CBSE Class 12 Biology Revision Notes Chapter-14 Ecosystem: Material Downloaded From - 1 / 8
CBSE Class 12 Biology Revision Notes Chapter-14 Ecosystem: Material Downloaded From - 1 / 8
CBSE Class 12 Biology Revision Notes Chapter-14 Ecosystem: Material Downloaded From - 1 / 8
Class 12 Biology
Revision Notes
CHAPTER- 14
ECOSYSTEM
Ecosystem is the functional unit of nature where living organisms interact among themselves
and also with the surroundings physical environment.
Ecosystem : There are two basic categories of ecosystem , namely the terrestrial and the
aquatic.
The biotic and abiotic factors of ecosystem work in integrated manner for flow of energy
within the components of ecosystem. Interaction of biotic and abiotic components results in
a physical structure that is characteristic for each type of ecosystem. The vertical distribution
of different species occupying different levels is called stratification.For example, trees
occupy top vertical strata or layer of a forest, shrubs the second and herbs and grasses
occupy the bottom layers.
(i) Productivity
(ii) Decomposition
(iii) Energy flow
(iv) Nutrient cycling.
GPP –R = NPP
Decomposition- breakdown of complex organic matter into inorganic substances like carbon
dioxide, water and nutrients is called decomposition. Dead plants remains like leaves, bark,
flowers and dead remains of animals constitute detritus. Decomposition involves following
steps- fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, humification and mineralization.
1. Chemical composition - 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.
2. Climatic conditions – warm and moist environment favour decomposition and low
Energy Flow- All living organisms are dependent for 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 synthesis of food by
plants. Animals obtain their food from plants, so they are called consumers. The process of
eating and being eaten is called food chain in which energy flow from producers to
consumers. In Grazing food chain (GFC)-
The detritus food chain begins (DFC) begins with dead organic matter. It is made up of
decomposers which are heterotrophic organisms (fungi and bacteria). These are also known
as saprotrophs (sapro: to decompose). Decomposers secrete digestive enzymes that
breakdown dead and waste materials into simple, inorganic materials, which are
subsequently absorbed by them.Natural interconnection of food chain forms the food web.
Based on source of food, organism occupies a specific place in food chain that is known as
trophic level.
The number of trophic levels in the grazing food chain is limited as the transfer of energy
follows 10 percent law that is only 10 percent of the energy is transferred to each trophic
level from the lower trophic level. In GFC, following trophic levels are possible- producer,
herbivore, primary carnivore, secondary carnivore.
Ecological Pyramids
a) Pyramids of number- employs the number of individuals per unit area at various trophic
levels with producer at base and various consumers at successively higher levels. It is
generally upright.
b) Pyramids of biomass- represent the biomass in various trophic levels. A pyramid of mass
is upright except in aquatic food chain involving short lived plankton.
Ecological Succession
The gradual and fairly predictable change in species composition of a given area is called
ecological succession. During succession some species colonise an area and their population
becomes more numerous whereas population of other species decline and even disappear.
· Orderly and sequential change that leads to a community that is near equilibrium is called
climax community.
· The entire sequence of communities that successively changes in a given area is called sere
and individual transitional communities are termed seral stage or seral communities.
· Primary succession starts where no organism are there. For example bare rocks, cooled
volcano etc. Secondary succession occurs in the area where the living organisms have lost
due to certain regions like forest fire. Earthquake etc.
Succession of Plants
o Xerarch succession takes place in dry areas and series progress from xeric to mesic
conditions.
· The species that invade a bare area are called pioneer species. In primary succession on
rocks lichens are pioneer species that secrete acids to dissolve the rock for weathering to
form soil.
· In primary succession in water, the pioneer species are the small phytoplanktons that are
replaced by free floating angiosperms.
· Primary succession is slow process as soil is not available for pioneer species but secondary
succession is comparatively faster due to availability of soil or other nutrients. A climax
community is reached much faster in case of secondary succession.
Environmental factors like soil, moisture, pH, temperature regulate the rate of release of
nutrients into the atmosphere. The function of reservoir is to meet with the deficit which
occurs due to imbalance in the rate fo influx and efflux.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon cycling occurs through atmosphere, ocean and through living and dead organisms.
Most of carbon is fixed by plants during the process of photosynthesis and returns to
atmosphere in form of CO2 during respiration. Burning of wood, forest fire and combustion
of organic matter, fossil fuel, and volcanic activity are other sources of releasing CO2 in the
atmosphere.
Phosphorus Cycle
The natural reservoir of phosphorus is rock which contains phosphorus in the form of
phosphates. On weathering, minute amount of phosphates dissolve in soil solution and
absorbed by the roots of the plants. The waste products of dead organisms are decomposed
by bacteria to release phosphorus. Gaseous exchange between organism and environment is
negligible as compared to carbon.
Ecosystem Services
· Cycle nutrients
Researchers have put an average price tag of US $33 trillion a year on these fundamental
ecosystems services which are taken granted because they are free although its value is twice
the total global gross national product (GNP).