BIO Ch-1
Our Environment
Environment
● Environment refers to the living and non-living things that surround us.
● Ex:Air, plants, animals, water, etc
Ecosystem
● The community of living and non-living things
● A self-sustaining unit or region where living and nonliving things interact with
each other in the form of food chain and food web is called an ecosystem.
● Coined by Tansley
Biotic Components
● The living organisms in an ecosystem are called biotic components
● They have the ability to perform life processes
● Ex: Plants,Animals, Microbes
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Abiotic Components
● They are the non-living things or factors that affect the ecosystem
● They are important for growth and development of living organisms
● Ex:Water, Sunlight,Air, etc
Types of Ecosystems
● Natural: Ecosystems from naturally made means without human intervention.
Ex:Forest, Ocean, Desert
● Artificial: Ecosystem which is man-made. Ex: Garden, Crop field, Aquarium, Zoo.
Crop field – largest artificial ecosystem
● Aquarium water needs to be changed regularly because it has no decomposers
to remove dead remains of plants and animals
● Small: Pond, Lake
● Large: Ocean, Forest
Types of Biotic Components
● Producers
● Consumers
● Decomposers
Producers or Autotrophs
● Organisms which produce their own food are called producers
● Photoautotrophs – By photosynthesis, Ex: Green plants, Algae
● Chemoautotrophs – By chemicals, Ex: Cyanobacteria
● Green plants are called transducers because they convert light energy to
chemical energy
● Always found in First Trophic Level
● Present more in number than consumers(heterotrophs)
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Consumers or Heterotrophs
● Organisms that get their nutrients from other organisms are called heterotrophs
● Herbivores or Primary Consumer: Feed only on plant and plant parts.
Ex:Cow,Goat,Zebra
● Carnivores or Secondary Consumer:Feed only on flesh of animals.
Ex:Frog,Snake,Lizard
● Top and tertiary consumer: Omnivores and Apex Predator.
Ex:Humans,Bear,Lion,Leopard
● Present in T2 and other trophic levels
● Present less in number than autotrophs
Decomposers or Saprotrophs
● Organisms feed on dead and decaying organisms.
● Digestion takes place outside the bodies through enzymes
● Convert complex organic substances into simple inorganic substances.
● Ex:Bacteria, Fungi
Detritivores
● Only feed on dead and decaying animals
● Also called scavengers
● Ex:Earthworms, Jackals, Vultures
Role of Decomposers
● Enrich the fertility of soil by converting dead organisms into humus
● Considered as recyclers because they convert complex organic sub, into simple
soluble inorganic [Link] can later be used by plants
● Considered as cleaning agents because they help in cleaning of dead bodies in
nature
● Increase the nutrient content of soil by fixing nitrogen into it
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Types of Abiotic Components
● Inorganic substances
● Organic substances
● Climatic factors
Inorganic substances
● Minerals and their compounds
● Ex: C,H,N,CO_2,O_2,N_2
Organic substances
● Made up of inorganic compounds but with complex structure
● Present only in Living Things
● Ex:Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat
Climatic Factors
● Atmospheric factor:Temperature, humidity,pressure,rainfall
● Topography:Atmospheric factor in a particular region
● Edaphic factor:Soil condition such as pH level, nutrient level
Food Chain
● The sequence of eating and being eaten among living organisms to transfer food
and energy is called food chain
● It is unidirectional because a/c to 10% law, energy is lost in the form of heat, this
energy can’t revert back to producer
● If food chain contains decomposers, it is called detritus food chain
● Trophic Level: The level or position of an organism in a food chain is called its
trophic level
● The [Link] trophic levels in a food chain is limited because energy decreases
when moving from one trophic level to another
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Grass →Grasshopper →Frog →Snake →Eagle
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Small fish → Large fish
Importance of Food Chain
● Maintains stability of ecosystem
● Helps to transfer food and energy
10% Law
● Proposed by Lindemann in 1942
● From sun, plants absorb only 1% of energy,
● Out of this only 10% of energy moves from one trophic level to another
● Remaining 90% is lost in the form of heat and used for life processes
Ecological Pyramid
● Producers are present highest number because they get the maximum energy
and it decreases when we go to successive trophic levels because 90% of energy
is released and only 10% of energy is available, and so energy decreases → num
of organisms decreases
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Food Web
● The group of interconnected or interrelated food chains is called food web
Importance of Food Web
● Helps to increase the number of endangered species
● Maintain stability of ecosystem
● The length and flexibility of food chains in food web varies greatly
Metabolism
● The sum total of chemical reactions taking place in the body of living organisms
is called metabolism
● Anabolism:Small molecules join together to form large molecules.
Ex:Photosynthesis
● Catabolism:Large molecules break down to form small molecules.
Ex:Respiration
Biomagnification
● The increasing concentration (or) accumulation of non-biodegradable toxic
substances in living organisms through food chain at successive trophic levels is
called biomagnification
● Most affected – Top Consumer → Humans
● Ex – DDT(Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane)
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Ozone
● Triatomic molecule of oxygen
● Highly poisonous gas
● Types of Ozone
Good Ozone:
● Present in the stratosphere layer(14-50 km)of atmosphere.
