Chapter-14
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is the functional unit of nature where living organisms (biotic component) interact among themselves
and also with the surrounding physical environment( Abiotic component).
Ecosystem- Structure and Functions Ecosystem
Terrestrial ecosystem forest, grassland, desert
Aquatic ecosystem ponds, lakes, river estuary
Components of ecosystem
Biotic Non-living component Light, Water, Soil, atmospheric gases, etc
Abiotic Living component Producer, consumer, decomposers
The components of the ecosystem that are seen as a functional unit are-
(i)Productivity (ii) Decomposition (iii) Energy flow (iv) Nutrient cycling
Productivity The rate of biomass production is GPP- It is the rate of production of organic matter
called productivity. during photosynthesis.
Unit -gm–2 yr –1 or (kcal m–2 ) yr –1 GPP minus respiration losses (R), is the net
Primary production is the primary productivity (NPP).
amount of biomass or organic NPP = GPP - R
matter produced per unit area NPP- is the available biomass for the consumption
over a time period by plants to heterotrophs
during photosynthesis. Secondary productivity is defined as the rate of
Unit - (gm–2) or energy (kcal m–2) formation of new organic matter by consumers.
Decomposition
• Breakdown of complex organic matter into inorganic substances like carbon dioxide, water and nutrients
• Detritus- Dead plant remains and dead remains of animals.
Steps of Decomposition- Fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, humification and mineralization
Fragmentation of Detritivores (e.g., earthworms) break down detritus into smaller particles. This process
Detritus is called fragmentation
Leaching Water-soluble inorganic nutrients go down into the soil horizon and get precipitated as
unavailable salts.
Catabolism Bacterial and fungal enzymes degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances
Humification Accumulation of a dark coloured amorphous substance called humus
Mineralization Degradation of humus microbes and release of inorganic nutrients in the soil
Factors affecting rate of Decomposition
Chemical The decomposition rate will be slow when detritus is rich in lignin and chitin and the rate
composition increases when detritus is rich in nitrogen and water-soluble substances like sugars.
Climatic Warm and moist environment favour decomposition and low temperatures and anaerobiosis
conditions inhibit decomposition.
Energy Flow
• All living organisms are dependent on their food on
producers, directly or indirectly.
• There is a unidirectional flow of energy from the sun
to producers and then to consumers.
• Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is
responsible for the synthesis of food by plants.
• Transfer of energy follows the 10 percent law that is
only 10 percent of the energy is transferred to each trophic level from the lower trophic level.
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Food chain
• Consumers obtain their food from autotrophs (plants).
• Food chain is the flow of energy from one trophic level to another trophic level.
• Trophic level: Based on the source of their nutrition or food, organisms occupy a specific place in the food
chain that is known as the trophic level. E.g. producer, herbivore, primary carnivore, secondary carnivore
• Food chains are of two types- Grazing food chain (GFC) and detritus food chain (DFC)
GFC Energy flows from producers to consumers.
DFC Begins with dead organic matter. It is made up of saprotrophs/ decomposers
(heterotrophic organisms like fungi and bacteria).
Food web
The natural interconnection of the food chain forms the food web.
Significance of food web:
(1) Food webs permit alternative foods.
(2) They ensure a better chance of survival of an organism, in case any of
its food sources happens to be scarce
(3) More complex food web means a more stable ecosystem
Ecological Pyramids
• Pyramid is the graphical representation of an ecological
parameter (number, biomass, energy) sequence-wise in various
trophic levels of a food chain with producers at the base and herbivores in the middle and carnivores at the
top tiers.
• It can be upright, inverted, or spindle-shaped.
Three common ecological pyramids are
Pyramids of • Represent the number of individuals per unit area at various trophic levels with
number a producer at the base.
• It is generally upright.
• A pyramid of numbers in the case of a big tree is generally inverted because the
number of insects feeding on that tree generally exceeds in number.
Pyramids of • Represent the biomass in various trophic levels.
biomass • The pyramid of mass is upright except in the aquatic food chain involving short-
lived plankton.
• A pyramid of biomass in the sea is generally inverted.
Pyramids of • Give s graphic representation of the amount of energy trapped by different
energy trophic levels per unit area.
