Ecosystem

• What is an Ecosystem?
• Types of Ecosystem
• Structure of the Ecosystem
• Biotic Components
• Abiotic Components
• Functions
• Important Ecological Concepts
 What is an Ecosystem?
• The ecosystem is the structural and functional unit of
ecology where the living organisms interact with each
other and the surrounding environment.

• In other words, an ecosystem is a chain of interaction

between organisms and their environment.

• The term “Ecosystem” was first coined by A.G.Tansley,

an English botanist, in 1935.
 Types of Ecosystem

• An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in a

desert, or as big as an ocean, spanning
thousands of miles. There are two types of
ecosystem:
1. Terrestrial Ecosystem
2. Aquatic Ecosystem
 Terrestrial Ecosystems
• Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-
based ecosystems. There are different types of
terrestrial ecosystems.
• Forest Ecosystems
• Grassland Ecosystems
• Tundra Ecosystems
• Desert Ecosystem
• Forest Ecosystem- A forest ecosystem consists of several

plants, animals and microorganisms that live in coordination

with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help in

maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major

carbon sink.

• Grassland Ecosystem-In a grassland ecosystem, the

vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs. Temperate

grasslands, savanna grasslands are some of the examples of

grassland ecosystems.
• Tundra Ecosystem-Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and

are found in cold climates or where rainfall is scarce. These are

covered with snow for most of the year. The ecosystem in the

Arctic or mountain tops is tundra type.

• Desert Ecosystem-Deserts are found throughout the world.

These are regions with very little rainfall. The days are hot and

the nights are cold.

 Aquatic Ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems present in a
body of water. These can be further divided
into two types, namely:
• Freshwater Ecosystem
• Marine Ecosystem
• Freshwater Ecosystem-The freshwater ecosystem is an
aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds, rivers,
streams and wetlands. These have no salt content in
contrast with the marine ecosystem.
• Marine Ecosystem-The marine ecosystem includes seas
and oceans. These have a more substantial salt content
and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater
ecosystem.
 Structure of the Ecosystem
• The structure of an ecosystem is characterised by the
organisation of both biotic and abiotic components.
This includes the distribution of energy in 
our environment.
• The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two
main components, namely: 
1. Biotic Components
2. Abiotic Components
 Biotic Components

• Biotic components refer to all life in an ecosystem.  Based on

nutrition, biotic components can be categorised into
autotrophs, heterotrophs and saprotrophs (or
decomposers).
• Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. They are
called autotrophs as they can produce food through the
process of photosynthesis. Consequently, all other organisms
higher up on the food chain rely on producers for food.
• Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other
organisms for food. Consumers are further classified into primary
consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary consumers.
• Primary consumers are always herbivores that they rely on
producers for food.
• Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy.
They can either be a carnivore or an omnivore.
• Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary
consumers for food.  Tertiary consumers can also be an omnivore.
• Decomposers include saprophytes such as fungi and
bacteria. They directly thrive on the dead and
decaying organic matter.  Decomposers are essential
for the ecosystem as they help in recycling nutrients
to be reused by plants.
 Abiotic Components

• Abiotic components are the non-living

component of an ecosystem.  It includes air,
water, soil, minerals, sunlight, temperature,
nutrients, wind, altitude, turbidity, etc. 
 Functions of Ecosystem
• The functions of the ecosystem are as follows:
– It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems
and renders stability.

– It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and

abiotic components.

– It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the

ecosystem.

– It cycles the minerals through the biosphere.

– The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components

that involves the exchange of energy.
 Important Ecological Concepts
1. Food Chain

• The sun is the ultimate source of energy on earth. It provides the

energy required for all plant life. The plants utilise this energy for

the process of photosynthesis, which is used to synthesise their

food.

• During this biological process, light energy is converted into

chemical energy and is passed on through successive levels. The

flow of energy from a producer, to a consumer and eventually, to

an apex predator or a detritivore is called the food chain.

• Dead and decaying matter, along with organic
debris, is broken down into its constituents by
scavengers. The reducers then absorb these
constituents. After gaining the energy, the
reducers liberate molecules to the environment,
which can be utilised again by the producers.
• There are basically three different types of food chains in the
ecosystem, namely –
1. Grazing food chain (GFC) – This is the normal food chain that
we observe in which plants are the producers and the energy
flows from the producers to the herbivores (primary
consumers), then to carnivores (secondary consumers) and so
on.