● 20-26 km above sea level, layer of ozone is present called Ozonosphere
● Protects us from harmful UV radiation
Bad Ozone:
● Present near the surface of the earth
● Causes lung disorders, skin cancers and allergies
● Highly poisonous
Formation of Ozone
● In the presence of high UV radiation, Oxygen molecule is split into 2 Oxygen
atoms
● One of the Oxygen atoms combines with Oxygen molecule to form Ozone, under
UV radiation
● This reaction is called photochemical reaction
O_2 → O + O
O + O_2 → O_3
Ozone Depleting Substances
● Mainly CO_2 , CH_4 , CFC , Halons , Tetrachlorides ( 1Cl → 1 lakh O_3 )
● They cause global warming
● Primary – CFC
● Present more – CO_2
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Ozone Depletion
● Destruction of ozone (or) process of thinning layer of ozone layer is called ozone
depletion
● Leads to formation of Ozone hole
● 1st Ozone layer – 1985 in Antarctica
● 2nd Ozone layer – 1990 in Arctic
CFCl_3 → CFCl_2 + Cl
CFCl_2 → CFCl + Cl
Cl + O_3 → ClO + O_2
ClO + O_3 → Cl + 2O_2
Formation of ODS
● CO_2 → Combustion
● CH_4 → Biogas plants, coal mines
● CFC → coolant in fridges, fire extinguishers, AC
Montreal Protocol
● Signed on Sep 16, 1987 by 175 countries including India
● So, Sep 16 → Ozone day
● Proposed by United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
● Aim: Reduce or freeze the use of CFCs and other ODSs
Kyoto Protocol
● Signed in 1997 on Japan by 80 countries
● Aim:Replace CFC with HFC or HCFC
Consequences of Ozone Depletion
● Ozone is a tri-atomic molecule of Oxygen present in the stratosphere
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● It acts as a protective shield from harmful UV radiation
● If ozone is depleted,UV rays will enter earth’s atmosphere and causes various
environmental and health problems like,
○ Cancers
○ Lung disorders
○ Skin allergies
○ Affects growth and development of embryo in the womb
○ Affects rate of photosynthesis
○ Increasing atmospheric pressure
Garbage Management
● Garbage:Household waste is called garbage
● Types: Biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances
Biodegradable substances Non-biodegradable substances
Substances which decompose naturally Substances which don’t decompose
in environment by the action of naturally in environment by the action of
microorganisms microorganisms
Safe for environment Unsafe for environment
Made up of organic materials Made up of synthetic materials
They can be broken down into simple They can’t be broken down easily in
non-poisonous substances nature and produce toxic substances
They should be treated properly before They can’t be treated properly before
discharging them into water or soil discharging them into water or soil,
instead they can be either be recycled or
reused
They help to maintain ecological balance They harm the members of the
ecosystem
Fruit & vegetable peels, wood, natural Polythene, glass, PVC, heavy metals like
leather, paper, urine, faecal matter, mercury,lead,arsenic, radioactive waste
sewage, agricultural residue and cloth like uranium, pesticides like DDT,BHC,
paint, insecticides and plastic
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Negative Impact of Biodegradable Wastes
● During decomposition of biodegradable waste, foul smell and some harmful
gases are released. This makes life difficult for people living nearby
● The decomposing material provides medium for growth of disease carriers like
flies, mosquitoes and microbes which spread cholera, typhoid, dengue, etc
Negative Impact of Non-biodegradable wastes
● Pesticides and insecticides enter the food chain through plants and
accumulate at each trophic level through [Link] causes
spread of toxins in human beings and other animals
● During recycling of polythene and plastic, carcinogenic toxins like dioxins
and furans are released through air which causes various health problems
in humans and animals
● Plastics and polythene bags cause land pollution, water pollution, and
could be accidentally eaten by living organisms
Waste Disposal Methods
● Recycling
● Composting
● Incineration
● Landfill
● Pyrolysis
● Sewage Management
Recycling
● The process of moulding of non-biodegradable waste materials into useful
materials is called recycling
● Ex: Water bottles used as flower pot, metal wastes into lamp holders
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Composting
● The process of decomposition of organic waste materials (biodegradable) into
humus (used as manure) by the action of microorganisms is called composting
Incineration
● The aerobic (presence of O_2) combustion of solid waste materials under high
temperature is called incineration
● The instrument used is called incinerator
● Ex:Hospital wastes
Landfill
● The process of dumping of waste materials into a particular area is called
landfill.
● The wastes are segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes
Pyrolysis
● The anaerobic (absence of O_2) combustion of solid waste materials under high
temperature is called pyrolysis
● Ex: Electronic waste
Sewage Management
● It is also called wastewater management
● Mostly present in urban areas
● Sewers – pipes which carry sewage to WWTP
● WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) cleans the sewage
● After treatment, it is sent to water bodies
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Kulhads
● The disposable cups which are made in clay
● It was used as a hygienic way of drinking tea in railway station instead of using
used metal cups
● But the project was soon abandoned due to excessive erosion of topsoil
● Now, paper cups are being used in railways.