![Page 1: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
CONCEPT OF AN
ECO SYSTEM
Dr.R.Priscilla, HoD of Physics,
ADM. College for Women,
Nagapattinam.
![Page 2: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
![Page 3: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
![Page 4: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Eco System
The various communities of living organisms interact among themselves
As well as with their physical environment like soil, air and water. This functional unit or ‘system’ made up of living and non-living components is called an ‘ecosystem’. This term ‘ecosystem’ was coined by Tansley in 1935.
![Page 5: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
The interaction is through energy flow and
cycling of materials.
*This makes the ecosystem to sustain life
continuously.
*An eco system may be of any size. i.e, the whole
world may be considered as an ecosystem called
biosphere.
*They are natural but some man made and none
of the eco system is independent but all of them
are interdependent.
![Page 6: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
![Page 7: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Structure and function of an
ecosystem
Two major components
1. The abiotic component which
includes the physical environment.
2. The biotic component comprising
of all the living organisms.
![Page 8: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS BIOTIC COMPONENTS
Sunlight Primary producers
Temperature Herbivores
Precipitation Carnivores
Water or moisture Omnivores
Soil or water chemistry (e.g., P, NH4+) Detritivores
etc. etc.
![Page 9: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Abiotic component consists of
1. the solid mineral matter of the
earth(lithosphere)
2. the water in the oceans, lakes,
rivers and ice caps etc.(hydrosphere).
3.the gaseous mixture in the
air(atmosphere) and
4. the radiant solar energy.
![Page 10: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
The environment created and
maintained by the interactions of
the common environmental
factors, function as a whole unit.
Any of these factors cannot be
removed or altered without
affecting the other factors.
Therefore, the environment is
called HOLISTIC.
![Page 11: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Producers, consumers and
decomposers
Biotic Component – the organisms of
ecosystems are divided into two
classes.
1. The producers:
autotrophs (green plants & certain
bacteria)
– produce their own food.
Since these organisms produce food for all
the other organisms they are also known
as producers.
![Page 12: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
![Page 13: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
2. consumers:
Heterotrops – depends on the producers for
the food.
Depends directly or indirectly upon the
autotrophs for their food.
Consumers Decomposers.
![Page 14: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
![Page 15: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Consumers are of three kinds.
They are
1. Primary consumers
2. Secondary consumers
3. tertiary consumers.
![Page 16: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Primary consumers
- a herbivore is a primary consumer.
- it derives its nutrition directly from plants
Secondary consumers
- a carnivore is a secondary consumer.
- it derives its energy from the producers
(plants)
Tertiary consumers
- they are Carnivores that feed on other
carnivores.
Omnivores are consumers that derive their
energy from both producers and herbivores.
![Page 17: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
![Page 18: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Decomposers
- consists of bacteria and fungi.
- produce enzyme within their bodies.
- act on dead plant & animal material and
some of the degraded and digested
products and then absorbed.
- perform an invaluable service to the
ecosystem by the mineralization of organic
matter and made available for reuse.
![Page 19: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
![Page 20: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
The process of eating and being eaten forms
a chain.
Producer herbivore carnivore carnivore – back to producers.
The position of the organism in the food chain is
indicated by tropic levels.
Tropic level may be defined as the no. of links by
which it is separated from the producer.
![Page 21: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Grass -» Grasshopper -» Lizard -» Snakes -»
Hawks.
Grass -» Mice -» Snakes -» Hawks
Grass -» Rabbits -» Dogs -» Tigers/Lions.
Trees -» Deer/Goats -» Foxes -» Tigers/Lions.
Trees -» Birds -» Snakes -» Hawks.
Phytoplankton -» Larvae -» Fishes -» Whales.
![Page 22: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
First Tropic Level – producers
2nd Tropic Level – herbivores
3rd Tropic Level – carnivores The same organism may operate in the ecosystem at
more than one tropic level,i.e, deriving food from more than one source.
An organism may be eaten by several organisms of a higher tropic level or an organism at a lower tropic level may feed upon several different organisms.
