NS104A

Manuel S.
Enverga University Foundation, Lucena City

College of Arts and Sciences
An Autonomous University
Lesson 3
Ecosystem: Components,
Structures, and Functions
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
ARBY S. LAGMAN
Instructor, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics,
College of Arts and Sciences
Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, Lucena City College of Arts and Sciences
Learning Outcome/s
After successful completion of the
lesson, students should have the ability
to:
• Enhance ability to gain knowledge on
the different basic ecological
concepts.
Learning Objective/s
At the end of the lesson, the students should be
able to:
1. Discuss the components of the Ecosystem;
2. Name and discuss the factors influencing
the distribution of plants and animals; and
3. Explain the important processes in the
ecosystem.
Definition of terms
• Biomass - is the term used to describe any fuel
derived from plants.
• Photosynthesis – known as primary productivity.
• Productivity – the amount of biological material
produced in a given area during a given period of
time.
• Trophic level – feeding status in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem
• The concept of ecosystem was first put forth by
A.G. Tansley (1935). Ecosystem is the major
ecological unit. It has both structure and
functions. The structure is related to species
diversity.
• The functions of ecosystem are related to the
flow of energy and cycling of materials
through structural components of the
ecosystem.
Structure of Ecosystem
Biotic components Abiotic components
• The biotic components include • Ecological relationships are
all living organisms present in the manifested in physicochemical
environment. environment.
• Can be grouped into two • Includes physical factors and
components: ingredients.
• autotrophic; and
• heterotrophic.
Structure of Ecosystem (cont.)

Biotic components Abiotic components
Biotic Components
Producers – organisms that produce organic
material by photosynthesis, mainly green
plants and algae.
Other characteristics of producers:

Known as the autotrophic elements. Producers use
the radiant energy of the sun to convert it into
chemical energy, to which oxygen is a by-product.
Examples of producers:
- algae
- grass/trees
- Chemosynthetic bacteria that also assimilate CO2
Biotic Components (cont.)

Consumers – organisms that consume the chemical
energy harnessed by the producers.
Different classes of consumers:

a. Primary consumers
b. Secondary consumers
c. Tertiary consumers
d. Parasites, scavengers, and saprobes

Primary consumers
These are purely herbivorous animals that are
dependent for their food on producers or green
plants. Insects, rodents, rabbit, deer, cow,
buffalo, goat are some of the common
herbivores in the terrestrial ecosystem, and
small crustaceans, molluscs, etc. in the aquatic
habitat.

Secondary consumers
These are carnivores and omnivores. Carnivores
are flesh eating animals and the omnivores are the
animals that are adapted to consume herbivores
as well as plants as their food. Examples of
secondary consumers are sparrow, crow, fox,
wolves, dogs, cats, snakes, etc.

Tertiary consumers
These are the top carnivores which prey upon other
carnivores, omnivores and herbivores. Lions, tigers,
hawk, vulture, etc. are considered as tertiary or top
consumers.

Parasites, scavengers, and saprobes
Besides different classes of consumers, the
parasites, scavengers and saprobes are also
included in the consumers. The parasitic
plants and animals utilize the living tissues of
different plants and animals. The scavengers
and saprobes utilize dead remains of animals
and plants as their food.

Decomposers – organisms that complete the final
breakdown and recycling of organic materials.
Examples: fungi and bacteria
Decomposers attack the dead remains of
producers and consumers and degrade the
complex organic substances into simpler
compounds. The simple organic matters are
then attacked by another kind of bacteria, the
transformers which change these organic
compounds into the inorganic forms that are
suitable for reuse by producers or green plants.
The decomposers and transformers play very
important role in maintaining the dynamic nature
of ecosystems.
Food web in an African savannah

Function of Ecosystem
The principal steps in the operation of ecosystems
are:
1. reception of radiant energy of sun;
2. manufacture of organic materials from
inorganic ones by producers;
3. consumption of producers by consumers and
further elaboration of consumed materials; and
4. After the death of producers and consumers,
complex organic compounds are degraded
and finally converted by decomposers and
converters into such forms as are suitable for
reutilization by producers.
Function of Ecosystem
Energy Flow and Pyramids of Energy and

Biomass
Learning Objective/s
At the end of the lesson, the students should be
able to:
1. Differentiate food chain and food web;
2. Discuss the feeding relationships; and
3. Explain the energy flows through
ecosystems in food chains and food webs.
How does energy flow in an ecosystem?

• Each trophic level requires a great deal of
biomass at
lower levels because energy is lost
through growth, heat, respiration, and
movement. This inefficiency is consistent
with the second principle of
thermodynamics, that energy dissipates
and degrades to lower levels as it moves
through a system.
The Energy Pyramid

• A general rule of thumb
is that only about 10
percent of the energy in
one trophic level is
represented in the next
higher level. For
example, it takes
roughly 100 kg of clover
to make 10 kg of rabbit,
and 10 kg of rabbit to
make 1 kg of fox.
The Biomass Pyramid in a Grassland

We often think of a pyramid in terms of the
number of organisms, rather than amount of
biomass in each level. The pyramid is a
general model. In this pyramid, many
smaller organisms support one organism at
the next trophic level. So 1,000 m2 of
grassland might contain 1,500,000
producers (plants), which support 200,000
herbivores, which support 90,000 primary
carnivores, which support one top carnivore.
What happens if the pyramid is disrupted?

• Ecosystems undergo many types of disturbances and disruptions. Often ecosystems
recover in time; sometimes they shift to a new type of system structure. Forest fire is a
disturbance that eliminates primary production for a short time. Fire also accelerates
movement of nutrients through the system, so that nutrients once locked up in
standing trees become available to support a burst of new growth.
• Removal of other trophic levels also disturbs an ecosystem. If there are too many
predators, prey species will decline or disappear. An overabundance of foxes, for
example, may eliminate the rabbit population. With too few rabbits, the foxes may die
off, or they may find alternate prey, which can further destabilize the system.
• On the other hand, removal of a higher trophic level can also destabilize a system: if
foxes were removed, rabbits might become overabundant and overgraze the primary
producers (plants).
• Sometimes a pyramid can be temporarily inverted. The biomass pyramid, for instance,
can be inverted by periodic fluctuations in producer populations. For example, low
plant and algal biomass is present during winter in temperate aquatic ecosystem
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

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Manuel S.

Enverga University Foundation, Lucena City

Structure of Ecosystem (cont.)

Other characteristics of producers:

Biotic Components (cont.)

Different classes of consumers:

Biotic Components (cont.)

Biotic Components (cont.)

Biotic Components (cont.)

Biotic Components (cont.)

Biotic Components (cont.)

Food web in an African savannah

Energy Flow and Pyramids of Energy and

How does energy flow in an ecosystem?

The Energy Pyramid

The Biomass Pyramid in a Grassland

What happens if the pyramid is disrupted?

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