Ecosystem and Biodiversity

ENV 101 Lecture-3

 Aquatic Ecosystems
• Aquatic Ecosystems are influenced by environmental factors like:
-ability of the sun’s rays to penetrate the water
-the depth of the water
-nature of the bottom substrate
( sandy soil prevent growth of large plants or algae, where mud allows suitable habitats for rooted plants like
mangrove trees)
-the water temperature
( coral reefs or mangrove swamps found only where water is warm)
-the amount of dissolved salts
-the most productive aquatic ecosystems are ones in which the essential inorganic nutrients ( like: phosphorus,
nitrogen, carbon) are dissolved in sufficient amount

• Based on the amount of dissolved salts aquatic ecosystems are divide into two
1. Marine Ecosystem- a high salt content
2. Freshwater Ecosystem-little dissolved salt
Marine Ecosystem
• Pelagic Marine Ecosystem
-pelagic organisms are the ones that are not attached to the bottom
-and the ecosystem they are part of is called the pelagic ecosystem
-phytoplankton are small photosynthesizing organisms
-they are found in abundant in the Euphotic zone ( the upper layer of ocean where the
sun’s rays penetrate)
-zooplanktons are small, weakly swimming animals that feed on the phytoplankton.
Marine Ecosystem
• Benthic Marine Ecosystem
-Benthic organisms live on the ocean bottom, whether attached or not
-the ecosystem they are part of is called a benthic ecosystem
-in shallow water where sunlight can penetrate seaweeds are very common
Coral Reef Ecosystem
• This ecosystem requires warm shallow, clear water
• Algae grows on the corals and carry out photosynthesis
• They are considered to be one of the most productive ecosystem
• Many kinds of fish, crustaceans, sponges, clams and snails are member of this
ecosystem
Mangrove swamp Ecosystem
-occupy a region near the shore where water is shallow and wave action is not high
-Dominant organisms are trees that can tolerate high salt content
-the trees have roots that extend above the water to obtain oxygen
-the trees traps sediments and provide places for oysters, crabs, jellyfish
Estuaries
-estuaries consists of a shallow partially enclosed area where freshwater enters the
ocean
-saltiness of the water here varies with tides and inflow of water from the rivers
-it is another productive ecosystem as nutrients are introduced from the rivers
-being shallow, light can also penetrate here well
-Fish and crustaceans like shrimps enter here to reproduce and then return to the
ocean, the young also spend their early life here
Freshwater Ecosystem
1. Lakes and Ponds and Reservoirs
-water is relatively stationary
-along the shallow parts there are many kinds of flowering plants
-productivity of a lake depends on: temperature, depth of water and the amount of
nutrient present
Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Streams and Rivers
-water is in motion
-the source of nutrients is the organic matter that comes from terrestrial sources
( leaves from trees and other vegetation as well as bodies of living and dead insects)
 Biomes
• Biomes are regions of similar climate and dominant plant types
• the climatic parameter that mostly influences the type of community that will develop
are:
1. Precipitation
- Total amount per year
- The form in which it arrives (rain , snow)
- Seasonal Distribution
2. Temperature
-tropical areas have relatively warm climate
-poles have very cold winter and cooler summer days
Geographic Distribution of the World Biomes
Tundra
• A biome that lacks trees and has a permanently frozen soil
• Weather is extremely cold and windy here. It’s the coldest biome
• In summer short plants grow there
• Russia, USA, Canada, Finland and Greenland has stretches of tundra
Coniferous Forest/Taiga
• Short cool summers and long winters with abundant rainfall
• Covers parts of northern Europe, Russia and southern Canada
• Conifers found here (trees that produce cones and needles, like: Spruces,
pines and firs)
Temperate Deciduous Forest
• Winters are mild, trees loose their leaves in that season
• Covers parts of Europe and Asia (China, Japan), east USA and south east
Canada
• Common trees are oaks, maple

In Autumn
Temperate Grassland
-continuous areas of almost flat land of grasses
-60-90% are grasses and many other kinds of flowering plants are interspersed
with it
-grazing mammals are abundant here
Desert
- A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation (less than
50 cm/year) occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile
for plant and animal life
-Desert biomes can be classified according to several characteristics.
1.Hot and Dry
2. Semiarid
3.Coastal
4. Cold
Chaparral
-the west coast of the United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of
South Africa, the western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean
-Chaparral is characterized as being hot and dry in the summer and cool and moist in the
winter
-vegetation consisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes
Tropical Rainforest
• Located near the equator in Southern and Central America, Southeast Asia, Africa
• The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth
• Tropical rainforests occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season –
all months have an average precipitation value of at least 60 mm
• E.g: Amazon Rainforest
Savanna
-found in between a desert and tropical rainforest
-grassland with scattered shrubs and isolated trees
- Savannas have warm temperature year round. There are actually two very different
seasons in a savanna; a very long dry season (winter), and a very wet season (summer)
Biodiversity
- The short form of ‘Biological Diversity’ that means the variety of life on earth or in a particular
ecosystem
-Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the term given to the variety of life on Earth. It is the
variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems
within which they live and interact. “
…………………….by WWF (World wide fund for nature)
Three levels of Biodiversity
1.Species Diversity- number of different species that are represented in a given community
2. Genetic Diversity- the total number of genetic characteristics
3.Ecosystem Diversity-the number of kinds of habitats or ecosystems in a given unit area

