ECOSYSTEMS

Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals, and micro-
organisms in an area functioning together with all the non-living physical
factors of the environment.

According to British ecologist Arthur Tansley (1935), an ecosystem is a

system that arises from the integration of all living and non-living factors of
the environment.

Ecology

Ecology is the study of how living and non-living factors affect each
other in an environment. An ecosystem is the basic and functional unit of
ecology.
 Classification of Ecosystems

Natural Ecosystems Man-made Ecosystems (aquaria,

garden, dams & cropland of maize,
wheat, rice).

Terrestrial Aquatic Ecosystems

Ecosystems

Grass land Fresh water Marine

Forest Desert
Ecosystems Ecosystems Ecosystems
Ecosystems Ecosystems

Running water Standing water

Ecosystems (lotic) Ecosystems (lentic)
Natural Ecosystems Man-made Ecosystems

What is the different

between natural and man
Made ecosystem?
Structure of an Ecosystem

Living (Biotic) Components

• Producers
• Consumers ( primary, secondary and tertiary)
• Decomposers
(Maintains biological cycle)

Non-living (Abiotic) Components

• Organic
• Inorganic
• Physical
 Biotic Components of Ecosystems
• Producers (or autotrophs)

Green plants and some bacteria which manufacture their own food.

• Consumers (or heterotrophs)

Animals which obtain their food from producers

•Primary consumers
•Secondary consumers
•Tertiary consumers

• Decomposers

Bacteria and fungi that decompose dead

organic matter and convert it into
simpler parts
 Abiotic Components of an Ecosystem

Organic Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins

Inorganic Water
Ammonia
Gases

Climatic Rainfall
Humidity
Temperature
 Limiting factor
Factors which restrict the further growth of
population
 Availability of food
 Water
 Shelter
 Space
Related links

• What is an ecosystem?
[Link]

• structure and function of ecosystem

[Link]
[Link]
 Q s
MC Important abiotic factors in ecosystems include which of the following?
– temperature
– water
– Wind
(A) I only B) II only C) III only D) I, II, and III

Example of Anthropogenic Ecosystem

(a) Forest (b) Marine water (c) Grass land (d) Agricultural crops

Limiting factors are:

a. Availability of food
b. Water
c. Shelter
d. All of the above

Non-living Component is
a. Organic
b. Inorganic
c. Physical
d. All of the above
All of the following statements about ecology are correct except:
A)Ecology is the study of the interactions between biotic and abiotic aspects of
the environment.
B) Ecology is a discipline that is independent from natural selection and
evolutionary history.
C) Ecologists may study populations and communities of organisms.
D) Ecology spans increasingly comprehensive levels of organization,
from
individuals to ecosystems.
E) Ecological studies may involve the use of models and computers.
Functions of an Ecosystem

• Food chain and food web

•Energy flow
 Food Chain Food Web

The transfer of food energy from the The interlocking pattern formed by
source (plants) through a series of several food chains that are linked
organisms by repeated eating and being together is called a food web.
eaten up is referred as food chain.
 Food Chain
The transfer of food energy from the source (plants) through a series of
organisms by repeated eating and being eaten up is referred as food chain.

The process of eating and being eaten

 Significance of food chain
 Food chains are important for
maintaining and regulating
the population size
 Ecological balance
 Food web
Intermixing of food chains
 Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

First Law of Energy

Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed

Second Law of Energy

No energy transformations are 100% efficient

Ten-percent Rule of Energy

Only 10% of food energy is transferred from one trophic level to another

Producer → primary consumer → secondary consumer → tertiary consumer

(1000 Kcal) (100 Kcal) (10 Kcal) (1 Kcal)
 Ecological Pyramid

The graphical representations of different trophic levels in an ecosystem is

known as ecological pyramid .

They are used to illustrate the feeding relationships between organisms.

Types of Ecological Pyramids

•Pyramid of number

•Pyramid of biomass

•Pyramid of energy
 Pyramid of Number

Pyramid of number is used to show the number of individuals in each

trophic level.

It is upright in case of grassland and pond ecosystems.

In some cases, the pyramid of number is inverted.

For example, in case of forest ecosystem.

 Pyramid of Biomass
The pyramid of biomass is used to show the total biomass of individuals
at each trophic level.

It is better than the pyramid of number for showing the relationships

between organisms.

Pyramid of biomass is upright in case of grassland and forest ecosystems

and inverted in case of pond ecosystems.
 Pyramid of energy
Pyramid of energy is used to show the amount of energy transferred between
trophic levels. It provides the best representation of the overall nature of an
ecosystem.

The pyramid of energy flow is always upright because there is always loss of
energy while moving from lower trophic level to higher trophic level.
Therefore, the energy reaching the next trophic level is always less compared to
that in the previous trophic level.
 Ecological Succession
Ecological succession is the gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over
time. It is therefore a series of predictable temporary communities or stages leading up to a
climax community. Each stage/temporary community is called a successional stage or seral
stage. Each step prepares the land for the next successional stage. All habitats are in the state
of constant ecological succession.
The observed changes in an ecological community over time.
The species composition will change over time as some species become more prominent
while other may fade out of existence.
Types of Succession

Primary succession

Primary succession refers to a series of community changes which occur on an entirely new
habitat which has never been colonized before. For example, a newly quarried rock face or
sand dunes. (pioneer and climax community) bare rock

Secondary succession

Secondary succession refers to a series of community changes which take place on a

previously colonized, but disturbed or damaged habitat. For example, land obtained after
felling trees in a woodland, land clearance, or fire.
 Two primary cause that initiate the ecological succession

 An established species and impact of external natural

forces, which try to alter the environmental condition of
that area

 Ex. Hardwood tree replacing red pine

 Ecosystem is continuously changing and reorganizing,

 ecological succession refers to orderly changes in

composition or structure of ecosystem
 Process of ecological succession
 Nudation creation of bare area
 Invasion successful establishment of new species in bare area
Migration (dispersal) seeds, dust by air water
Ecesis ( new species establishment)
Aggregation(increase in population by reproduction)
 Competition(food, water and space in species)
 Stabilization
 Forest Ecosystem
Abiotic Components
Inorganic and organic substances found in the
soil, climatic factors, e.g., temperature,
humidity, rainfall, and light.