Thus we obtain several food chains linked together and intersecting each other to form a network known as FOOD WEB
![Page 23: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Energy flow in a Eco system
Energy flow : In any eco system, for their structural
development and functioning obtain energy from a group
of organisms that are already present in a particular
system.
1.Energy travels only through single way
2.There is reduction of energy in each tropic level
![Page 24: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
![Page 25: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
* Energy level is const. for every ecosystem
* One cannot increase or decrease the energy level
* Can be converted into one state to another state
* A portion of energy remains unused during the
conversion of energy
* After conversion its reaction capacity gets reduced.
* Because of this, there is flow of energy from higher tropic
level to the lower tropic level.
* A part of the radiant energy of the sunlight is converted
into chemical energy by the producers and is stored in the
organic compounds
* The rest of the radiant energy is converted into heat
energy.
![Page 26: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Food Chains, Food Webs and Ecological Pyramids.
Food Chains : The transfer of food energy from producers (plants) through a series of organisms,
i.e, Herbivores Carnivores Top carnivores
Decomposers
with repeated eating and being eaten is known as a food chain. It is also called as trophic level.
Example : In grassland ecosystem, the food chain starts from grasses and goes through the grasshopper, calotes, snake and the eagle or hawk in an orderly sequence.
![Page 27: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
![Page 28: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Food webs
Though many food chains can be traced in
an ecosystem they never operate as isolated
sequences. But they are interconnected
with each other forming some interlocking
pattern. This is known as food web.
![Page 29: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Ecological PyramidsThe interrelation between numbers, biomass and
energy contents of consumersof the first order,
second order and upto the top carnivores in any
ecosystem is represented in diagrammtic ways. They
are called as ecological pyramids. They are of three
types, viz.,Ecological
Pyramids
Pyramid of
numbers
Pyramid of
biomass
Pyramid of
energy
![Page 30: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
![Page 31: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
![Page 32: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
![Page 33: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
![Page 34: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
![Page 35: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
1. Pyramid of numbers :
The relationship between the
number of producers and the
primary, secondary and tertiary
consumers constitutes the pyramid
of numbers.
![Page 36: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Tiger or lion(Top carnivores)
Fox (Sec.carnivores)
Rabbit(Pri.consumer)
Grasses(Pri. Producer)
Grassland ecosystem shows upright pyramid
![Page 37: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
In the grassland ecosystem the wide base of the pyramid represents the large number of primary
producers.
The primary consumers like the rabbit and the grasshopper form the second large number.
The top carnivores like the tiger is present in the least number and occupy the peak of the pyramid.
So in this way the numbers are represented in a diagramatic way and an upright pyramid is formed.
![Page 38: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Pyramid of Biomass
Biomass is the amount of living organisms and
living matter present in a particular ecosystem
In grassland ecosysytem, the
Biomass of the producers is the
highest of all the trophic levels.
Tiger
Fox
GrassesPyramid of Biomass in Grassland Ecosystem
![Page 39: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Here, not only the number decreases but the biomass also continue to
decrease from primary producers
to the top carnivores.
The relationship between the biomass of producers and the consumers of the
ecosystem can again be represented in the
form of upright pyramids.
![Page 40: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Pyramid of energy_______Carnivores(Tertiary
consumers)
_________Carnivores(Sec.consumers)
________Herbivores (Pri.consumers)
________Producers
![Page 41: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
In an ecosystem the primary producers trap the sunlight energy and convert into chemical energy
through Photosynthesis.
The energy traped in the food materials flow in the food chain from the producers to the herbivores
and then to carnivores and finally to top carnivores.
Here the energy flow is always unidirectional and at successive trophic levels it decreases.
Therefore the pyramid of energy is always vertical.
![Page 42: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
The components of a forest
ecosystem are
Abiotic components – organic and inorganic matter present in the land and atmosphere.
Biotic components – living flora and fauna are the living cpts. of a forest. They are recognized as
Producers
consumers
Decomposers
![Page 43: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Producers:
* trees are the primary producers.
* Vines and epiphytes are the two
characteristics of evergreen forest.
* In India tropical evergreen forest
are found along the West Ghats and
the NEFA
![Page 44: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
Consumers:
*The macro consumers (animals)
in different forests are well adapted for the
conditions prevailing there.
