Chapter 1

Multidisciplinary nature, Ecosystems and Bio-diversity

Ecosystems: Concept, structure, function and energy flow in an ecosystem; producers,

consumers and decomposers.
Ecosystem:
Classification of ecosystem-
Based on habitat types, it can be further classified into three types.

1. Terrestrial (Land) ecosystem

2. Aquatic ecosystem

3. Man–made (or) Artificial ecosystems

Terrestrial ecosystem:
Temperate grasslands are areas of open grassy plains that are sparsely populated with trees.
Various names of temperate grasslands include pampas, downs, and veldts. Temperate
grasslands can be found in various regions north and south of the equator including Argentina,
Australia, and central North America
Aquatic ecosystem:

Man–made (or) Artificial ecosystems:

Artificial ecosystem is operated (or) maintained by man himself. Some examples are
• Crop land and
• Aquarium
Abiotic component of ecosystem
Biotic component of ecosystem
Small Crustacea Mollusks

Herbivory fish
Food chain
Food chain is a model that shows flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another
organism in an ecosystem. The length of a food chain depends upon the number of
organisms. It starts from producer species such as tress or grass and ending at apex predator
species such as grizzly bears or killer whales; detrivores such as earthworms or woodlice; or
decomposer species like fungi or bacteria. A food also shows the relation between organisms
as who they are related with each other by the food they eat. Plants and animals requires
some type of food for survival. Plant produce their own found via photosynthesis process.
Since they produce their own food they are called and producers while those organisms
which do not produce their own food like animals and humans are known as consumers.
Food web
Food web or food cycle is the connection between food chains and what species eats what in an
ecological system. Food web also known as consumer-resource system. Most communities in
food web include various populations of producer organisms which are eaten by any number of
consumer populations. For example, the green crab is a consumer and decomposer. In food web,
producers are eaten by many different consumers, and most consumers onward are eaten by
more than one predator. For example, a squirrel eats seeds, fruits, and nuts. The squirrel man be
eaten by a fox or a raccoon. Fox also eats mice and grasshoppers , etc. Most organisms are part
of several food chains. A food web starts with the producers in ecosystem and then branches off
into interconnected food chains that show who eats whom in ecosystem.
 Food Chain Vs Food Web
A chain is linear. A web is branching. A food web consists of many food chains. A food chain
only follows just one path as animals find food.

• Food chain is a single linear pathway through which food energy and nutrients travels in
the ecosystem while food web is number of interconnected food chains through which
energy and nutrients travels in the ecosystem.
• In food chains, usually member of high trophic level feed upon a single type of organism
of lower trophic level while in food web members of higher trophic level feed upon many
organisms of lower trophic level.
• In food chains, separate and isolated food chains increases the instability of the
ecosystem. In food web, stability of the ecosystem increases by the presence of complex
food webs.
• Food chains have no effect on improving the adaptability and competitiveness of the
organisms while more complex food webs improves the adaptability and competitiveness
of the organisms.
ENERGY FLOW IN THE ECOSYSTEMS
Energy is the most essential requirement for all living organism. Solar energy is the only
source to our planet earth. Solar energy is transformed to chemical energy in photosynthesis
by the plants (called as primary producers). Though a lot of sunlight falls on the green plants,
only 1% of it is utilized for photosynthesis. This is the most essential step to provide energy
for all other living organisms in the ecosystem. Some amount of chemical energy is used by
the plants for their growth and the remaining is transferred to consumers by the process of
eating. Thus the energy enters the ecosystems through photosynthesis and passes through the
different tropic levels feeding levels.
Energy flow and Thermodynamics
The flow of energy through an ecosystem follows the two laws of thermodynamics.

I law of thermodynamics: It is also called law of conservation of energy. It states that “energy
can neither be created nor be destroyed, but it can be transformed from one from to another”.
The total energy of an isolated system is constant.
Illustration: Energy for an ecosystems comes from the sun. It is absorbed by plants, herein it is
converted into stored chemical energy i.e., solar energy is converted into chemical energy.
II law of thermodynamics: It states that, “Whenever energy is transformed, there is a loss of
energy through the release of heat”.
Illustration: This occurs when energy is transferred between tropic levels. There will be a loss
of energy (about 90%) in the form of heat as it moves from one tropic level to another tropic
level. The loss of energy takes place through respiration, running, hunting, etc.,
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
Graphical representation of structure and function of tropic levels of an ecosystem, starting with
producers at the bottom and each successive tropic levels forming the apex is known as an
ecological pyramids.” In food chain starting from the producers to the consumers, there is a
regular decrease in the properties (ie.,, biomass and number of the organisms). Since some
energy is lost as heat in each tropic levels, it becomes progressively smaller near the top.

Types of Ecological pyramids

1. Pyramid of numbers.
2. Pyramid of energy.
3. Pyramid of biomass.
Pyramid of energy
Pyramids of Biomass

It represents the total amount of biomass (mass o

weight biological material or organism) present in
each tropic levels. A forest ecosystem The above
figure shows that there is a decrease in the biomass
from the lower tropic level to the higher tropic level.
This because the trees (producers) are maximum in the
forest, which contribute a huge biomass. The next
tropic levels are herbivores (insects, birds) and
carnivores (snakes, foxes). top of the tropic level
contains few tertiary consumers S and tigers), the
biomass of which is very low.