ECOSYSTEMS

Environment Science
Concept of an Ecosystem

 An Ecosystem is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form such as forest, grassland, desert,
wetland or coastal area.
 The nature of ecosystem is based on its geographical features like hills, mountains, plains, rivers, coastal
areas etc
 It is controlled by climatic conditions like amount of sunlight, temperature and rainfall.

Components of an Ecosystem

 The geographical, climatic and soil characteristics form its non-living (ABIOTIC) component.
 These features create conditions that support a community of plants and animals that evolution has produced
to live in these specific conditions.
 The living part of the ecosystem is referred to as BIOTIC components.
Ecosystem- Division

 Divided into Terrestrial or land based & Aquatic ecosystem

 These two form the major habitat conditions for Earth’s living organisms.
 At a more local level, each area has several structurally and functionally identifiable ecosystems- forests,
grasslands, river catchments, mangrove swamps in deltas, seashore, islands etc.
 Habitat for a specific plants or animals
 Ecosystems have been formed on land and in the sea by evolution- species to live together in a specific
region.
 Thus ecosystems have both living and non-living components typical to an area giving its own special
characteristics that are easily observed.
Ecosystem- A Definition

 The living community of plants and animals in any area together with the non-living components of the
environment such as soil, air and water, constitute the ecosystem.
 Some ecosystems are robust and less affected by human disturbances.
 Others are highly fragile and quickly destroyed by human activities- Mountains(degradation of forest cover
leads to soil erosion and change in river course. Island ecosystem can be easily affected any human activity
which leads to extinction of species of plants and animals. Evergreen forests+ Coral reefs
Understanding ecosystems

 Natural ecosystems include the forests, grasslands, deserts and aquatic ecosystems- ponds, rivers, lakes and
sea
 Man modifies ecosystems: agricultural land and urban/industrial land use
Common features of Ecosystem

 Common features observed in the field:

 Should be able to describe specific features of the different ecosystems in one’s own surroundings.
 Structure: forest, grassland, waterbody, agricultural area, urban area etc
 Composition of plant and animal species: some species according to the ecosystem will be common and some rare.
 An ecosystem functions through several biogeochemical cycles and energy transfer mechanisms. Food chain, energy
chain etc- join to form web of life- all these process use energy from sun.
Ecosystem Degradation

 Ecosystem- basis of Life!

 Natural ecosystems in the wilderness- variety of products- regions of vital ecological processes- without
which human civilization .
 They are frequently disrupted by human actions-leading to extinction of plants and animals- living in
specific ecosystems- their extinction affects ecosystem. These are “keystone” species.
 Extinction occurs due to change in land use- forest deforested for timber- wetlands drained for agricultural
land, semi arid grasslands for irrigated fields.
 Pollution from industry and waste from urban settings-leads to extinction
 Reason for depletion of natural resources:
 Rapidly exploding population which needs to sustain itself on resources
 Growth of affluent societies which consume large proportion of resources and energy
 Increasing extraction of resources is at the cost of natural ecosystem leading to extinction of many species.
 Recycling water- using less plastics- recycling paper