• It is always upright, and can never be inverted, because when energy flows from
a particular trophic level to the next trophic level, some energy is always lost as
heat at each step e.g in feeding, digestion, assimilation and respiration
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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Very Short Answer Type Questions
1- Which one is an example of a manmade ecosystem.
a- Aquarium
b- Crop field
c- Aquaculture pond
d- All of these
Ans: d
2- During ecological succession
a. Speciation in the new area
b. The gradual and predictable change in species composition occurs in a given area
c. Reduction of a pioneer community
d. Bare land with no vegetation
Ans: b
3- Energy transfer takes place from one trophic level to another –
a- 10 % b- 20 % c- 50 % d- depends on the trophic level
Ans: A
4- Which of the following is called as a detrivore?
a. An animal feeding on an animal
b. A plant feeding on an insect
c. An animal feeding on insect
d. An animal feeding on decaying organic matter
Ans: d
5- Root hairs are absent in-
a. Xerophytes
b. Hydrophytes
c. Lithophytes
d. Mesophytes
Ans: b
6- Why decomposition occurs at a faster rate in the tropics?
Ans: high humidity and temperature favour the rapid rate of decomposition
7- How do decomposers like fungi obtain their food?
Ans: Decomposers release their enzymes to decompose dead and decaying remains of pants and animals
absorb the simple inorganic substances.
8- Name the trophic level occupied by secondary consumers & tertiary consumers.
Ans. Third trophic level by secondary consumer and fourth trophic level by tertiary consumer
9- What is the shape of the pyramid of biomass in the sea? Why?
Ans: Inverted, because the biomass of fishes is too much as compared to very smaller phytoplankton.
Sort answer types questions
1- Describe stratification by citing three examples.
Ans: Vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels is called stratification. For example,
trees occupy the top vertical strata of a forest, shrubs are the second and grasses occupy the bottom layers.
2- What are the four basic functional components of an ecosystem?
Ans: (i) Productivity; (ii) Decomposition; (iii) Energy flow (iv) Nutrient cycling.
3- Give two examples of autotrophic components in the food chain of the aquatic ecosystem.
Ans: phytoplankton, some algae
4- Which metabolic process causes a reduction in gross primary productivity? Explain
Ans: A considerable amount of GPP is utilized by plants in respiration.
Gross primary productivity minus respiration losses (R), is the net primary productivity (NPP). GPP – R = NPP
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5- Give an account of energy flow in an ecosystem.
Ans: The flow of energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional.
The Sun is the ultimate source of energy. It is used in the photosynthesis process to make food in autotrophs.
This energy is transferred from autotrophs to the next trophic level. Only 10% of energy is transferred to next
trophic level, the rest amount is lost as heat.
Very Long Answer Type Questions
1- Describe steps in the process of decomposition of detritus in DFC (detritus food chain).
Ans: Fragmentation of Detritus - Detritivores (e.g., earthworms) break down detritus into smaller particles.
Leaching- Water-soluble inorganic nutrients go down into the soil horizon and get precipitated as unavailable
salts.
Catabolism- Bacterial and fungal enzymes degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances
Humification- Accumulation of a dark-coloured amorphous substance called humus
Mineralization- Degradation of humus microbes and release of inorganic nutrients in the soil.
2- Provide a diagrammatic representation of the decomposition cycle in a terrestrial ecosystem.
Ans: Fig. 14.1 page 244, NCERT
3- What is meant by the ecological pyramid? Distinguish between upright & inverted pyramids. Explain with
the help of a diagram.
Ans: The graphic representation of the trophic structure of a food chain is known as the ecological pyramid.
In the upright pyramid, the number or biomass of producers is more in comparison to consumers in an
ecosystem.
In an inverted pyramid, the number/biomass of producers is less as compared to consumers.
Fig. 14.4 (a, b, c) page 248 NCERT
4- (i)How does the rate of decomposition affected by abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
(ii) Construct a pyramid of biomass starting with phytoplankton.
Ans: (i) Decomposition rate will be slow when detritus is rich in lignin and chitin and rate increases when
detritus is rich in nitrogen and water-soluble substances like sugars.
Warm and moist environment favour decomposition and low temperature and anaerobiosis inhibit
decomposition.
(ii)
5- Describe the components of an ecosystem.
Ans: i) Abiotic components – Inorganic substances (P, N, K, C, H etc.) b) Organic substances (Protein,
carbohydrates, lipids), Climatic (water, air, soil, temperature etc.)
ii) Abiotic components-
Producers (make their own food like plants)
Consumers (Depend on producers for food. Consumers are of the following types-
i) Primary consumers - herbivores e.g. deer, cow
ii) Secondary consumers – feed on primary consumers like cats, fox
iii) Tertiary consumers- feed on secondary consumers like Lion
Decomposers: - Decompose dead and decaying objects like fungi, bacteria
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