Ecosystem

UNIT-2
Ecosystem
Dr. Gaurav Kumar

Assistant Professor,
Department of Environmental
Studies, PGDAV College, DU
Pond Ecosystem
Ecosystem term was given by A.G. Tansley in 1935
What is an ecosystem
 The ecosystem is the structural and
functional unit of ecology where the
living organisms interact with each
other and with their surrounding
environment.
 There is a great variety of ecosystems
in existence, all of them are
characterized by general structural and
functional attributes.
Components of an ecosystem
Abiotic components
They form the environment and
determine the type / structure of
ecosystem.
Sunlight (temperature)
Nutrients
• Rainfall, minerals, carbon, nitrogen,…..
Type of ecosystems:
Tropical rainforest, Desert, Tundra,
Grassland,…..
Biotic components
Producers (Autotrophs):
All green plants. They use solar energy,
chlorophyll, inorganic nutrients and water to
produce their own food. (Photosynthesis)
Consumers:
They consume the organic compounds in plant
and animal tissues by eating.
• Herbivores (plant feeders) Primary consumers
• Carnivores (meat eaters) Secondary consumers
• Omnivores (general feeders)
Biotic components
Decomposers
They are tiny organisms includes bacteria and
fungi, which turn organic compounds in dead
plants and animals into inorganic materials.
They cause the continual recirculation of
chemicals within ecosystem (nutrient cycle)
Ecosystem
Structure
Biotic Components Abiotic Components
Producers e.g. Green Plants Air
Water
1˚/ Herbivorese.g. Grasshopper
Light
Consumers 2˚/ Carnivores e.g. Frog
3˚/ Top Carnivores/ Soil
Omnivores Temperature
e.g. Lion/Human
Decomposers e.g. Fungi, etc.
Bacteria etc.
Food Chain
The particular pathway of nutrient and
energy movement depends on which
organism feeds on anther.
Producer —Primary Consumer —Secondary Consumer — Tertiary Consumer.
Decomposers
Types of Food Chain
In nature, basically two types of food chains are recognized –
grazing food chain and detritus food chain.
1. Grazing food chain:

This type of food chain starts from the living green plants goes to
grazing herbivores, and on to carnivores.
2. Detritus food chain:
This type of food chain goes from dead organic matter into
mi-croorganisms and then to organisms feeding on detritus
(detrivores) and their predators.
Significance of food chain:
1. The studies of food chain help understand the feeding
relationship and the interaction between organisms in the
ecosystem.
2. They also help us to appreciate the energy flow mechanism

and matter circulation in ecosystem.
3. The study of food chain helps us to understand the problems

of bio-magnifications.
Food Webs
Ecological Pyramid
An ecological pyramid is a graphical
representation of the relationship between
different organisms in an ecosystem.
Each of the bars that make up

the pyramid represents a different trophic level,
and their order, which is based on who eats
whom, represents the flow of energy.
Trophic Levels
A trophic level means a feeding level.
First level – all producers
Second level – all herbivores
Third level – first level carnivores
Fourth level – second level carnivores
So on……..
Pyramid of Biomass
Pyramid of biomass is a graphical representation of biomass of
different trophic levels present in a unit area of an ecosystem.
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of numbers is a graphical representation that shows
the number of organisms at each trophic level.
Ecological succession
Ecological succession is the process by which the structure of a
biological community evolves over time.
or
Ecological succession is a series of progressive changes in the
species that make up a community over time.
or
Ecological succession is the steady and gradual change in a
species of a given area with respect to the changing environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ceDE01iWLE
Biogeochemical cycle
Biogeochemical cycle:
Cycling of chemical substances moves through biotic (biosphere)

and abiotic (lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere)
compartments of Earth.
Or
The ways in which an element or compound such as Nitrogen,

Oxygen, water etc. moves between its various living and
nonliving forms and locations in the biosphere is called
a biogeochemical cycle.
Important Biogeochemical Cycles
Nitrogen Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Water Cycle
Sulphur Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5EOZenSSB8
Carbon Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzxckRZ58JQ
Oxygen Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GANUtrndL_U
Water Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFgnymK7pJA
Sulfur Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeH-f-cmCkc
Phosphorus Cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfW6JJ0ZiG0
Thanks

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UNIT-2

Dr. Gaurav Kumar

Producers e.g. Green Plants Air

1. Grazing food chain:

2. They also help us to appreciate the energy flow mechanism

3. The study of food chain helps us to understand the problems

Each of the bars that make up

Cycling of chemical substances moves through biotic (biosphere)

The ways in which an element or compound such as Nitrogen,

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