Module 2:
Ecosystem &
Biodiversity
Dr. Saurav Prasad
EVS- An Insight
Earth’s Life-Support System:
Four Major Components
Three Factors Sustain the
Earth’s Life!
✓ One way flow of high quality energy
✓ Cycling of nutrients
✓ Gravity
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a self-regulating group of biotic
communities of species interacting with one another
and with their non-living environment exchanging
energy and matter.
Organization of
Matter in Nature!
Ecosystem
Lentic
standing
type, ponds,
lakes
Lotic
free-flowing
rivers
Structural Features of Ecosystems
Biotic factors Abiotic factors
(living things) (nonliving things)
Structure of Ecosystem
Herbivores
Photo autotrophs Carnivores
Chemo autotrophs Omnivores
Detritivores
Biotic Structure
• Ecologists assign each organism in an ecosystem to a feeding level, or trophic
level, depending on its source of nutrients.
• Producers, sometimes called autotrophs (self-feeders), make the nutrients
they need from compounds and energy obtained from their environment.
• In a process called photosynthesis, plants capture solar energy and use it in
combination with carbon dioxide and water to form organic molecules, which
store the chemical energy that plants need.
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + solar energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2
• The other organisms in an ecosystem are consumers, or heterotrophs
(“other-feeders”), which cannot produce the nutrients they need through
photosynthesis or other processes.
• They get their nutrients by feeding on other organisms (producers or other
consumers) or their wastes and remains.
Biotic Structure: Producers
The plants, animals and microorganisms form the biotic component
Producers :
Photo autotrophs :
photo : light, auto: self, troph : food
Green plants which can synthesize their food by themselves
by photosynthesis. They are also known as photo autotrophs.
Chemo-autotrophs (chemosynthetic) :
Chemo-autotrophs use inorganic energy sources such as
hydrogen sulfide, elemental sulfur, ferrous iron, molecular
hydrogen, and ammonia as their food
Example: chemo-autotrophic sulfur bacteria in the
ocean depth convert H2S and CO2 into organic
compound making use of the heat generated by the
decay of radioactive elements present in the earth’s
core and released into the ocean’s depths.
Biotic Structure: Consumers
All organisms which get their organic food by feeding up on other
organisms are called consumers.
1. Herbivores (Plant eaters) : They feed directly on producers and hence also
known as primary consumers e.g., Rabbit, caterpillars
2. Carnivores (Meat eaters): They feed on other consumers. For example if
they feed on herbivores they are called secondary consumers (e.g Frog), but
if they feed on other carnivores (snake, big fish etc) they are called tertiary
consumers.
3. Omnivores : They feed on both animals and plants, e.g. Humans, rat, fox,
many birds
4. Detritivores : They feed on the parts of dead organism, waste of living
organisms, e.g. Beetles, termites, ants, crabs, earthworms etc.
Biotic Structure: Decomposers
Derive nutrition by breaking down the complex organic molecules to
simpler organic compounds and ultimately into inorganic nutrients.
This biotic structure prevails in all ecosystems. However, in some, it is the
primary producers which dominate (e.g. forests, agroecosystems) and in
some, decomposers predominate (e.g. deep ocean).
Ecosystem-Abiotic component
Physical factors Chemical factors
(a) Climatic factors (i) Essential nutrients
- Sunlight and shade such as C, N, P,
K,H2,O2,S,
- Temperature
- Humidity (ii) Trace nutrients
- Rainfall (iii) pollutants: level of
- Wind toxic substances, salts
causing salinity
(b) Geographic factors
-Latitude (iv) Various organic
substances present in
-Longitude soil and water
-Altitude
(c) Edaphic factors
-Soil type
-Soil moisture
-Soil reaction
Importance of Ecosystem
1. Biodiversity: All the millions of species that exist on planet earth are sustained by their
particular ecosystems.
