 Grassland ecosystem.

Grasslands develop where rainfall is usually

low and/or the soil depth and quality is poor. The low rainfall is
unable to support the growth of trees and shrubs but is sufficient to
support the growth of grass cover during the monsoon. The grass
species and herbs show vigorous growth during favorable conditions.
In dry seasons or summer months, above ground part of the plant dies
or their seeds lay dormant in the soil. In the next monsoon, the grass
cover grows back from underground parts (rhizomes or root-stock)
and herbs grow from the seeds of previous year. Thus, the grasslands
have highly seasonal appearance, with periods of increased growth
followed by a dormant phase. The various components of a grassland
Grassland ecosystem. Grasslands develop where rainfall is usually low and/or the
soil depth and quality is poor. The low rainfall is unable to support the growth
of trees and shrubs but is sufficient to support the growth of grass cover during the
monsoon. The grass species and herbs show vigorous growth during
favorable conditions. In dry seasons or summer months, above ground part of the
plant dies or their seeds lay dormant in the soil. In the next monsoon, the grass
cover grows back from underground parts (rhizomes or root-stock) and herbs grow
from the seeds of previous year. Thus, the grasslands have highly seasonal
appearance, with periods of increased growth followed by a dormant phase. The
various components of a grassland
A. Abiotic component. This includes nutrients present in soil and aerial
environment. The essential elements like C, H, 0, N, P. S. K, Mg, Ca, Fe, etc. are
supplied by CO2. H20, nitrates, phosphates, suiphates, etc. present in air and soil.
Other essential elements are mostly provided by soil.
B. Biotic component. (a) Producers. They are mainly grasses, e.g. species of
Dichanthium, Cynodon, Desmodium, Digitaria, Dachjloctenium, Brachiaria,
Setaria, Sporobolus, etc. Few shrubs and herbs (especially legumes) also contribute
to primary production.
(b) Consumers. (i) Primary consumers. Important herbivores are grazing animals
like cows, buffaloes, deer, sheep, goats, rabbit, mouse, etc. Others are insects like
Leptocorisa, Oxyrhachis, Dysdercus, Cicincella, Cocci nella,, termites, millipedes
that feed on leaves of grasses.
(ii) Secondary Consumers. Carnivores include jackals, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds,
etc. Sometimes the hawks feed on secondary consumers, thus, completing the food
chains as tertiary consumers.
C. Decomposers. Important decomposers are fungi like species of Mucor,
Aspergillus, Peniciflium, Rhizopus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, etc., and some
baceria and actinomycetes. They recycle the minerals and make them available to
producers.
Grassland Ecosystem:
Grasslands occupy about 19% of the earth’s surface. The major grassland ecosystems
of the world are the great plains of Canada and United States, S. Argentina to Brazil
and S. Asia to Central Asia.
The various components of a grassland ecosystem are as follows—
1. Abiotic substances:
These include the nutrients present in the soil and the aerial environment. The
elements required by plants are hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and
sulphur. These are supplied by the soil and air in the form of CO2, water, nitrates,
phosphates and sulphates. In addition to these some trace elements are also
present in the soil.
2.Primary producers:
These are mainly grasses of the family, Graminae, a large variety of herbs, some
shrubs and scattered trees.
3. Consumers:
Herbivores such as grazing mammals (e.g., cows, sheep, deer, rabbit, buffaloes, etc),
insects (e.g., Dysdercus, Coccinella, Leptocorisa, etc), some termites and millipedes
are the primary consumers.
The animals like fox, jackals, snakes, frogs, lizard, birds etc., are the carnivores
feeding on the herbivores. These are the secondary consumers of the grassland
ecosystem. Hawks occupy the tertiary trophic level as these feed on the secondary
consumers.
4. Decomposers:
These include bacteria of death and decay, moulds and fungi (e.g., Mitcor,
Penicillium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, etc). These bring the minerals back to the soil
to be available to the producers again.
The Forest Ecosystem:
Forests occupy roughly 40% of the total land. In India about l/10th of the total area is under forests.
Depending on climatic conditions the forests have been divided into four categories—
1. Tropical forests
2. Subtropical forests
3. Temperate forests
4. Alpine forests
All the above types of forests have their own typical fauna and flora. The chief components of a forest
ecosystem are as follows
1. Abiotic substances:
1. In addition to minerals present in the soil, the forest floor is rich in dead and decaying organic matter.
2. Primary producers:
The dominant producers of the forest ecosystem are the higher forms of the plant kingdom, most
specifically seed bearing plants. In forest ecosystem, the producers form three major functions. First, they
provide the initial source of food. Second, large plant structures provide habitats for other organisms.