2. Saprophytic or Detritus food chain (DFC) – In this type of food

chain, the dead organic matter occupies the lowermost level of
the food chain, followed by the decomposers and so on.
3. Parasitic food chain (PFC) – In this type of
food chain, large organisms either the
producer or the consumer is exploited and
therefore the food passes to the smaller
organism.
2. Ecological Pyramids

• An ecological pyramid is the graphical representation of the

number, energy, and biomass of the successive trophic levels

of an ecosystem. Charles Elton was the first ecologist to

describe the ecological pyramid and its principals in 1927.

• The biomass, number, and energy of organisms ranging from

the producer level to the consumer level are represented in

the form of a pyramid; hence, it is known as the ecological

pyramid.
• For example, Grasshoppers feed on crops such as
cotton and wheat, which are plentiful. These
grasshoppers are then preyed upon by common
mice, which are comparatively less in number. The
mice are preyed upon by snakes such as cobras.
Snakes are ultimately preyed on by apex predators
such as the brown snake eagle.

Grasshopper →Mice→  Cobra → Brown Snake Eagle

 3. Food Web

• Food web is a network of interconnected food chains.

• It comprises all the food chains within a single
ecosystem.
• It helps in understanding that plants lay the
foundation of all the food chains. In a marine
environment, phytoplankton forms the primary
producer.
 Energy Flow in Ecosystem
Energy Flow

• The chemical energy of food is the main source of energy

required by all living organisms. This energy is transmitted to
different trophic levels along the food chain. This energy flow is
based on two different laws of thermodynamics:

 First law of thermodynamics, that states that energy can neither

be created nor destroyed, it can only change from one form to
another.

 Second law of thermodynamics, that states that as energy is

transferred more and more of it is wasted.
 Energy Flow in Ecosystem

• The energy flow in the ecosystem is one of the

major factors that support the survival of such a

great number of organisms. For almost all

organisms on earth, the primary source of energy

is solar energy.
• The energy flow takes place via the food chain
and food web. During the process of energy flow
in the ecosystem, plants being the producers
absorb sunlight with the help of the chloroplasts
and a part of it is transformed into chemical
energy in the process of photosynthesis.
• This energy is stored in various organic products
in the plants and passed on to the primary
consumers in the food chain when the herbivores
consume (primary consumers) the plants as food.
• Then conversion of chemical energy stored in
plant products into kinetic energy occurs,
degradation of energy will occur through its
conversion into heat.
• Then followed by the secondary consumers.
When these herbivores are ingested by
carnivores of the first order (secondary
consumers) further degradation will occur.
• Finally, when tertiary consumers consume the carnivores,
energy will again be degraded. Thus, the energy flow is
unidirectional in nature.
• Moreover, in a food chain, the energy flow follows the 10
percent law.
• According to this law, only 10 percent of energy is transferred
from one trophic level to the other; rest is lost into the
atmosphere. This is clearly explained in the following figure and
is represented as an energy pyramid.
 Trophic level
• The producers and consumers in the ecosystem can be arranged

into different feeding groups and are known as trophic level or the

feeding level.

1. The producers (plants) represent the first trophic level.

2. Herbivores (primary consumers) present the second trophic level.

3. Primary carnivores (secondary consumers) represent the third

trophic level

4. Top carnivores (tertiary consumers) represent the last level.

A. 1st Trophic Level (Producers)

• Producers occupy the trophic level in all food webs. These producers are

responsible for the conversion of solar energy into usable energy and thus,

the prime source of energy in all ecosystems.

• Producers include green plants in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and

green algae in deep-sea ecosystems. The photosynthetic algae in a marine

ecosystem are also termed phytoplankton.

• Both green plants and algae produce organic matter through the process of

photosynthesis

• The organisms that produce food through chemical reactions are termed

chemoautotrophs and organisms that produce energy in the presence of

solar energy are termed photoautotrophs.

Apex Predators

• Apex predators are animals that are present on the top of the food chain and do

not have any predators.

• These animals are highly efficient hunters as they have a specific adaptation to the

lifestyle. Some of the common apex predators in terrestrial ecosystems are

vultures, eagles, lions, and tigers.

• They can either work in groups in order to increase the chances of hunting success

or alone. 

• Apex predators are essential to maintain balance in the ecosystem as these

animals maintain the lower trophic levels.

• Example- Whale sharks