2. Evolution: Organisms within an ecosystem have evolved to subsist within that ecosystem.
3. Interconnectedness: The organisms in any given ecosystem are usually highly
interconnected. As such, it is important to understand that no species exists in total
isolation.
4. Self sustaining: The delicate balance of organisms within an ecosystem helps to keep that
ecosystem going.
For example, removing one species of insect from a forest ecosystem can effect sustaining
vast numbers of birds and pollinating vast numbers of flowers, trees and shrubs in the
ecosystem.
5. A reminder of the wild world: Watching how ecosystems work in a perfect balance can
remind humans of the fact that nature has its own rules and that we interfere with the
workings of nature at great risk.
6. Regulating the climate: Many types of ecosystem protect the earth against extreme
weather: forests provide barriers to floods and storms and also prevent the soil from being
eroded by the rain
7. Sources of food and fuel: ROTI, KAPADA and MAKAN.
Activity 2
1. Which ecosystem do we live in?
2. Which is the largest ecosystem in the world?
3. What makes a good ecosystem?
4. Difference between Biome and Ecosystem?
Recap 1
Recap 2
MANY OF THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT
ORGANISMS ARE INVISIBLE TO US!!
Critical Thinking :
What are two advantages that microbes have over
humans for thriving in the world?
What happens to energy in
an ecosystem?
Trophic Structure
▪ The producers and consumers are
arranged in the ecosystem in a
definite manner and their
interaction along with population
size are expressed together as
trophic structure.
▪ Each food level is known as trophic
level.
▪ Amount of living matter at each
trophic level at a given time is
known as standing crop or standing
biomass.
Food Chain (Trophic level)
The chemical energy stored as nutrients in the bodies and wastes of
organisms flows through ecosystems from one trophic (feeding) level
to another.
A sequence of organisms, each of which serves as a source of
nutrients or energy for the next, is called a food chain OR the
sequence of eating and being eaten in an ecosystems is known as
food chain.
Play the game!
[Link]
Food Chain: 2 major types
Food Web
• In natural ecosystems, most
consumers feed on more than
one type of organism, and
most organisms are eaten or
decomposed by more than one
type of consumer.
• Because of this, organisms in
most ecosystems form a
complex network of
interconnected food chains
called a food web.
• Food chains and food webs
show how producers,
consumers, and decomposers
are connected to one another
as energy flows through
trophic levels in an ecosystem.
Dead Stuff: The Secret
Ingredient in Our Food Chain
Significance of food
chains and food
webs
• Food webs give greater stability
to the ecosystem as compared
to the food chain.
• Play significant role: nutrient
and energy cycling
• Maintain and regulate population
size: ecological balance
• Biological magnification: the
increase in concentration of
harmful substances at higher
levels of food chain
Lindeman’s 10% Law of
Energy Flow
Ecological Pyramids
(a) Pyramid of numbers
(i) Grassland
ecosystem
(iii) Parasitic food
chain
(ii) Forest ecosystem
Ecological Pyramids
(b) Pyramid of biomass
(i) Grassland
ecosystem
(ii) Pond ecosystem
(c) Pyramid of energy
flow: energy loss for a simple
food chain, assuming a 90%
energy loss with each transfer.
Biogeochemical cycles or Nutrient Cycles
• Biogeochemical Cycles, or Nutrient cycles, is how elements,
chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from
one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to
another.
Types of Biogeochemical Cycles:
1. Hydrological : water
cycle 2. Atmospheric : carbon
3. Sedimentary : cycle and nitrogen cycle
phosphorus cycle
Water Cycle
Carbon cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorous Cycle
Diversity in
classroom
36
Biodiversity
❑Biodiversity or biological
diversity is the variation
of taxonomic life forms
within a given ecosystem,
biome or for the entire Earth.
❑Biodiversity refers to
variety and variability
among all groups of living
organisms and the ecosystem
complexes in which they
occur.
Types of Biodiversity
Genetic Biodiversity
Lack of biodiversity at this level
means lack of ability of species to
survive in adverse condition.