Do you Know 2011-2020 has been designated as the “United Nations Decade on
Biodiversity”?
Why is Biodiversity Important??
• Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity
• all species, small a large, plays an important role in the ecosystem
For Example:
-a large number of plant species means greater variety of crops
• the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries,
economic development
• Biodiversity helps to maintain balance of the ecosystem- recycling of nutrients,
protecting water, soil.
• Biodiversity provides social benefits- recreation, tourism, cultural and research
value
 Biodiversity Hotspot
- A biogeographic region that is very rich in biodiversity as well as deeply
threatened with destruction
-To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:
1.It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5 percent of the
world’s total) as endemics
2.It has to have lost at least 70 percent of its original habitat.

- There are 34 biological hotspots around the earth

- They together covers only 2.3% of the earth
 Ecosystem and Biodiversity of Bangladesh
-Bangladesh is one of the biodiversity rich countries of the world
-5 major ecosystems in Bangladesh are
1. Coastal and Marine ecosystem
2. Inland and freshwater ecosystem
3. Terrestrial forest ecosystem
4. Hilly ecosystem
5. Man-made ecosystem
- The Haor Basin is known for their rich biodiversity
 Biodiversity of Bangladesh
Its flora includes an estimated
- 5,700 species of angiosperms alone, including 68 woody legume species,
- 130 species of fiber yielding plants,
- 500 medicinal plant species, 29 orchid species,3 species of gymnosperms,
- and 1,700 pteridophytes
 Biodiversity of Bangladesh
Bangladesh also possesses rich faunal diversity

• has approximately 113 species of mammals, more than 628 species of birds,

• 126 species of reptiles, 22 species of amphibians,708 species of marine and

freshwater fish,

• 2,493 species of insects, 19 species of mites, 164 species of algae (or seaweed) and
4 species of echinoderms
Forests of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh has a sub-tropical monsoon climate;
• Its natural forests are classified into three major vegetation types
occurring in three distinctly different land types:

• Hill forests (evergreen to semi- evergreen)

• Plain land Sal (Shorea robusta) forests,
• Mangrove forests.
• According to the Bangladesh Forest Department, forest cover is about
2.53 million ha, representing approximately 17.5% of the country's total
surface area
• but according to FAO's FRA-2005, forest extent is only about 0.87 million
ha
 Bhawal National Park

Lawachara Rainforest

The Sundarbans
Hill Forest
 Threats to Biodiversity of Bangladesh
• Destruction of Habitat
• Overexploitation of flora and fauna
• Indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals
• Industrial waste disposal
• Oil spills
• Encroachment into natural forests
• Change in land use pattern and land use conflicts
 Biodiversity Conservation
-Biodiversity conservation means: saving all life forms and keeping natural
ecosystem functioning and healthy
- Methods of Biodiversity Conservation
1. In-Situ Conservation
-the conservation of species in their natural habitats
-for example: by designating an area as ‘Protected Area’
2. Ex-Situ Conservation
-the preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural
habitats
-e.g: Collecting living organisms for zoos, aquaria, and botanic gardens for research
and public awareness
 Protected Areas in Bangladesh
-Protected areas in Bangladesh cover some 2% of the country's total area
-There are eight national parks (where the flora and fauna are protected and
preserved for the public to enjoy and gain education)
-seven wildlife sanctuaries (designated areas where wildlife and natural
resources are protected for the provision of undisturbed breeding)
-five conservation sites and
-one game reserve (a place that protects wildlife as well as serves to increase
the numbers of various species)
List of Protected Areas in Bangladesh
Bhawal National Park – Gazipur
Himchari National Park – Cox' Bazar
Kaptai National Park – Chittagong Hill Tracts
Lawachara National Park – Moulavibazar
Medha Kassapia National Park – Cox's Bazar
Modhupur National Park – Tangail/Mymensingh
Nijhum Dweep National Park – Noakhali
Ramsagar National Park – Dinajpur
Satchari National Park – Hobigonj
Char Kukri-Mukri Wildlife Sanctuary – Bhola
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary – Chittagong
Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary – Chittagong Hill Tracts
Rema-Kelenga Wildlife Sanctuary – Hobigonj
Sundarban (East) Wildlife Sanctuary – Bagerhat
Sundarban (West) Wildlife Sanctuary – Satkhira
Sundarban (South) Wildlife Sanctuary – Khulna
Teknaf Game Reserve – Cox's Bazar
Baldha Garden - Dhaka
Dulahazara Safari Parks – Cox's Bazar
Madhabkunda Eco-Park – Moulavibazar
National Botanical Garden – Dhaka
Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco-park - Chittagong
Reference:
•Daniel B Botkin and Edward A Keller, pg:145-148
•Biome description:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/biotemperate.php
•Video: Introduction to biomes
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=hIy0ZlyPPDg&list=PLeTgfKYXsFcI3pFHE6t_nwYZcDgxdQdpE
•Video: Preserving Biodiversity in Bangladesh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoqRqnVdKd4