370 33 Powerpoint-Slides 2-Ecosystems-Basic-Concepts Chap 02 EVS2e Final

Ecosystems: Basic Concepts
CHAPTER 2
Environmental Studies, 2e
EnvironmentalStudies,
Environmental Studies,2e
2e
©©Oxford
OxfordUniversity
UniversityPress
Press2011
2011 All rights
All reserved
rights reserved
Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, the reader should

be able to:
• Explain what is meant by an ecosystem and define
terms like species, population, and community
• Describe the major components of an ecosystem, the
biotic community, and the abiotic conditions
• Appreciate the edge effect that comes into play in
the transitional zone between ecosystems.
• Understand the meaning and role of producers,
consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem
© Oxford University Press 2011 All rights reserved
Chapter Objectives (Contd)
• Trace the flow of matter and energy in ecosystems
and explain concepts like food chains, trophic levels,
and ecological pyramid
• Explain the concepts of ecological succession, habitat,
and ecological niche
• Describe the water and carbon cycles
• Appreciate the importance of the Sun as the
sustainer of all life.
• List the services provided by ecosystems and
appreciate the economic value of such services.
The Story of the Himalayas
The Himalayan range:

• Source of the great rivers
• Sustains 50 million people
• Immense biodiversity
The destruction:
• Forests being cleared; quarries, roads
• Soil erosion, landslides, floods
• Glaciers melting
Ecosystem
• A community of living organisms

interacting with one another and with
its non-living physical and chemical
environment.
• The interactions perpetuate the
community and retain stability under
varying conditions.
Biosphere: Terms
• Atmosphere
• Troposphere
• Hydrosphere
• Lithosphere
• Biosphere
Ecosystem components
• Living component, called the biotic

community (or biota)
• Non-living components called abiotic
conditions.
Energy
• Energy can neither be created, nor destroyed.

• It can only be transformed from one form to
another
• During transformation, a part of the energy is
lost.
• Ecological pyramid
Ecosystem Emergence
• Ecological succession
• Climax ecosystem
• Habitat
• Ecological niche
Biogeochemical Cycles
Matter cycles through the earth and the

atmosphere. These natural cycles provide
what is needed by ecosystems.
• water cycle
• carbon cycle
• oxygen cycle
• nitrogen cycle
• phosphorus cycle
Ecosystem Services
• Provisioning services: Genetic resources, wood, food,
and fresh water, etc
• Regulating services: Regulation of climate, water
purification, flood control, control of human diseases,
etc.
• Cultural services: Education, recreation and
experiencing the beauty of nature.
• Supporting services: Biomass production, production
of atmospheric oxygen, and soil formation.
Food Chains And Food Webs
Photosynthesis
Trophic Levels
Keywords & Phrases of Chap.2
•abiotic conditions •consumer
•aquatic life zone •decomposers
•biogeochemical cycle •ecological niche
•biome •ecological pyramid
•biosphere •ecological succession
•biota •ecosystem
•carbon cycle •ecosystem service
•community •ecotone
Keywords & Phrases of Chap.2
(Contd)
•edge effect pyramid of biomass
•energy flow
pyramid of energy
•food chain
•food web species
•habitat trophic level
•photosynthesis water cycle
•population
•producer
Key Points of Chap. 2
• Ecosystems represent complex interactions among
organisms.
• Energy can neither be created, nor destroyed.
• When we transform energy from one form to
another, some of it is lost.
• Organisms have roles like producers, consumers,
and decomposers in the food chain; they maintain
the flows of matter and energy.
Key points of Chap.2 (Contd)
• An ecosystem always moves towards a state

of dynamic balance.
• Every species has its ecological niche in an
ecosystem.
• Water and carbon are continuously cycled in
the biosphere.
• Ecosystems provide invaluable services.

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Ecosystems: Basic Concepts

After studying this chapter, the reader should

The Himalayan range:

• A community of living organisms

• Living component, called the biotic

• Energy can neither be created, nor destroyed.

Matter cycles through the earth and the

• An ecosystem always moves towards a state

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