UNIT I

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEMS

MAJOR ECOSYSTEM TYPES

FOREST ECOSYSTEM
A forest is the living community of various species of trees and smaller forms of
vegetation. This type of biome contains moderate to high average annual rain fall.
Forest ecosystem covers about one third of the earth land area.
1. Types and Characteistics
Depending upon the prevailing climatic conditions forests can be of various types
a) Tropical Rain Forests: They are evergreen broadleaf forests found near the equator
(tropics). They are characterized by high temperature, high humidity and high rainfall.
b) Tropical deciduous forests: They are found a little away from the equator and are
characterized by a warm climate the year round. Different types of deciduous trees are
found here, which lose their leaves during dry season.
c) Tropical scrub forests: They are found in areas where the dry season is even
longer. Here there are small deciduous trees and shrubs.
d) Temperate rain forests: They are found in temperate areas with adequate rainfall.
These are dominated by coniferous trees like pines, firs, redwoods etc.
e) Temperate deciduous forests: They are found in areas with moderate
temperatures.
2. Abiotic Substances (Non-Living Components)
The Abiotic substances of forest eco system include basic inorganic and organic
compounds of the environment or habitat of the organism.

(a) Inorganic Components: The inorganic components of an ecosystem are carbon

dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphate. All of these are involved in matter
cycles (biogeochemical cycles).
(b) Organic Components: The organic components of an ecosystem are proteins,
carbohydrates; lipids and amino acids, all of these are synthesized by the biota (flora
and fauna) of an ecosystem and are reached to ecosystem as their wastes, dead
remains, etc.
(c) The climate, temperature, light, soil etc., are other abiotic components of the eco-
system.
3. Biotic Substances (Living Components)
PRODUCERS
These include green plants like herbs, shrubs and trees. These prepare food (starch)
from water and CO2 in presence of sunlight and chlorophyll. The nature of plants
associated may vary according to the location.
Examples : Grass, trees etc.
CONSUMERS
A) Herbivores (plant eaters): They feed directly on producers and hence also known as
primary consumers . e.g. rabbit, deer, squirrel, insects.
B) Carnivores (meat eaters): They feed on other herbivores. If they feed on herbivores
they are known as secondary consumers. E.g. frog, fox. If they feed on other secondary
consumers they are known as tertiary consumers. Eg: snake, lion, tiger.
DECOMPOSERS
They break down complex compounds of dead tissues of producers and
consumers,absorb some of the decomposition products and release simple substances
consumable by autotrophic organisms. Decomposers include earthworms, bacteria, fungi
etc.
 4. Food Web

5. Services Rendered
i. Productive:–Food products like honey and fruits. Fuel-resource for economical growth

ii.Protective:-Medicinal plants, Habitat for animals.

iii.Regulatory:- Maintains energy and material balance through various cycles. Aids
Rainfall

iv.Aesthetic:- Religious and beauty (Neem tree).

6. Anthropogenic activities affecting the ecosystem
i.Deforestation for revenue and for development (such as laying road inside the forest)

ii. Over exploitation forest resources.

DESERT ECOSYSTEM
A desert biome is one that receives less than 25 cm of annual precipitation.One
third of the earth's surface (land) are covered by deserts

Desert are classified into two.

a) Hot and dry: Temperature exhibit daily extreme because the atmosphere
contains little humidity to block the Sun's rays. (Sahara)
b) Cold: Cold deserts can be covered in snow or ice. (Antartica)
1. Abiotic Substances (Non-Living Components)
The Abiotic substances of desert eco system include basic inorganic and organic
compounds of the environment or habitat of the organism.
(a) Inorganic Components: The inorganic components of an ecosystem arecarbon
dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphate.
(b) Organic Components: The organic components of an ecosystem are proteins,
carbohydrates; lipids and amino acids. However, organic content is much lesser when
compared to any other eco system.
(c) The climate, temperature, light, soil etc., are other abiotic components of the eco-
system.
2. Biotic Substances (Living Components)
PRODUCERS
There are many kinds of plants in the desert. They are the date palms, cacti, thorn
acacia, bushes, desert milkweed, desert willow, desert tobacco and many annuals.
Xerophytic plants like cacti store water in stems and have extended root system.They
prepare food (starch) from water and CO2 in presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.
Desert ecosystem has low productivity.
CONSUMERS
A) Herbivores (plant eaters): They feed directly on producers and hence also known as
primary consumers. These are small mammals like kangaroo rat, ground squirrels,
certain insects and Arabian camels.
B) Carnivores (meat eaters): They feed on other herbivores. If they feed on herbivores
they are known as secondary consumers. These are lizards, snakes like rattle snake,
some mammals like mongoose, tarantula and scorpions. Some animals eat both plants
and animals. These are called omnivores. Some are called scavengers as they feed on
dead animals.
DECOMPOSERS

They break down complex compounds of dead tissues of producers and

consumers,absorb some of the decomposition products and release simple substances
consumable by autotrophic organisms. Decomposers include earthworms, bacteria, fungi
etc.

A typical desert food chain:

Date palm (producer)→Kangaroo rats(herbivore)→Sandy cat (carnivore).

