Good day everyone and to our able instructor, Dr. Michelle Navarro.

My topic is all about Ecosystem!

The definitions of Ecosystem, its characteristics,how many types of ecosystem,the
structure of ecosystem that has mainly components,the function of ecosystem and how
ecological concept important.

Ecosystem - it is a community or group of living organisms that live in and interact with
each other in a specific environment. A biological community of interacting organisms
and their physical environment.
 Defined area in which a community lives with interactions taking place among
organisms between the community and its non-living physical environment.
 It is formed by interactions between living and non-living things .
 For instance, tropical forests are ecosystems made up of living beings such as
trees, plants, animals, insects and micro-organisms that are in constant
interaction between themselves and that are affected by other physical (sun,
temperature) or chemical (oxygen or nutrients) components.
 A complex relationship between all the living and nonliving things (plants,
animals, organisms, sun, water, climate etc) interact with each other.
 For example, let’s take the relationship between sheep and lion in the
ecosystem; for its survival, the lion eats the sheep. And each relationship like this
has an effect on other creatures and plants living in the same area.
 For instance, an earthworm lives in the soil. Worms have very delicate and
moistened skin. They will die if exposed for a long time under the sun and wind
above the ground. The soil is an example of land or terrestrial habitat. Another
example is the frogs. Frogs spend much of their life in a pond. A pond is an
example of aquatic habitat, specifically a freshwater habitat.

7 Most Important Characteristics of Our Ecosystem (by Smith)

(1) The ecosystem is a major structural and functional unit of ecology.
(2) The structure of an ecosystem is related to its species diversity; the more complex ecosystems have
high species diversity.
(3) The function of the ecosystem is related to energy flow and material cycling through and within the
system.
(4) The relative amount of energy needed to maintain an ecosystem depends on its structure. The more
complex the structure, the lesser the energy it needs to maintain itself.
(5) Ecosystems mature by passing from less complex to more complex states. Early stages of such
succession have an excess of potential energy and a relatively high energy flow per unit biomass. Later
(mature) stages have less energy accumulation and its flow through more diverse components.
(6) Both the environment and the energy fixation in any given ecosystem are limited and cannot be
exceeded without causing serious undesirable effects.
(7) Alterations in the environments represent selective pressures upon the population to which it must
adjust Organisms which are unable to adjust to the changed environment must needs vanish.

Types of Ecosystem

 Terrestrial Ecosystems - exclusively land-based ecosystems.

types of terrestrial:
Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem consists of several plants, animals and microorganisms that live in coordination
with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help in maintaining the temperature of the earth
and are the major carbon sink.

Grassland Ecosystem
In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs. Temperate
grasslands, savanna grasslands are some of the examples of grassland ecosystems.

Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or where rainfall is scarce.
These are covered with snow for most of the year. The ecosystem in the Arctic or mountain tops.

Desert Ecosystem
Deserts are found throughout the world. These are regions with very little rainfall. The days are hot
and the nights are cold.

 Aquatic Ecosystem - ecosystems present in a body of water.

It is further divided into two types, namely:

1. Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Marine Ecosystem

Freshwater Ecosystem
The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and
wetlands. These have no salt content in it.

Marine Ecosystem
The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial salt content and
greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.

Structure of the Ecosystem

The structure of an ecosystem is characterised by the organisation of both biotic and abiotic
components. This includes the distribution of energy in our environment. It also includes the
climatic conditions prevailing in that particular environment. 
The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely: 
 Biotic components –  related to all the living entities present in an ecosystem.

Biotic factors relate to all the living things in the ecosystem. Biotic factors refer to all living organisms
from animals and humans, to plants, fungi, and bacteria. The interactions between various biotic
factors are necessary for the reproduction of each species and to fulfil essential requirements like
food, etc.
 Abiotic components – The term abiotic refers to all the non-living factors present in an
ecosystem.
All nonliving components of an ecosystem, including air, water, light, soil, rocks, minerals, and nutrients
are examples of abiotic components.

Structure of Ecosystem highlighting the biotic and abiotic factors

Explainations:

 Producers or autotrophs such as plants. They are called autotrophs as they can produce
food through the process of photosynthesis.
 Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for food.
Consumers are further classified into primary consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary
consumers.

