ECosysTeM
* Ecosystem fs the gunetfenallianit, Gunetionalliunit, of natute, where living oxganisms
(viotic) interact among dhemse ves and also with the Surrounding pny.
~ sical envinonment Cabiotic).
* Ecosystem can vany in stze from a small pond to a lange sea/ forest
* Entine biosphene '5) a global ewssystem wich ts sum of all local ecosys.
~tems on €anth-
CTORESEMAD I’ke: Fonest desent
and gxassland
(MariMade like: cHopland + aquarium
@qBEHIA like: Pond.take, wetland , iver and
estuany
ems ECOSYSTEM: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS semen
“Intexaction of biotic and abiotic components xesults in a physical stsu
~etuste that 1s chanactenistic fos each type of ecosystem
* The type of soil, mean tempexatue ato place 6 water status decides
what Kind of plants will gow tn that place- Specific hestbivores will
inhabit this place because of the vegetation 1 more caynivores will
fustnen follow these hexbivones. That's how an ecosystem Ts formed
id Identification and enumeration Cewanttng the numbers) of plants and
animal’ species of an ecosystem gives Its
Medium Tree Layer
Shrub Layer
Ground Layer/
Herb or Grass Layeree ——T
tne A> major aspects of ecosystems ane as follow!
9 productivity
. pecomposition
menengy Flow and
p Nuteiient cycling
,To understand all 4-aspects of ecosystem, let's tare example of simple
aquatic ecosystem i-e., POND (shallow watert body)
a
Biotic components includ The abiotic component includes:
4. Autotrophs:like phytoplankton, some algae 4, Water with all the dissolved inorganic
and the floating, submerged and marginal and organic substances
plants found at the edges. 2, Soil deposit at the bottom of the pond
2. The consumers (heterotrophs) are 3. Light via the solar input
represented by the zooplankton, the free , Temperature, day-length and other
swimming and bottom dwelling forms. climatic conditions regulate the rate of
3, The decomposers are the fungi, basteria.and function of the entire pond.
flagellates especially abundant in the
bottom of the pond.
“This small pond penfonms all te functions of an ecosystem like:
Pr uuctivity» conversion of inongante matesifal into ouganic material wlth
the help of light energy bY autotnophic
= pétsjnpasitfon’ decomposition and minewalisation of dead matter to
nelase them back fon Heuse by autotrophs-™
= hs:
6 yeterto trop!
P umptfon of autotxophs bY into Inorganic molecule,
mEMengy\ Flow?) cons’ jon of organic blomass int 9 S
. 1810
@ Nutnient eyeing + conve’
LT propuctivl
°
b
*A constant fnput of colak enengs '
nctfon x sustain as aris Sol
aie nequinement for any eco.
at eneny Will be Converted
- system to fu
Into chemical enengy Cealled food): the amount of biomass on oxtganic
+ piiraaiy prloauction is defined as
mattex produced pet unit aiea by plavi
i ene!
expnessed intenms of weignt Ga ox ; “94 sn
it ti Jomass production |S &
* The @GED Cpen unit time) of biom
sigs ox ABE? te compare protctity of serent comptes
oP nny, ‘
Rate of formation of new
Amount of biomass generated organic matter by consumers is
per unit area per unit time by called Secondary Productivity.
producer (plant) via
photosynthesis is called
Primary Productivity,
ts duxing photosynthesis. It is
Gross primary productivity Gross primary productivity minus respiration
(GPP) of an ecosystem is the losses (Rl, is the net primary productivity (NPP
rate of production of organic which is available biomass for the consumption
matter during photosynthesis, to heterotrophs (herbivores and decomposers).
¢ Paimany Productivity depends on plant species Tnnabiting a part:
“Ieulan amea (which tn fact depends upon many abiotic factors) 2
thus it varies in dif fenent ecosystems.
* The ‘Gnviko NI PP’
of whole biosphene ig @nound ‘(¥eVetllfon'tond
‘tons
Cany weignt) o ouganic matter:--> 55 Billion Ton in oceans
that occupies 70% of
Earth's area
2-115 Billion Ton on land
that occupies 30% of
Earth's area
= emer DECOMPOSITION rr
* Eaxtnwoum is called as ‘Faimen's Fate
(as it helps int
@ bxeakdown of complez organic matte Into fnonganic substances
like COz, H20 and nutaients
Soi! fentility T
+ Dead plant Hemains such as leaves, bank. flowens % dead
® Loosening of soil
animal xemains , including fecal matten constitutes Haw matenial
fon decomposition called @bETRITUSY
Thee ane 5 steps in ucemiposivian namely + FHagmentatic
Note? FHagmentation , teaching s catabolism openate simultaneously-
he = ie
Detritivores (e.g, earthworm,
nites) break down detritus into ye Leaching
smaller particles (no chemical
Out of the fragmented matter,
the water soluble inorganic
change)
nutrients go down into the soll
horizon and get precipitated as
unavaitable salts,
mM ton
The humus Is further degraded
by some microbes and release of
Inorganic Ic nutrients.
“Hurt fication minenalisatfon occun during A
they stelease minenals slowly.