Ecosystem
Functional unit of nature where living organisms
Definition physical
interact among themselves surrounding
environment
etc
Eg Sea pond forest
composite of all local
ecosystem
Entire biosphere is a global
ecosystems on Earth
TerrestrialForest Grassland desert
river estuary
Types Aquatic Pond lake wetland
Man made field aquarium
crop
Major function of Ecosystem
Input productivity
f TransferofEnergy
Food chain web nutrientcycling
Output degradation or energy
loss
Structure Function
Interaction of biotic abiotic components resultin physical
structure
Vertical distribution of different species occupying different
levels stratifications
Eg Tree top
shrubs middle
grass bottom
as a unit in the following aspects
Ecosystem components function
Productivity
Decomposition
Energy How
Nutrient cycling
1 Productivity
amount or organic matter produced per unit area
of biomass
over a period of time period byplants during photosynthesis
is primary production expressed in terms weight gin or
of
energy Kcal m
expressed as
Rate of biomass production is productivity
or K cal m yr
gni yes
It can be divided into
Productivity GPP
Gross Primary matter during
rate production oforganic
of photosyntheses
Net Primary Productivity NPP
to
available biomass for the consumption
heterotrophs herbivores decomposers
loss NPP
GPP R respiratory
[Link] m eman
y environmental factors
availabilityof nutrients
photosynthetic capacity ofplants
Annual netPPofwhole
biosphere 170billiontons
paryweights
organicmatter
varies accron ecosystem of
ocean
Productivityof
Secondary productivity
707 of surface 5541in
Tratefformationfiew organicmatter restinland
by consumers
Land productivity
170 55
11541ft
2 Decomposition
breakdownof complex organicmatter
into inorganic substances
like CO2 water nutrients
raw material for decompositiony
Ordemanding process dogfightanimalremains
faecalmatter
Steps
Freakhmfounffatsitus earthworm
into smaller particlesby detritivores
2
LETTAinorganic nutrients go down into the soil horizon
unavailable salts
get ppt as
[Link]
htofungalenz degrade detritus into simpler
inorganic substances
IM
d7tcumulation
of dark amorphous Hume which is highly
resistant to microbial action
colloidal reservoir nutrients
of in
at an extremely slowrate
Humus undergoes decomposition soil
5
Immolfffurth degraded bymicrobes torelease inorganic
nutrients
Step1 2,3 occur simultaneously on detrities
Rate
ofdecomposition Compositionof climaticfactors
Detritus
Lowtemp
Slower Rich in lignin chitin anaerobiosis
Quicker in nitrogenwater sol moist
subs sugaret hoom
Orneeded
Temp soilmoisture
most imp cli factor
toregulatedecomp
EnergyFlow unidirectional
from sun to producers then to
consumers
Sun PAR 4507 Plants
r Food
incidentsolar Photosynthetically simplesugar
radiation ActiveRadiation
Photosyntheticbacteria
Sustainentireworld
autotrophs
TrophicLevels
level decreases
Amt ofenergytransferred from each trophic
istransferred
Ihanannington only 101 ofthe energy t level
to each trophic level fromthe lower
Tu 2
if 1
Autotrophs
Foodchain
GrazingFoodChain GFC
sufenergy
Autotrophsassimilatefood using simple
inorganicFmaterials radiant solarenergy
to heterotrophs
energy flow autotrophs
conduit in aquaticeco
47Cmajor for
energy flow
[Link] matter
made Saprotrophil
of decomposers
much largerfraction
in terrestrial eco
flows through DHC than 47C
hasa certain man of living material at a
particular time called SI
Syndhffphiclend biomass
SC is measured as the mass of living organisms
or the no in a unit area
better measured as dryweight
Stendffftintin like c v [Link] present in soil atanygiven
time in SE
nutrients to growreproduce
need constant supply of
organisms
regulate metabolism
seasons
varies acc ecosystem
EcologicalPyramids
b w differentorganisms at diff trophic levels
Food energy relationships
expressed in terms of no biomass or energy
represents functional level not a species
can more than one trophiclevelsin same
species occupy
ecosystem at same time
1 consumer seedsfruits peas
Eg Sparrow
2 consumer insects worms
Types
Emmittmu
bigheacosysters
inflff
[Link]
ls Linvrted
nsea
Ethidggright can never be inverted
levels
energy is lost duringtransfer to trophic
Limitations
same species belonging
it doesnt take into account the
to two or more trophic levels
food chain non existent in nature
it assumes simple
a
it doesnot accommodate food week
are important
no place for saprophytes in pyramid though
Ecologicalluccession
Ii
Defcon
Successioninpland
morateclimatic
[Link]
waterconditions notextreme
ConceptofNutrientcycling
Ecosystem Services