ECOSYSTEM

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

ECOSYSTEM

• The prefix “eco” means environment and “system” means interacting and
interdependent complex.
• A segment or a part of nature consisting of a biotic community and the
physical environment, both interacting and exchanging materials
between them.
• the living community of plants and animals in an area together with non-
living components of the environment.
 TYPE OF ECOSYSTEM

ON THE BASIS OF FORMATION:

ECOSYSTEM

1. NATURAL ECOSYSTEM
NATURAL ARTIFICIAL
ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEM
this ecosystem develops
under natural conditions
TERRESTIAL AQUATIC
without any human ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEM
interference.
FRESH WATER
MARINE ECOSYSTEM
ECOSYSTEM
 TYPE OF ECOSYSTEM

ON THE BASIS OF FORMATION:

ECOSYSTEM

2. ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEM
NATURAL ARTIFICIAL
ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEM
these are created and
maintained by human beings.
TERRESTIAL AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEM ECOSYSTEM
Examples: orchard, cropland,
aquarium, poultry
FRESH WATER
MARINE ECOSYSTEM
ECOSYSTEM
 TYPE OF ECOSYSTEM

ON THE BASIS OF SIZE:

1. MEGA-ECOSYSTEM – a very large ecosystem such as marine ecosystem.

2. MACRO–ECOSYSTEM – a large ecosystem like forest, grassland or desert
ecosystem.
3. MICRO–ECOSYSTEM – a small specific part of a large ecosystem with its
own specialization like a valley ecosystem
4. NANO-ECOSYSTEM – a very small ecosystem like wooden log or a drop of
pond water.
 TYPE OF ECOSYSTEM

ON THE BASIS OF COMPONENTS:

1. COMPLETE ECOSYSTEM
it is an ecosystem in which all biotic and abiotic components are
complete.

2. INCOMPLETE ECOSYSTEM
these types of ecosystems lack one or the other biotic or abiotic
components.
CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

1. NUTRIENTS CYCLING
2. FLOW OF ENERGY
3. CYBERNATICS (CONTROL AND LIMITATIONS)
4. INTERRELATIONS
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

1. NUTRIENTS CYCLING

Plants obtain a number of inorganic nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, iron,
zinc and potassium from the environment. Autotrophs pass these nutrients to the consumers
at next trophic level and so on. Ultimately, after the death of plants and animals various
organically bound nutrients are converted into inorganic substances by decomposers and are
returned back to the soil. In this way, nutrients keep on cycling in an ecosystem between the
living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components.
CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

2. FLOW OF ENERGY

Autotrophs prepare food on their own by converting the radiant energy of sun into chemical
energy in the form of organic food by the process of photosynthesis. All other organisms on the earth
depend upon these autotrophs for obtaining food and energy contained in them.
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

3. CYBERNETICS (CONTROL AND LIMITATIONS)

Ecosystem maintains a state of equilibrium called homeostasis through a number of controls

or limitations called cybernetics. Some populations show self-regulation, where they control
their number in response to scarcity of resources and overcrowding. On the other hand, many
times, one biotic factor of the ecosystem impose limitation on the other through feedback
mechanism.
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

4. INTERRELATIONS

Relationships are very common among different ecosystems which exchange biotic and abiotic
components with each other. Even in a single ecosystem, complex interrelations are often
observed.
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM

1. BIOTIC COMPONENTS
2. ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM

1. BIOTIC COMPONENTS
- PRODUCERS
- CONSUMERS
- DECOMPOSER
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM

PRODUCERS

• these are green autotropic plants (photoautotrophs) which prepare their food
from inorganic raw materials in presence of sunlight.
• only producers can convert radiant energy of sun into chemical energy hence,
they are also known as converters or transducers.
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM

CONSUMERS

• These are heterotrophic organisms that consume organic matter built up by

producers.

• CLASSIFICATION:
• Herbivores
• Carnivores
• Omnivores
• Detrivores
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM

DECOMPOSERS

• These organisms obtain their food from the dead bodies of producers and
consumers and their organic wastes.
• They also known as reducers or micro consumers.
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM
References:
• https://eschool.iaspaper.net/food-chain/what-is-food-web/
• https://byjus.com/biology/ecological-succession/
FOOD CHAIN

- The sequence of eating and

being eaten by others. Tertiary
Consumers
- Energy is transferred from
one organism to another Secondary
Consumers
through food chain.
Primary
- The starting point is a Consumers
category of organisms
called producers followed Producers

by primary, secondary and

tertiary consumers Trophic Level in Food Chain
FOOD CHAIN

CHARACTEISTICS OF FOOD CHAIN

• Food chain is a nutritive interaction between the

living organisms of an ecosystem.

• There is unidirectional flow of energy from the sun

to producers and then to a series of consumers.

• Some omnivorous organisms can be occupy different

positions in the food chain
 TYPES OF FOOD CHAIN

GRAZING FOOD CHAIN

this chain begins with producers and culminates in
carnivores.

