Ecosystems: Concept, Types and

Basic Structure of an Ecosystem

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Ecosystems: Concept, Types and Basic Structure of an

Ecosystem!
Concept of an Ecosystem:
The term ecosystem was coined in 1935 by the Oxford ecologist
Arthur Tansley to encompass the interactions among biotic and
abiotic components of the environment at a given site. The living
and non-living components of an ecosystem are known as biotic and
abiotic components, respectively.

Ecosystem was defined in its presently accepted form by Eugene

Odum as, “an unit that includes all the organisms, i.e., the
community in a given area interacting with the physical
environment so that a flow of energy leads to clearly defined trophic
structure, biotic diversity and material cycles, i.e., exchange of
materials between living and non-living, within the system”.

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Smith (1966) has summarized common characteristics of

most of the ecosystems as follows:
1. The ecosystem is a major structural and functional unit of
ecology.
2. The structure of an ecosystem is related to its species diversity in
the sense that complex ecosystem have high species diversity.

3. The function of ecosystem is related to energy flow and material

cycles within and outside the system.

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4. The relative amount of energy needed to maintain an ecosystem

depends on its structure. Complex ecosystems needed less energy to
maintain themselves.

5. Young ecosystems develop and change from less complex to more

complex ecosystems, through the process called succession.

6. Each ecosystem has its own energy budget, which cannot be

exceeded.

7. Adaptation to local environmental conditions is the important

feature of the biotic components of an ecosystem, failing which they
might perish.

8. The function of every ecosystem involves a series of cycles, e.g.,

water cycle, nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, etc. these cycles are driven
by energy. A continuation or existence of ecosystem demands
exchange of materials/nutrients to and from the different
components.

Types of Ecosystem:
We can classify ecosystems as follows:
(a) Natural Ecosystems:
These ecosystems are capable of operating and maintaining
themselves without any major interference by man.

A classification based on their habitat can further be

made:
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1. Terrestrial ecosystems: forest, grassland and desert.

2. Aquatic ecosystems: fresh water ecosystem, viz. pond, lake, river

and marine ecosystems, viz. ocean, sea or estuary.

(b) Artificial Ecosystem:

These are maintained by man. These are manipulated by man for
different purposes, e.g., croplands, artificial lakes and reservoirs,
townships and cities.

Basic Structure of an Ecosystem:

Every ecosystem has a non-living (abiotic) and living (biotic)
components.

Abiotic Components:
Basic inorganic compounds of an organism, habitat or an area like
carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, etc. that are
involved in the material cycles are collectively called as abiotic
component. The amount of these inorganic substances present at
any given time, in an ecosystem is called as the standing state or
standing quality of an ecosystem.

Whereas, organic components e.g., proteins, amino acids,

carbohydrates and lipids that are synthesized by the biotic
counterpart of an ecosystem make the biochemical structure of the
ecosystem. The physical environment, viz. climatic and weather
conditions are also included in the abiotic structure of the
ecosystem.
Biotic Components:
From the trophic (nutritional) point of view, an ecosystem has
autotrophic (self-nourishing) and a heterotrophic (other
nourishing) components:

(a) Autotrophic component (Producers):

This component is mainly constituted by the green plants, algae and
all photosynthetic organisms. Chemosynthetic bacteria,
photosynthetic bacteria, algae, grasses, mosses, shrubs, herbs and
trees manufacture food from simple inorganic substances by fixing
energy and are therefore called as producers.

(b) Heterotrophic component (Consumers):

The members of this component cannot make their own food. They
consume the matter built by the producers and are therefore called
as consumers. They may be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores.
Herbivores are called as primary consumers whereas carnivores and
omnivores are called as secondary consumers. Collectively we can
call them as macro-consumers.
(c) Decomposers:
Heterotrophic organisms chiefly bacteria and fungi that breakdown
the complex compounds of dead protoplasm, absorb some of the
products and release simple substances usable by the producers are
called as decomposers or reducers. Collectively we call them as
micro consumers.

The Organization as an Ecosystem

Details

Published: November 11, 2014

Written by Tristan Boutros

As the way businesses operate in society has changed due to the Internet revolution, some
business thinkers have begun to see organizations as ecosystems rather than as discrete units.
Businesses are no longer seen as monolithic units (everything is "the business") or as bundles of
discrete parts that each have their own function. Instead, successful businesses must find
creative ways to integrate their various functions so that they can become more productive and
effective.
Ecosystem thinking doesn’t just focus on how businesses begin or how technology can be used
for greater productivity, it shifts businesses entirely to the ecosystem model, in which every
action a business takes can affect all other parts of the system.
Ecosystems 101: How They Relate to Business
Biologists often describe Ecosystems as a community of organisms interacting in their
environment. We can analogize that definition to business as well. In a business ecosystem, the
relationships between things matter. In fact, they matter a lot. Everything touches everything
else. And so the way that humans interact with processes, which interact with applications, which
interact with various infrastructures, has a big effect on the system as a whole.
In general, businesses function as an ecosystem because of the large number of interconnected
parts spread across the enterprise and even across the globe. Consider a business that
manufactures and distributes trinkets. That business depends on its manufacturing personnel to
make the trinkets, suppliers to get raw materials to the manufacturing plant so that it can keep
running, shippers that send finished products either directly to customers or to retailers that plan
to sell them, finance to handle accounts payable, and customer service to handle customer calls
and requests. A mistake or delay anywhere in the supply chain can affect all aspects of the
business, leading to delays all of the way down the line and interfering with sales as well as
manufacturing.