*Foliage arthropods such as ants, flies,
beetles, leaf hoppers, bugs and spiders are
found.
*Moles, squirrels, fruit bats, mongooses are
also present.
![Page 45: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
Decomposers:
The soil organisms found in the
forest are protozoan, flat worms,
nematodes, annelids, snails,
millipedes, centipedes, spiders,
spring tails, termites, trips and ants.
Some of the soil organisms and soil
bacteria play the role of
decomposers.
![Page 46: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
Productivity:
*Different types of forest vary in gross productivity
*The plants and other autotrophic organisms store
some dry matter by their photosynthetic activity. The
rate at which this dry matter is stored in the ecosystem
is called the primary productivity.
*The productivity is the highest due to the stable
environment, large availability of water and high
constant temperature.
![Page 47: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
![Page 48: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
![Page 49: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
![Page 50: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
Pond Ecosystem :
Ponds are small bodies of shallow standing
water.
They are characterized by relatively quite
waters and abundant vegetation.
A pond serves as a good example for a fresh
water ecosystem.
It consists of both abiotic and biotic
components.
![Page 51: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
The chief components of abiotic
components are heat, light, pH value,
organic and inorganic compounds
namely carbon di oxide, oxygen, calcium,
nitrogen, phosphates, amino acids, humic
acids, etc. The amount of these
components are estimated for biomass
determination.
![Page 52: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
The various organisms of the biotic
components are producers,
consumers and decomposers.
Producers – larger hydrophytes
and phytoplanktons which are
minute floating plants.
![Page 53: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Consumers – primary consumers (insect
larvae, fish, mollies, zooplanktons),
secondary consumers ( insects and fish )
and tertiary consumers (large fish).
Decomposers – microbes such as
bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. They
bring about the decomposition of
complex dead organic matter to simple
forms.
![Page 54: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
![Page 55: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
![Page 56: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
![Page 57: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
![Page 58: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
![Page 59: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
![Page 60: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
![Page 61: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/61.jpg)
The term BIODIVERSITY was first coined by
the entomologist E.O. Wilson in 1986.
A neologism from biology and diversity, it refers
to the variety of life on the planet.
There is no single standard definition for
biodiversity.
1. Biodiversity may be defined as the totality
of different organisms, the genes they contain,
and the ecosystems they form.
![Page 62: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/62.jpg)
2. The Convention on Biological Diversity defines
biodiversity as the variability among living organisms
from all sources including, among other things,
terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are a part; this
includes diversity within species, between species and of
ecosystems.
Biodiversity may be considered at three levels: genetic
diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity
![Page 63: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/63.jpg)
![Page 64: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/64.jpg)
Genetic diversity
refers to the differences in genetic make-up between distinct species, as well as the genetic variations within a single species. This is the least visible and, arguably, least studied level of biological diversity.
Genetic diversity is the variety present at the level of genes. Genes, made of DNA, are the building blocks that determine how an organism will develop and what its traits and abilities will be.
This level of diversity can differ by alleles (different variants of the same gene, such as blue or brown eyes), by entire genes (which determine traits,
such as the ability to metabolize a particular substance), or by units larger than genes such as chromosomal structure.
![Page 65: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/65.jpg)
More genetic diversity in a species or population means a greater
ability for some of the individuals in it to adapt to changes in the
environment.
Less diversity leads to uniformity, which is a problem in the long
term, as it is unlikely that any individual in the population would
be able to adapt to changing conditions.
As an example, modern agricultural practices use monocultures,
which are large cultures of genetically identical plants.
This is an advantage when is comes to growing and harvesting
crops , but can be a problem when a disease or parasite attacks
the field, as every plant in the field will be susceptible.
Monocultures are also unable to deal well with changing
conditions.
![Page 66: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/66.jpg)
![Page 67: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/67.jpg)
Within species, genetic diversity often increases with environmental variability, which can be expected.
If the environment often changes, different genes will have an advantage at different times or places.
In this situation genetic diversity remains high because many genes are in the population at any given time.
