ECOSYSTEM

Environment
The word environment is derived from French language. The meaning of word
“environs “means surrounding

Environment is defined as the sum of all conditions and influence, which

affects the development and life of all organisms on earth.
Ecology
Ecology is a branch of science that deals with living and non-living entities in
relation to their surroundings, in the total environment.
ECOSYSTEM
The term “Ecosystem” was first proposed by A.G.Tansley, an English botanist,
in 1935.
Living organisms cannot live separately from their non-living environment,
because the non-living things provides materials and energy for the survival of
the living things.
“An ecosystem is defined as a community of life forms in concurrence with
non-living (abiotic) and living (biotic community) components, interacting with
each other.”
STRUCTURE OF AN ECOSYSTEM
The structure of ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely
1) Biotic components
2) Abiotic components
Biotic components
The living organisms including plants, animals and micro-organisms (bacteria
and fungi) that are present in an ecosystem from the biotic components.
The biotic components can be classified into three main groups
1. Producers
2. Consumer
3. Decomposes (or) reducers
PRODUCERS
 Producers are the living beings which make their own organic matter from
carbon dioxide, water, mineral and solar energy. The green plants are the
producers they produces their food by own.This process is known as
photosynthesis.Producers also known as autotrophs ( auto= self, trophos
=feeder)
CONSUMER
Consumers are the living beings that cannot produce their own organic matter.
They depend on producers for their food. Consumers also known as
Heterotrophs ( heteros = other, trophos =feeder)
Consumers are further divided into
▪ Primary consumer(Herbivores)
▪ Secondary consumers(Carnivores)
▪ Tertiary consumers( Carnivores, omnivores)

Primary consumer: These are the animals which feed on plants or producers.
They are called herbivores. ex: rabbits ,deer, goat etc.,

Secondary consumers: The animals which feed on the herbivores are called
secondary consumer
Ex: lions, tiger etc.,
Decomposer (or) Reducers
Decomposers are the living organism which breakdown the dead organic
materials of plants and animals for their food. Release into environment in the
form of simple organic and inorganic substances. This simple substances are
reused by plants. The decomposers are known as saprotrophs ( sapros= rotten,
tropes= feeder) .ex: bacteria and fungi
Abiotic components
Abiotic components include physical conditions and non-living resources that
affects living organism in term of growth, maintenance and reproduction.They
have a strong influence on the structure, distribution, behaviour and inter-
relationship of organisms.
Ex: rain, temperature, light, wind, humidity, soil, pH, topography minerals etc.,

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:

• Terrestrial Ecosystem
• Aquatic Ecosystem
 • Terrestrial Ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems. The type
of terrestrial ecosystem found in a particular place is dependent on the
temperature range, the average amount of precipitation received, the
soil type, and amount of light it receives.
Different types of terrestrial ecosystem are

1. Forest Ecosystems
2. Grassland Ecosystems
3. Tundra Ecosystems
4. Desert Ecosystem

Aquatic ecosystem

An aquatic ecosystem are ecosystem present in a body of water.

Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their
environment to live in aquatic ecosystems.

These can be further divided into two types, namely:

1. Marine Ecosystem
2. Freshwater Ecosystem

Marine Ecosystem

The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. The Marine ecosystem is the
largest aquatic ecosystem which covers about 71% of the Earth`s surface. It
contains about 97% water of the planet. This ecosystem contains about 85% of
the dissolved materials such as sodium and chlorine.

Various din flagellates, brown algae, cephalopods, corals, echinoderms,

shellfish such as crabs, shrimps, lobsters, and snails are also found in marine
ecosystem.

Also, marine animals cannot survive in freshwater. Their body is adapted to

live in saltwater; if they are placed in less salty water, their body will swell
(osmosis).
Freshwater Ecosystem
Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, wetlands, streams, swamp, rivers,
bog, and temporary pools. These cover about 0.8% of the earth surface. These
ecosystem provide habitat for 41% of the world`s fish species. These have no
salt content in contrast with the marine ecosystem.

The freshwater ecosystems are of the following three basic types:

 1. Lentic : slow moving water, including pools, ponds, and lakes.
2. Lotic: faster moving water, for example streams and rivers.
3. Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part
of the time.

Lentic Ecosystems
Lentic ecosystem includes standing water bodies. The examples of lentic
ecosystems are ponds, lakes, ditches, seasonal pools, basin marshes etc.
Among them, lakes have deep waters which influence by light while ponds
support a wide range of water plants due to their more light penetration.
These ecosystems are home to algae, rooted and floating-leaved plants and
invertebrates such as crabs and shrimps. Amphibians such as frogs and
salamanders and reptiles like alligators and water snakes are also found here.