 Primary consumers are always herbivores that they rely on producers for food.
 Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They can either
be a carnivore or an omnivore.
  Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food. 
Tertiary consumers can also be an omnivore.

 Decomposers or saprophytes such as fungi and bacteria. They directly thrive on the dead
and decaying organic matter.  Decomposers are essential for the ecosystem as they help in
recycling nutrients to be reused by plants.

Functions of Ecosystem
The functions of the ecosystem are as follows:
1. It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders
stability.
2. It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic
components.
3. It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.
4. It cycles the minerals through the biosphere.
5. The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components that involves
the exchange of energy.
Fundamentally, ecosystem functions are exchange of energy and nutrients in the food chain.
These exchanges sustain plant and animal life on the planet as well as the decomposition of
organic matter and the production of biomass.
All these functions of the ecosystem take place through delicately balanced and controlled
processes.

Important Ecological Concepts

- Ecological concepts are general understandings (or facts) about ecosystems and
ecosystem management. Ecological principles are basic assumptions (or beliefs) about
ecosystems and how they function that are informed by the ecological concepts.

1. Food Chain
The order of living organisms in a community in which one organism consumes other and is itself
consumed by another organism to transfer energy is called a food chain. Food chain is also defined
as “a chain of organisms, existing in any natural community, through which energy is transferred”.
During this biological process, light energy is converted into chemical energy and is passed on
through successive levels. The flow of energy from a producer, to a consumer and eventually, to an
apex predator is called the food chain.
Dead and decaying matter, along with organic debris, is broken down into its constituents by
scavengers. The reducers then absorb these constituents. After gaining the energy, the reducers
liberate molecules to the environment, which can be utilised again by the producers.
A classic example of a food chain in an ecosystem
2. Ecological Pyramids
An ecological pyramid is the graphical representation of the number, energy, and biomass of the
successive trophic levels of an ecosystem. Charles Elton was the first ecologist to describe the
ecological pyramid and its principals in 1927.
The biomass, number, and energy of organisms ranging from the producer level to the consumer
level are represented in the form of a pyramid; hence, it is known as the ecological pyramid.
The base of the ecological pyramid comprises the producers, followed by primary and secondary
consumers. The tertiary consumers hold the apex. The producers generally outnumber the primary
consumers and similarly, the primary consumers outnumber the secondary consumers. And lastly,
apex predators also follow the same trend as the other consumers; wherein, their numbers are
considerably lower than the secondary consumers.
For example:
The base of the pyramid is the broadest with the producers or the autotrophs occupying the first
position. The remaining organism or the different consumers are arrange above the base. Each
broad that make the pyramid represents tropic level or the order in which represents eat or are to be
eaten. It also represents the flow of etymology.

2. Food Web
A food web is a tool that illustrates the feeding relationship among species within a specific
habitat. It is a connection of multiple food chains to show the interaction between different
organisms in an ecosystem. When you draw multiple food chains together, you end up with
a food web. These represent relationships in ecosystems more accurately and gives you a
much clearer visualisation of how each animal affects others.

Within the food web example above, there are a number of individual food chains. For
example:
 Grass → Rat → Fox → Snake → Hawk

 Grass → Antelope → Cheetah → Hawk

 Tree → Rhino → Lion

 Tree → Giraffe → Lion

You'll also notice some animals have more than one source of food. This gives them more
options for food if one of the others decreases. The lion, for example, eats both giraffe and
rhino. If one were to become unavailable, it will still have a source of food to survive. The
antelope, however, relies on grass for food. If the environment changed and the amount of
grass quickly depleted, the antelope would have to adapt and look elsewhere for food.

What is the Difference Between a Food Chain and a Food Web?

Food chains and food webs both help us better understand how energy is transferred
through an ecosystem. However, food chains and food webs have some big
differences. A food chain presents a unique, connected path of energy flow in an
ecosystem, whereas a food web explains how food chains overlap. This means a food
chain shows a single pathway from the producers to the consumers and how the energy
flows in this pathway.

Importance of Ecosystem

1. It provides habitat to wild plants and animals.

2. It promotes various food chains and food webs.
3. It controls essential ecological processes and promotes lives.
4. Involved in the recycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.
5. It helps in maintaining the usual flow of energy in an ecosystem including- Carbon Cycle,
Energy Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle,  Oxygen Cycle, and Water Cycle.