If the environment didn't change, then the small number of genes that had an advantage in that unchanging environment would spread at the cost of the others, causing a drop in genetic diversity.
Since the gene is the fundamental unit of natural selection, and thus of evolution, some scientists argue that the real unit of biodiversity is genetic diversity.
![Page 68: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/68.jpg)
![Page 69: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/69.jpg)
![Page 70: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/70.jpg)
Species diversity
Species richness - the number of species within a particular sample area. in combination with)
Species evenness - this refers to the evenness in number of individuals of each species in the area
E.g. for two sample areas X and Y, there are two species, a, and b. In X, there are 92 individuals of species a, and only 8 of species b, while in Y, there are 50 individuals of each species.
![Page 71: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/71.jpg)
If species richness only was used to account for species diversity in X, the diversity might seem lower than Y (although both have the same number of species), because almost all the individuals encountered would be from only one species.
Species evenness in conjunction with species richness is thus a more useful indicator of species diversity, because it takes into account rarer species.
![Page 72: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/72.jpg)
The number of species currently described on earth is
between 1.4 and 1.7 million but the Global Diversity
Assessment suggests a conservative estimate of 1.75
million.
On land there are more species known than in the sea.
This is largely due to the extraordinary diversity of
beetles (Coleoptera);400,000 species are described.
An important aspect of species diversity is endemism,
that is, the species occurring in a restricted locality).
The Antarctic has a higher degree of endemism than the
Arctic.
![Page 73: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/73.jpg)
When biodiversity is measured quantitatively, usually as the number of species or the value of a diversity index for a given community or area of habitat, it is known as ecosystem diversity.
Ecosystem is defined as a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.
Habitat diversity is a more useful term than the of ecosystem diversity since habitats are easy to envisage(e.g forest, a coral reef, an estuary).
![Page 74: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/74.jpg)
All species are presumed to interact with each other and to be
competing for similar limiting resources.
Ecologists have called this within habitat (or alpha) diversity.
At slightly larger scales habitat and / or community boundaries
are crossed and sampling covers more than one habitat and
community.
This scale has been called between habitat (or beta) diversity.
At an even larger scale (regional scale) where evolutionary rather
than ecological processes operate the pattern has been called
gamma diversity or more recently landscape diversity.
Landscape diversity can be defined as the mosaic of habitat over
larger scales often hundreds of km.
![Page 75: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/75.jpg)
Biodiversity assessment need to be made at the
community habits and landscape levels if we are
to predict changes over time.
It is primarily the loss of habitats that leads to
both genetic and species diversity.
![Page 76: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/76.jpg)
Therefore, species diversity can be
assessed in terms of the number of species
or the range of different types of species
an area contains.
Current estimates for the total number of
species in existence vary from 5 million to
nearly 100 million.
About 1.7 million of these species have
been identified to date. A complete and
current inventory of species is impossible
because many invertebrates, microorganisms
and lower plants (the three most diverse
life-forms) have not yet been identified
and named.
![Page 77: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/77.jpg)
There has been a definite bias towards describing large organisms, those that are considered attractive or appealing (such as flowering plants and butterflies), those most closely resembling humans (vertebrates, especially mammals), and those that have a direct impact on human activities
Organisms that can be studied without complex procedures or expensive equipment have also taken precedence, as have those which are relatively easy to locate.
This, however, underestimates the importance of microorganisms including algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses, which are vital to life on Earth.
So far, less than 3-5 percent of microorganisms have been described.
![Page 78: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/78.jpg)
![Page 79: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/79.jpg)
Values of biodiversity
![Page 80: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/80.jpg)
Consumptive use
Productive use
Social value
Ethical value
Aesthetic value
Option value
![Page 81: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/81.jpg)
India – A Mega Diversity Zone
Genetic diversity
Ecological diversity
Forest of India
Plant diversity
Animal diversity
![Page 82: CONCEPT OF AN ECO SYSTEM - adjadmc.ac.in · 4. the radiant solar energy. The environment created and maintained by the interactions of the common environmental factors, function as](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070916/5fb689c8920bb3128b190fb1/html5/thumbnails/82.jpg)
Thank You