A Shift in Perspective
Although the basics of the ecosystem have always been with us, to truly view business as an
ecosystem requires a shift in perspective. In the past, businesses were thought of as monolithic
entities that followed a standard organizational pattern. Viewing businesses as ecosystems,
however, requires a change in the way businesses are organized altogether.

 Component architecture models allow businesses to quickly identify needs and take
action to meet them rather than slowly upgrading themselves
 This model also allows businesses to align their technology needs with their general
operating plans, allowing them to integrate technology in a more seamless manner

In essence, component operating models allow businesses to build their IT infrastructure and
other organizational structures from the bottom up, creating the exact organizational structure the
business needs to best meet environmental, technological, or even political needs not even
imagined a few decades ago. The various components can include policies, processes,
procedures, activities, systems, business rules, strategies, departments, resources, projects,
products, competitors; literally any piece of an enterprise. It is this ‘building block’ approach that
enables businesses to be truly agile and shape themselves almost on demand.

The Three Phase Approach

Switching to the ecosystem model requires rebuilding your business organization. There are
three phases associated with this transition.

 During the design phase, the organization develops its team, solidifies its vision and
identifies any constraints that limit what the business can do.
 During the implementation phase, the business puts its plan into action. This phase is
work-intensive, as the business catalogs all its vital processes, adds components for
greater efficiency and deploys needed tools and systems.
 During the monitoring phase, the business continually analyzes its ecosystem to see
what's working and what isn't, making changes as needed so that the system works even
more efficiently.

Creating and cultivating an efficient business ecosystem extends far beyond noting technological
changes or implementing new technology to improve existing processes. Instead, businesses
must become aware of their organizational structure, work on rebuilding it more effectively and
consistently analyze data with an eye towards further improvement. The businesses that are
willing to undertake this process are the ones that will come out on top as the 21st century
progresses.

Business Ecosystems
Blindsided by a competitor that came out of nowhere? Challenged to collaborate
more deeply with a supply partner than you ever imagined? Asked to think out of the
box and partner with a rival firm? If so, you’re being challenged by your business
ecosystems.

Today’s companies are embedded in multiple, complex relationships that make them
interdependent on each other for success. It’s only recently that corporate leaders
are realizing that business ecosystemsare more than a concept. Ecosystems have
intense implications for how companies plan for the future, and they ignore those
implications at their own risk. Learning about business ecosystems can help
organizations improve effectiveness, manage risk, and break through to new
innovations.
Learn About Business Ecosystems
Take a next step towards using business ecosystem knowledge to benefit your
organization with these free resources. You can find more articles on our blog.

Finding Value: Using

Ecosystem Mapping and
What are Business Lessons from the Octopus:
Value Network Analysis to
Ecosystems? Business Ecosystems,
Navigate Complexity in
Adaptability, and Change
Corporations and
Leadership
Communities

Illuminating
the Invisible: Mapping
Austin’s Adolescent Health
System Using Value Network
Analysis
Planning
Curing
Your Business Strategy in the
Ecosystem Blindness
Corporate Ecosystem

You might also be interested in the original business ecosystems article by

James Moore, the landmark article “Strategy as Ecology” by Marco Iansiti and Roy
Levien, “Why Walmart is Like a Forest” by David Hurst, and “Amoeba
 Management: Lessons from Japan’s Kyocera” by Ralph Adler and Toshiro
Hiromoto.
Dive In to Business Ecosystem Assessment
If you’re ready to take action, try these starter tools that will help you assess and
analyze your business ecosystems. The caveat: these tools are just a start. For a
more robust assessment, contact us.
 Health Diagnostic – Is your organization equipped to survive in today’s rapidly changing
market? Take this short diagnostic to gauge your organization’s capacity to adapt and
respond to the market. The 18 questions assess key factors supporting organizational
resiliency, such as market impact, customer connection, strategic clarity, organizational
agility, employee engagement, and market volatility. Free Resource.
 Ecosystem Mapping – Do you understand who is in your business ecosystem? Can you
assess the opportunities and disruptive changes emerging within your ecosystem? This short
tool will help you, in 30 minutes by yourself or an hour with a team, generate a starter view
of your business ecosystem. Free Resource.
 Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment – Today, companies’ fates are more intimately tied to
that of other organizations than ever before. To think about how business ecosystem
interdependencies and relationships could affect your organization, start with a simple
vulnerability assessment. Free Resource.
 Being Better: Strategic Leadership for Business Ecosystems – A guide to building your
skills as an effective leader within a complex business ecosystem. Partnering Resources blog.
Didn’t find what you were looking for here? Check out our organizational network
resources.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help your company work more
effectively within its business ecosystem.