens, hotels etc.
Incineration/Combustion
Incineration or combustion is a type disposal method in which municipal solid wastes are
burned at high temperatures so as to convert them into residue and gaseous products. .
Sewage treatment
It is the process of removing contaminants from municipal wastewater, containing mainly
household sewage plus some industrial wastewater.