Grasses Grasshopper Shrew Owl

 TYPES OF FOOD CHAIN

GRAZING FOOD CHAIN

TYPES:
1. AQUATIC FOOD CHAIN
Phytoplankton Fish Frog Racoon

2. TERRESTIAL FOOD CHAIN

Grasses Rabbit Fox Lion
 TYPES OF FOOD CHAIN

DETRITUS FOOD CHAIN

This chain begins with dead organic matter which is acted upon
by decomposers and detrivores which in turn are eaten by small
animals.
 FOOD WEB

an interconnection of food
chains operating in an ecosystem which
establishes a network of relationships
between various species.
ECOLOGICAL 1. PYRAMID OF NUMBER
PYRAMIDS 2.
3.
PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
PYRAMID OF ENERGY
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

These show the number of organisms

HAWKS
at each trophic level in a food chain. It is most
often upright with a broad base (formed by Frog , birds
producers) and apex at the tip (constituted by Insects
top carnivores). The number of individuals goes
on decreasing from the base to apex. GRASSES

Pyramid of Numbers in the

Grassland Ecosystem
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

Fleas Lions
Lice, bugs snake, foxes
Birds Insect, Birds
Tress Tress

Pyramid of Numbers: Pyramid of Numbers:

Tree Ecosystem Forrest Ecosystem
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
Snakes,
They are more fundamental and Frogs , birds
convey more information since they consider
total mass of living organisms (i.e. biomass) at Squirrels, Rabbits,
each trophic level. Insects

Pyramid of biomass can be upright or inverted. GRASSES , HERBS

For example, in a terrestrial ecosystem, the
pyramid of biomass is always upright. On the Pyramid of Numbers in the
other hand, in an aquatic ecosystem, pyramid of Grassland Ecosystem
biomass is often inverted.
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

PYRAMID OF BIOMASS

They are more fundamental and

Big Fishes
convey more information since they consider
total mass of living organisms (i.e. biomass) at Small Fish
each trophic level. Insects
Phyto
Pyramid of biomass can be upright or inverted. planktons
For example, in a terrestrial ecosystem, the
pyramid of biomass is always upright. On the Pyramid of Numbers:
other hand, in an aquatic ecosystem, pyramid of Pond Ecosystem
biomass is often inverted.
 CHARACTERISTIC OF ECOSYSTEM

PYRAMID OF ENERGY

Pyramid of energy indicates the amount

Big Fishes
of energy that flows into each trophic level in a
given time. The energy content of each Small Fish
trophic level is expressed in KJ/m2/year. These Insects
give best representation of trophic relationships Phyto
and are always upright. planktons

Pyramid of Numbers:
Pond Ecosystem
NUTRIENT CYCLING

Water, gases and nutrients exhibit a cycling pattern and are

repeatedly exchanged between organisms and their surroundings.
This phenomenon of circulation of nutrient elements between
abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem is called nutrient
cycling or biogeochemical cycling.
NUTRIENT CYCLING
(Biogeochemical Cycling)

TYPES:

1. GASEOUS CYCLE – the cycling elements are gaseous and cycling pool is largely
atmosphere.
Ex. Carbon
Oxygen
Nitrogen
water
NUTRIENT CYCLING
(Biogeochemical Cycling)

TYPES:

2. SEDIMENTARY CYCLE – the cycling elements are non gaseous and

cycling pool occurs in the lithosphere.
Ex. Phosphorous
potassium
other earth bound elements
MAJOR BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

1. CARBON CYCLE
2. NITROGEN CYCLE
3. PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
MAJOR TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM

1. FOREST ECOSYSTEM
2. GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
3. DESERT ECOSYSTEM
4. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

Ecological succession is the steady and gradual change in a

species of a given area with respect to the changing environment.
It is a predictable change and is an inevitable process of nature as
all the biotic components have to keep up with the changes
in our environment.
TYPES OF SUCCESSION

• Autogenic Succession: A succession process in which one kind

of community is replaced by another is called autogenic
succession. The structural changes in a community leading to
succession are brought by biotic components of an ecosystem,
particularly plants.
TYPES OF SUCCESSION

• Allogenic Succession: In this type, changes in the habitat of a

community are brought about by external agencies like climatic
and edaphic (soil) factors. It means it is driven by abiotic
components of an ecosystem.
TYPES OF SUCCESSION

• Primary Succession: This type of succession starts on a primitive

substratum where no living matter existed before such as rock,
lava flow or area left from retreated glacier.
TYPES OF SUCCESSION

• Secondary Succession: This type of succession starts on a

previously built up substratum with already existing living
matter. The existing communities are lost due to some natural
or man-induced changes
References:
• Dahiya, P., Ahlawat, M. (2013), Environmental Science: A New
Approach. Alpha Science Internation Ltd.
• Kathari, D.P., Singal, K.C., Ranjan, R. (2016). Environmental Science
and Engineering. Alpha Science Internation Ltd.
• Jazib, J. (2018). Basics of Environmental Sciences.iqra Publishers
References:
• https://eschool.iaspaper.net/food-chain/what-is-food-web/
• https://byjus.com/biology/ecological-succession/
• https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/2384316-diagram-showing-
food-chain