Services Rendered
Sand is very rich in minerals and ores for ex. Ochre, graphite gypsum etc are extracted from
Rajasthan.
Anthropogenic activities affecting the ecosystem
Pollution due to tourism
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses. Grasslands
occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica. Grasslands often occur in areas with
annual precipitation between 60 cm and 1,50 cm and average mean annual
temperatures ranges from −5 and 20 °C.
1. Abiotic Substances (Non-Living Components)
The Abiotic substances of desert eco system include basic inorganic and organic
compounds of the environment or habitat of the organism.
(a) Inorganic Components: The inorganic components of an ecosystem arecarbon
dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphate.
(b) Organic Components: The organic components of an ecosystem areproteins,
carbohydrates; lipids and amino acids.
(c) The climate, temperature, light, soil etc., are other abiotic components ofthe
eco-system.
2. Biotic Substances (Living Components)
PRODUCERS
The primary producers are herbs and shrubs. Isolated trees are also found. They prepare
food (starch) from water and CO2 in presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.CONSUMERS
A) Herbivores (plant eaters): They feed directly on producers and hence also known as
primary consumers. These are small mammals like insects, deer,rabbit, hare etc.

B) Carnivores (meat eaters): They feed on other herbivores. If they feed on herbivores
they are known as secondary consumers. These are lizards, snakes, fox, jackal etc.
Tertiary consumers like tiger, lion are also found in few grass lands.
DECOMPOSERS
They break down complex compounds of dead tissues of producers and
consumers,absorb some of the decomposition products and release simple substances
consumable by autotrophic organisms. Decomposers include earthworms, bacteria, fungi
etc.
A typical grassland food chain:

Grass (producer)→Rabbit(herbivore)→Jackal (carnivore).

Foodweb

Services Rendered:
Cycling of energy and material
Serves as pool of energy for grazing animals.
Grasses prevent soil erosion

Anthropogenic activities affecting the ecosystem:

Over grazing and over ploughing

POND/LAKE ECOSYSTEM
Ponds are shallow water bodies with a depth of 12-15 feet in which the sun rays can
penetrate to the bottom permitting the growth of plants there. Lake is much larger water
body when compared to pond. Both pond and lake ecosystem are fresh water ecosystem
where various organisms dependent on each other in water environment for their
nutrients and survival.

Characteristics of Pond ecosystem

• Stagnant freshwater body
• May be temporary, only seasonal
• More polluted due to limited amount of water
• Over utilization of water by community

Characteristics of Lake Ecosystem

• Lakes are large fresh water bodies surrounded by land.
 • Lakes exist for 100 of years.
• Limited species diversity
• Various zones as given for pond ecosystem
The functional components of a Pond ecosystem
1. Abiotic Substances (Non-Living Components)
The Abiotic substances of desert eco system include basic inorganic and organic
compounds of the environment or habitat of the organism.
(a) Inorganic Components: The inorganic components of an ecosystem arecarbon
dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphate.
(b) Organic Components: The organic components of an ecosystem areproteins,
carbohydrates; lipids and amino acids.
(c) The climate, temperature, light, soil etc., are other abiotic components ofthe
eco-system.
2. Biotic Substances (Living Components)
PRODUCERS

The producres are of two types

• larger rooted and floating vegetations together termed macrophytes
• microscopic floating algae called phytoplanktons.
Phytoplanktons are available upto the depth of water where light penetrates. Eg:
filamentous alga like Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Oscillatoria and minute floating plants like
Microcystis.
The macrophytes include plants like lotus, hydrilla etc.
CONSUMERS
Consumers of Pond ecosystem are heterotrophs which depend for their nutrition on
other organisms. Zooplanktons form primary consumers which feed on phytoplankton.
Nectic animals like insects, beetles, small fishes form secondary consumers as they
feed on zooplanktons. Benthic animals like snakes ,big fishes live on nectic animals
and are termed tertiary consumers.
DECOMPOSERS
Most of the decomposers of Pond ecosystem are saprophytes but some parasites are
also found .Bacteria, fungi are decomposers. Generally the decomposers either live in
the soil layer beneath water or in the mud. They act on dead and decayed organic
matter of plants and animals and supply raw materials to the producers.
 A typical grassland food chain:

Phytoplankton (producer)→Zooplankton(herbivore)→Small fish → Big fish →

Snake (carnivore).

BASED ON POND ECOSYSTEM, MODIFY THE NAMES OF ANIMALS TO

OBTAIN RIVER, EUSTRINE AND MARINE ECOSYSTEM.

Characteristics of Stream and River ecosystem:

• Both are fresh water system
• More oxygen concentration
• Streams have high self purification capacity
• Rivers are larger than streams

Characteristic of Ocean Ecosystem:

• 71% of the earth’s surface is covered with water
• Water is brackish
• Salinity fluctuates
• Very productive
• Rich in biodiversity
• Nursery for many ocean animals

Characteristic of Estuary Ecosystem:

• The places where fresh water streams or rivers connect together with salt water
are called estuaries.
• Contains more amount of nutrients
• It is a unique ecosystem
• Productivity is more
• Strongly affected by tides
• High species diversity