Third, they are prime agents in soil formation and in modifying the abiotic environment.
The forest ecosystem is directly dependent upon the kinds and number of plants present.
The plants are mainly trees, some shrubs and ground vegetation.
The evergreen tropical forests have broad leaved trees with irregular leaf fall. The temperate deciduous
forests are dominated by pines with needle-like leaves. At the lower level of such forests are found only s
hade tolerant plants such as ferns and shrubs. The other forms of tropical evergreen forests are t
he vines and the epiphytes.
3. Primary consumers:
These are the herbivores that include the foliage arthropods such as ants, flies, beetles, leaf-hoppers,
bugs and spiders, etc. and the larger animals grazing on shoots and fruits such as elephants, nilgai,
deer, moles, squirrels, shrews, flying foxes, fruit bats and mongooses, etc.
The Desert Ecosystem:
The deserts occupy about 17% of the land and occur in the regions with an average
rainfall of less than 23 cm. Due to extreme of temperature, the species composition
of desert ecosystem is less varied and typical. The various components of a desert
ecosystem are—
1. Producers:
The shrubs, bushes, grasses and some trees are the main producers in deserts. The
shrubs have extensive and much branched root system with the stems and leaves
variously modified. Some succulent cacti are also found in deserts. These store water
in their stem to be used during the time of water scarcity. Some lower plants such as
lichens, xerophytic mosses and blue green algae are also found there.
2. Consumers:
Only a few animals are found in deserts. The most common animals are those
reptiles and insects which are able to live under xeric conditions. Mammals are
represented by a few species of nocturnal rodents. Some birds are present. The
camel, called the ship of desert, feeds on tender shoots of the plants and conserves
large quantities of water in its stomach. The larger animals including carnivores are
scarce. The desert animals have various morphological and physiological
adaptations which enable them to live in such extreme environment.
3. Decomposers:
Due to poor vegetation and less amount of dead organic matter decomposers are
few. They are thermophilic fungi and bacteria.
Introduction: A pond is either a natural or an artificial body
of water that is enclosed. Ponds can occur naturally in the
world or they can be human made (such as a garden pond).
An ecosystem is the technical term for a community of
organisms. For such a community to form an ecosystem, it
needs to be a distinct system where the organisms live and
interact.
Pond Ecosystem is differs from other water ecosystems.
Unlike the river ecosystem, which is categorized under the
Lotic systems, pond ecosystem falls under the Lentic
ecosystem for the reason that the water remains stagnant in
ponds for a relatively longer period time.
Pond Ecosystem: Biotic Components
The biotic components of Pond ecosystem consists of -
Producers:-The producres are of two types-larger rooted and floating vegetations
together termed macrophytes and phytoplanktons-which are microscopic floating
algae.Phytoplanktons are available upto the depth of water where light penetrates.The
phytoplanktons are filamentous alga like
Ulothrix,Oedogonium,Spirogyra,Anabena,Oscillatoria and minute floating plants like
Microcystis,Gloeotrichina volvox etc.The macrophytes include marginal emergent
plants like Typha , Acerus, Ipomea ,submerged plants like Hydrilla, Utricularia, Trapa,
Nymphrea etc ; surface floating plants like Pistea ,Lemna, Wolffia,Eichhornia,Salvinia
etc.
Consumers:-Consumers of Pond ecosystem are heterotrophs which depend for their
nutrition on other organisms.Zooplanktons form primary consumers ,include
Brachionus ,Asplanchna ,Lechane ,(all rotofers) Colops, Dilepteus,Cyclops ,Stenocypris
(crustacean) ,who feed on phytoplankton.Nectic animals like insects,beetles,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 like Aspergillus Cladosporium
Rhizopus,Alternaria,Fusarium,Saprolegnia etc 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.
Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth's aquatic
ecosystems and are distinguished by waters that have a high salt
content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems,
which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than
70% of the surface of the Earth and account for more than 97%
of Earth's water supply and 90% of habitable space on Earth.
Marine ecosystems include nearshore systems, such as the salt
marshes, mudflats, seagrass meadows, mangroves, rocky
intertidal systems and coral reefs. They also extend outwards
from the coast to include offshore systems, such as the surface
ocean, pelagic ocean waters, the deep sea, oceanic
hydrothermal vents, and the sea floor. Marine ecosystems are
characterized by their associated biological community of
interacting organisms and their physical environment.