EVS: Class 1

2024

“Ecosystems & the uses”

 Ecosphere

Biome

Ecosystem
The
Community
Ecological
Population
Hierarchy
Organism

Organ system

organ

tissue

cell
Ecosystems: The basic unit of ecology
Ecosystem:
Definition: The living community of plants and animals in any area
together with the non-living components of the environment such as soil,
air and water constitute the ecosystem

Population 1

Community + Environment = Ecosystem

(Biotic Factors) (Abiotic Factors)

Population 2
.
.
.
Organism Population n
Size of an Ecosystem:
Properties of An Ecosystem
Biotic and abiotic components interact
Has definite biotic structure and
cycling of nutrients.
It has production and energy flow
First complete unit in ecological
hierarchy and has stability.
Boundaries: natural or arbitrary.
Functionally Open systems
Energy is a necessary in put

Sun is the ultimate energy source for the ecosphere

Other energy sources: Wind, rain, water flow or fossil

fuel

Energy also flows out of the system as heat, organic

matter and pollutants.

Organisms and their propagules (seeds or spores) and other

reproductive stages immigrate or emigrate in a ecosystem.
 Trophic Structure of Ecosystem
Autotrophic stratum: Green belt  Fixation of light
energy and inorganic comp.

Heterotrophic stratum: Brown belt  use rearrangement

(macroconsumers) & decomposition of organic matter
(by saprotrophs/microconsumers), release of inorganic
comp.

Products of decomposition: Particulate OM,

Dissolved OM, Volatile OM.
 Types of Ecosystem:
 Forests
Land  Grasslands
(Terrestrial)  Deserts
 Mountains
Ecosystem
(Habitat)
Fresh water
Water (Ponds, lakes, rivers)
(Aquatic)
Marine
(Sea)
Man-made Ecosystems:
 An urban area
 Agricultural Area
 Industrial Area

Unique aspects of an Ecosystem:

 Climatic Conditions (Temperature, Rainfall, Soil, Light, etc.)
Structural
 Flora (Vegetation) Components
 Fauna (Animal species)

The most abundant species?

Native vs. exotic species?
Changes over time?
What about the ecosystem
you are living in? Pilani?
 Four ecosystem services
Provisioning services – Essential material goods like food,
water, wood, fuel and fiber.

Regulating services – Influence components of

environment like climate, floods, disease, waste and water
quality.

Cultural services – provide recreational, educational,

spiritual and aesthetic benefits.

Supporting services – Underlying the above three is the

functional properties of ecosystem like soil formation,
photosynthesis and nutrient cycling.
Worldwide sum of all ecosystems (zone of life on
earth)
Biomes: ecosystems adapted to similar climate conditions
 Ecosystems Good and Services

Direct Values Indirect Values

(easy to quantify) (not easy to quantify)

 Consumptive use  Non-consumptive use

value (direct value (research, tourism,
consumption) etc)

 Productive use  Functional value

value (commercial (maintain natural cycles)
purpose)
 Option value
(option for future)

 Existence value
(Ethical and emotional)
Consumptive
Use Value
Productive Use
Value
Indirect Use Value
Types of Ecosystems:

 Forest 1. Key Characteristics

 Grasslands 2. Types
 Desert 3. How is it useful?
 Aquatic 4. What are the threats?
5. How can we conserve
it?
Forest Ecosystems:
specific vegetation and community of animals depending on latitude, altitude and soil type

Coniferous Forests Broad-leaved forests

Evergreen Deciduous Thorny Mangrove

How are forest ecosystems useful?
Around 1.6 billion people – including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures – depend on forests for
their livelihoods, medicines, fuel, food and shelter. They are also home to more than 80% of the
terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.

Source: WCS India (https://programs.wcs.org/india/Newsroom/Blog/ID/15965/What-is-happening-

to-Indias-forest-cover)

Prevent Soil erosion, lower temperature and provide O2

Grasslands Ecosystems:
The vegetation is mainly grass and small annual plants

Semi-arid Grasslands

Himalayan Pasture
Terai Grasslands

 Biodiversity conservation
 Livestock dependency
 Poverty alleviation
How are grassland ecosystems useful?
Desert Ecosystems:

War Cold
m
Unique Adaptations and Biodiversity

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57204/20-amazing-animal-adaptations-living-desert
How are desert ecosystems useful?
Adaptations in Desert Animals

North African Antelope Greater roadrunner of North America

  Flow of Water
Aquatic Ecosystems:  Salt levels
 Seasonal Changes
Lake

River
How are aquatic ecosystems useful?
 EVS: Class 2

Energy Flow and

“Nutrient
Cycles”
Producers

Herbivores

Carnivores
10% Energy Rule
mrrittner.weebly.c
om
 Biogeochemical cycles or Nutrient cycling
All essential elements of life circulate in biosphere in characteristic pathways

(Environment → Organism → Environment)

Compartment 1. Reservoir pool (large, slow moving, non-biological)

Nutrient cycle Compartment 2. Labile or Cycling pool (small, actively moving)

I. Gaseous type cycles (reservoir is atmosphere or hydrosphere)

II. Sedimentary type cycles (reservoir is earth’s crust)
Dissipation of energy in some form is always necessary to drive material cycles
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Sulphur Cycle
Ecological Succession
Change in an Ecosystem
What is Succession?
 Natural, gradual changes in the types of species
that live in an area; can be primary or
secondary.
 The gradual replacement of
one plant community by
another through natural
processes over time.
Primary vs. Secondary Succession
 Primary
 The gradual growth of an ecosystem in an area
lacking soil over a long period of time.
 Often takes several hundred to a few thousand
years.
 Secondary:
 Occurs when a plant community
has been destroyed without severe
disturbance to the soil.
 Typically much faster but not
always.
Primary Succession
• Begins in a place without any soil:
– Sides of volcanoes
– Landslides
– Flooding
• Starts with the arrival of
living things such as lichens
that do not need soil to
survive.
• These organisms like lichens
are called PIONEER SPECIES.
Primary Succession
 Soil starts to form as lichens
and the forces of weathering
and erosion help break down
rocks into smaller pieces and
move them to new areas.
 When lichens die, they
decompose, adding small
amounts of organic matter
to the rock to make soil.
Primary Succession
 Simple plants like mosses and ferns can grow in
the new soil.
Primary Succession
 The simple plants die, adding more organic
material to the soil.
 The soil layer thickens. Grasses, wildflowers,
other plants, and small animals begin to take
over.
Primary Succession
• As grasses and other plants die, they add
more nutrients to the soil.
• Shrubs, tress and larger animals can now
survive in the area.
Primary Succession
Secondary Succession
 Secondary Succession is initiated by an event.
 For example: a forest fire, hurricane, or harvesting
a crop
 The already-established ecosystem is reduced
or drastically changed.
 Secondary Succession
occurs on land with
preexisting soil.
 The process is similar to
Primary Succession
thereafter.
Secondary Succession
 Climax Community
• A stable group of plants and
animals that is the END RESULT
of the succession process.
• Does not always mean big
trees!
– Grasses in prairies
– Cacti in deserts