Lotic Ecosystems

Lotic ecosystems are the systems with rapid flowing waters that move in a
unidirectional way such as rivers and streams creek spring. They have faster
moving turbulent waters which contain high concentrations of DO (dissolved
oxygen). These water bodies support wide range of biodiversity.

They provide suitable habitats for numerous species including mayflies,

beetles, stoneflies and different species of fishes

Wetlands
Wetlands are the water bodies which contains large varieties of animals and
plants. It is the most well productive natural water bodies that provide
habitats for large numbers of animal and plant species. It is also used for the
purpose of agriculture which provide the cultivation of rice and meet the diet
of half the world`s population. It gives the benefit to humanity by filtering
water, and also helps in storm protection and flood control.

Functions of Aquatic Ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystems show many beneficial environmental jobs. They make

water purification, recycle nutrients, recharge ground water, prevent floods
and also offer habitats for aquatic wildlife.
GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the
Earth’s atmosphere and its oceans due to the Greenhouse effects

Causes of Global warming

1) Use of vehicles

Vehicle burn fossil fuels which emit a large amount of carbon dioxide and other toxins into
atmosphere resulting in a temperature increase

2) Deforestation

The forests are being depleted for many domestic and commercial purposes .this has led to
environmental imbalance and giving rise to Global warming

3) Chlorofluorocarbons

The excessive use of air conditioners and refrigerators humans have been adding
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) into environment. The CFC’s has led to ozone layer depletion making
way for the UV rays. Thereby increasing the temperature of the Earth.

4) Industrial development

With the advancement of industrialization, the temperature of the Earth has been increasing rapidly.

The harmful emission from factories to the atmosphere it increases the temperature of the Earth

5) Agriculture

Various farming activities produces carbon dioxide and methane gas, release of these gases in the
atmosphere increase the temperature of the Earth.

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

➢ Global warming led to increase in Earth’s temperature, this resulted in an increase in melting
of ice glaciers, which lead to an increase in sea level. This could affects the coastal regions.

➢ Global warming results in drastic change in weather patterns i.e. like droughts and floods,
hurricanes.

➢ Global warming affect the coral reefs ,that to loss of aquatic plants and animals lives

➢ The major impact of global warming is a biodiversity i.e a global shift in the climate leads to
loss of habitat. So the animals need to migrate from their natural habitat and even become
extinct

➢ Global warming leads to change in the pattern of heat and humidity .this led to rapid carry
and spread of diseases

➢ Rising temperatures and acidity with in our oceans.

GREEN HOUSE EFFECTS

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface.

Greenhouse effects means “When the sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere some of
it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by Greenhouse gases”

“The gases which responsible for causing greenhouse effect are called greenhouse gases”

Ex: carbon dioxide, water vapor, chlorofluorocarbon and methane.

 These gases adsorb infrared radiation and creates a greenhouse effect. These gases are
emitted from factories automobiles, due to deforestation etc.

EFFECTS OF GREEN HOUSE

➢ Rising of sea level

➢ Changes in weather pattern

➢ Effects on organisms

➢ Increase in desert formation etc

HOW TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE EFFECTS

➢ Reduce the consumption of fossil fuels

➢ Grow more plant (stop deforestation)
➢ Use renewable energy resources
➢ Recycle products
➢ Replace regular light bulbs with compact florescent light (CFL)
➢ Save electricity.

Ozone
The ozone layer is a region in the Earth’s stratosphere that contains high concentrations of
ozone and protection the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun .

OZONE DEPLETION
Ozone layer depletion is the gradual thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere caused due to the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous bromine
(or) chlorine from human activities

CAUSES
➢ The molecules of chlorofluorocarbons in the stratosphere are broken down by UV-radiations
and release chlorine atoms. These atoms reacts with ozone and destroy it.
➢ Unregulated launching of rockets results in depletion of ozone layer
➢ The nitrogenous compounds such as𝑁𝑂2 , 𝑁𝑂, 𝑁2 O are responsible for ozone depletion

EFFECTS OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

➢ Due to depletion of ozone layer human are directly exposed to harmful UV-radiation that led
to skin diseases, cancers, sun burns, eye cataracts etc.
➢ Strong UV rays may led to minimal growth flowering and photosynthesis in plants
➢ Destruction of Aquatic life