Biotic Components
Producers
Different kinds of trees depending upon the climate

Consumers
Different kinds of primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers, e.g., deer,
elephant, moles, snakes, lizards, lion, and tiger

Decomposers
These are various kinds of bacteria and fungi
 Forest ecosystem
• tropical rain forests (small mammals, reptiles birds, monkeys,
predators like tigers, jaguars etc. plant biodiversity Tall tree,
dense canopy.)

• temperate forests (deciduous plants like oaks, maples,

coniferous plants like pines, ferns, lichens and mosses are also
found.)

• coniferous forests (spruce, pine fir)

• Tundra (mosses, lichens, grasses and some dwarf trees;

animals like arctic foxes, hares, snowy owls; it is fragile
ecosystem)
 Grassland Ecosystem
It covers area where rainfll is less or soil depth or quality is poor
Low rainfall prevents the growth of large number of trees.
Abiotic Components

Inorganic elements (C, H, O, N, P, S), climatic components,

temperature, rainfall, light, etc.
Biotic Components
Producers
Mainly grasses with a few scattered trees

Consumers
Deer, rabbit, giraffe, etc., are herbivores,
while wolf, leopard, etc., are carnivores

Decomposers
Mainly bacteria and fungi
 Grassland ecosystem
• Grasslands (grazing animals like wild horses,
kangaroos, zebra as well as predators like wolves,
cheetas etc. )

• Tropical grassland (hot through out the year)

(savannas) closest to equator.

• Temperate grassland (hot during summer and very

cold during winter)farther from equator
Temperate Grassland: Marked by seasonal drought and fires, and grazing by
large animals. Rich habitat for agriculture, very little prairie exists in US today.
 Desert Ecosystem

Abiotic Components
Low rainfall, high temperature, and
sandy soil

Biotic Components

Producers
Predominantly thorny shrubs, cactus, opuntia, etc.

Consumers
Different insects, lizards, reptiles, nocturnal rodents, birds, etc.

Decomposers
Various bacteria and fungi
Desert: Sparse rainfall (< 30 cm per year), plants and animals adapted for water
storage and conservation. Can be either very, very hot, or very cold (e.g.
Sahara, Thar, Antarctica)
 Pond Ecosystem
Abiotic Components
It includes organic and inorganic substances,
atmospheric gases dissolved in water, minerals
found in dissolved state, etc.
Biotic Components
Producers
Submerged floating and emergent aquatic plants
For example, nelumbo, hydrilla, chara, etc.

Consumers
May be primary, secondary, or tertiary, e.g., small fishes, beetles,
mollusca, crustaceans, etc.

Decomposers
Chiefly bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, etc.
 Related links

 
Food chains
[Link]

Habitats, food chains and food webs

[Link]

ecological succession
[Link]

Desert Ecosystem
[Link]

Forest Ecosystem
[Link]

Grassland Ecosystem
[Link]

Aquatic Ecosystems
[Link]
 C Qs
M
1. The nature’s cleaners are
a) producers b) consumers c) decomposers d) producers & decomposers both

2. The development of a bare area is called:

a. Invasion b. nudation c. ecesis d. none

3. Which of the following is a difference between a food chain and a food web?
a. Food chains involve only plants, while food webs involve animals.
b. Food chains involve only plants, while food webs involve both plants and animals.
c. Food chains are linear and food webs are complex.
d. Food chains include decomposers, but food webs do not.

4. A series of interrelated food chains in a given ecosystem is called a __________

a)trophic level b) food pyramid c) food web d) none

5. Pyramid of energy in any ecosystem is

a) Always upright
b) May be upright and inverted
c) Always inverted
d) None of the above
The natural place of an organism or
community is known as
Niche
Biome
Habitat
Habit
 ___________ is a non-renewable resource
Crude oil
Uranium
Hot spring
Silica
 __________ is not generally seen in biodiversity hotspots.

Endemism
Species richness
Loss of diversity
Lesser interspecific competition.

Global warming can significantly be controlled by _____________

Increasing solid waste
Reducing water wastage
Burning human-generated waste
Reducing fossil fuel consumption

_______ is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank 

Species
Genus
Class
Order
The eggshell of birds becomes thin by the pollution from
pesticides due to the interference in the activity of

Calmodulin
MgATPase
CaATPase
Calcium

Niche is a place where particular organisms live.

a) True
b) False

Name the organisms that manufacture organic compounds from simple

inorganic compounds without using sunlight?
a) Detrivores
b) Organotrophs
c) Phototrophs
d) Chemotrophs
 Which is the renewable exhaustible natural
energy resource?
Coal
Petroleum
Kerosene
Biomass

Plant species with a wide range of genetic

distribution evolve into a local population known
as
Ecotype
Population
Ecosystem
Biome