39
Species
Biodiversity
• Species Diversity is simply
the number and relative
abundance of species found
in a given biological
organisation (population,
ecosystem, Earth).
• It varies place to place and
even seasonally at the same
place. For e.g. different kinds
of plants, trees, birds, insects,
animals, fishes etc. in a
particular location / in an
ecosystem.
40
Simpson’s Biodiversity index
Consider the following two ecosystems.
Ecosystem I: 5 Rabbits, 10 frogs and 5 tigers.
Ecosystem II: 3 Rabbits, 4 frogs, 5 tigers and 5 elephants
It is assumed that all rabbits are from the same species. Similarly,
also for other animals written here.
Simpson’s Biodiversity index (D)
𝜮𝒏(𝒏 − 𝟏)
𝑫=
𝑵(𝑵 − 𝟏)
where, n = the total number of individuals of each species, N = the total
number of organisms of all species.
Question
Consider two hypothetical ecosystems: 1 and 2.
Ecosystem 1 has four elephants, six tigers, and
ten rabbits, whereas Ecosystem 2 has twenty
elephants and twenty rabbits. It is assumed
that all the elephants belong to one elephant
species. The same is assumed true for all the
other respective animals. With the help of
Simpson’s biodiversity index, calculate the
same for both the ecosystems. Which
ecosystem has more biodiversity as per the
above calculation?
Ecosystem Biodiversity
• This is the diversity of ecological complexity showing variations in
physical characters, ecological niches, trophic structure, food-webs,
nutrient cycling etc.
• Ecosystem Biodiversity is the distinctive group of species that live
together in the same area and interact with the physical environment in
unique ways.
• Different ecosystems (aquatic & terrestrial) are formed due to different
geological and environmental conditions prevailing on earth like
moisture, temperature, precipitation, altitude etc.
43
Identify the type of biodiversity
44
Identify the type of biodiversity
45
Identify the type of biodiversity
46
Importance of Biodiversity
Threats to
Biodiversity
“HIPPO”
• Habitat Loss
• Invasive Species
• Poaching
• Pollution
• Over population
Conservation of
Biodiversity
50
Conservation of Biodiversity
Wildlife life conservation in protected habitat can be done
by following approaches:
1) In-situ conservation
2) Ex-situ conservation
51
In-situ Conservation of Biodiversity
• In-situ conservation of biodiversity is the conservation of species
within their natural habitat. In this method, the natural ecosystem is
maintained and protected.
• Conserving a species in its own environment by creating national
parks or wildlife sanctuaries.
The in-situ conservation has several advantages. Following are the
important advantages of in-situ conservation:
1. It is a cost-effective and a convenient method of conserving
biodiversity.
2. A large number of living organisms can be conserved simultaneously.
3. Since the organisms are in a natural ecosystem, they can evolve better
and can easily adjust to different environmental conditions. 52
Protected Areas
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive
protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural
values.
• Gir Sanctuary: Asiatic Lion
• Western Ghat: Diverse forest
• Bhimasankar: Rich flora
• Nilgiri Hills: Indian Elephant
• Chilika Lake: Coastal Ecosystem
• Sunderban: Mangrove forest 53
Ex-situ Conservation of Biodiversity
• Ex-situ or off-site conservation means conservation of species particularly
endangered species away from their natural habitat under human
supervision. There is less competition for food, water and space among the
organisms.
• Many rare species or species having small remaining population are
protected by this strategy.
• For e.g.- Zoo, Aquarium, Botanical garden, Seed Bank, Gene Bank
54
Seed Gene Bank
Bank
55
Botanical Garden Zoo
Ex-situ Conservation of Biodiversity
❑ Ex-situ conservation has the following advantages:
• The animals are provided with a longer time and breeding
activity.
• The species bred in captivity can be reintroduced in the
wild.
• Genetic techniques can be used for the preservation of
endangered species.
56
What is biodiversity?
What is biodiversity?
Why is biodiversity so
important?
Thank you!