What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms)

interacting with each other and their physical environment (air, water, soil, sunlight) in a
particular area.

Key Points about Ecosystems:

1.​ Components:​

○​ Biotic factors: All living things like plants, animals, fungi, bacteria.​

○​ Abiotic factors: Non-living things such as sunlight, temperature, water, air,

minerals, and soil.​

2.​ Interactions:​

○​ Organisms depend on each other for food, shelter, and survival.​

○​ They also interact with non-living elements like water and nutrients.​

3.​ Energy Flow:​

○​ Energy enters the ecosystem through sunlight.​

○​ Plants (producers) use sunlight to make food through photosynthesis.​

○​ Animals (consumers) eat plants or other animals.​

○​ Decomposers like fungi and bacteria break down dead matter, recycling
nutrients back into the environment.​

4.​ Examples of Ecosystems:​

○​ Forests​

○​ Lakes and ponds​

○​ Oceans​

○​ Deserts​

○​ Grasslands​
Why are Ecosystems Important?

●​ They maintain balance in nature.​

●​ Support biodiversity by providing habitats.​

●​ Regulate climate and water cycles.​

●​ Provide resources like food, medicine, and clean air.

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Biosphere and Ecosystems

1. Biosphere:

●​ The biosphere is the sphere of life, extending from ocean depths to about 8 km above
Earth.​

●​ It includes all living organisms and their interactions with the environment.​

2. Ecosystem:

●​ A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their environment.​

●​ Example: A moth in Madagascar drinks tears from sleeping birds to get nutrients.​

●​ Ecosystems are built on relationships and interactions.​

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

●​ Energy enters ecosystems mostly from the Sun.​

●​ Energy flow is one-way: from Sun → plants (producers) → consumers.​

●​ Plants convert solar energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis (storing energy in
biomass).​

●​ Net Primary Production (NPP): the total chemical energy stored by plants minus the
energy used by them.​

●​ Productivity varies with latitude; highest near the equator, lower towards poles and
higher elevations.​
Biomes:

●​ Ecosystems are grouped into biomes, characterized by climate, vegetation, and

productivity.​

●​ Examples of biomes along latitudes:​

○​ Tropical Rainforests: High productivity, lots of rain, near equator; rich

biodiversity.​

○​ Tropical Savannas: Less rain, grasses and scattered trees.​

○​ Deserts: Very low precipitation and productivity.​

○​ Temperate Deciduous Forests: Seasonal changes, trees lose leaves in fall.​

○​ Temperate Grasslands: Rich soils with tall/short grasses.​

○​ Boreal Forests: Cold, evergreen trees, low productivity.​

○​ Tundra: Very cold, little vegetation, very low productivity.​

Nutrient Cycles

●​ Nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, etc.) cycle through ecosystems between

biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.​

●​ Unlike energy, nutrients are cycled repeatedly and do not come from outside Earth.​

●​ Nutrient cycles are biogeochemical processes involving atmosphere, soil, water, and
living organisms.​

●​ Example in a fish tank: Plants absorb nutrients; fish consume plants; decomposers
recycle nutrients back to soil/water.​

Tropical Rainforest Nutrient Dynamics

●​ Rainforests have rapid nutrient cycling because:​

○​ Large trees absorb most nutrients.​

○​ Shallow roots capture nutrients near the surface.​

 ○​ Heavy rain leaches nutrients deeper into soil.​

●​ Nutrients move quickly through producers, consumers, and decomposers.​

●​ Cutting down trees disrupts nutrient cycles and energy flow, leading to ecosystem
collapse.​

Deforestation and Human Impact

●​ Deforestation removes vital producers, breaking nutrient and energy cycles.​

●​ Indigenous practices like slash-and-burn agriculture use nutrient recycling carefully

by:​

○​ Burning vegetation to release nutrients into soil.​

○​ Farming small plots for a few years.​

○​ Letting forest regrow on fallow land to restore nutrients.​

●​ Large-scale clear-cutting (e.g., in the Amazon) exhausts soil, turning it into infertile
laterite.​

●​ Consequences:​

○​ Loss of biodiversity.​

○​ Ecosystem collapse.​

○​ Threats to species like gorillas, orangutans, tigers, and elephants.​

Importance of Ecosystem Stewardship

●​ Human activity impacts energy flow and nutrient cycles.​

●​ Maintaining ecosystems requires sustainable farming and land use.​

●​ Learning about ecosystems helps us support biodiversity and environmental health.​

●​ Recognizing Indigenous knowledge and respecting traditional lands is crucial.​

Summary:​
Ecosystems depend on energy flow from the Sun and cycling of nutrients. Different biomes
have distinct energy and nutrient dynamics that shape biodiversity. Human activities like
deforestation disrupt these systems, highlighting the need for sustainable practices and
ecological awareness.

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Ecosystem Energy Flow & Feeding Relationships

1. Producers

●​ Organisms that make their own food using sunlight (photosynthesis).​

●​ Usually green plants or algae.​

●​ Base of all food chains and webs.​

●​ Convert solar energy into chemical energy stored in biomass.​

2. Consumers

●​ Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms.​

●​ Classified by what they eat and their position in the food chain:​

○​ Primary Consumers (Herbivores): Eat producers (e.g., rabbits, caterpillars).​

○​ Secondary Consumers (Carnivores or Omnivores): Eat primary consumers

(e.g., frogs, small fish).​

○​ Tertiary Consumers: Eat secondary consumers (e.g., snakes, larger fish).​

○​ Quaternary Consumers: Eat tertiary consumers; often apex predators at the

top of the food chain (e.g., eagles, sharks).​

3. Detritivores

●​ Organisms that feed on dead organic matter and waste.​

●​ Break down dead plants, animals, and feces into smaller particles.​

●​ Examples: Earthworms, woodlice.​

4. Scavengers
 ●​ Animals that consume dead animals (carrion).​

●​ Help clean the ecosystem by removing dead bodies.​

●​ Examples: Vultures, hyenas, crabs.​

5. Food Chain

●​ A linear sequence showing who eats whom.​

●​ Starts with a producer, followed by primary consumer, then secondary consumer, and
so on.​

●​ Shows one path of energy flow.​

Example:​
Grass (Producer) → Grasshopper (Primary Consumer) → Frog (Secondary Consumer) →
Snake (Tertiary Consumer)

6. Food Web
 ●​ A complex network of interconnected food chains.​

●​ Shows multiple feeding relationships within an ecosystem.​

●​ More realistic representation of energy flow, as many organisms eat and are eaten by
multiple species.​

How These Connect:

●​ Producers provide energy for primary consumers.​

●​ Primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers, which may be eaten by

tertiary and quaternary consumers.​

●​ When organisms die, detritivores and scavengers break down and recycle nutrients
back to the ecosystem.​

●​ Food chains illustrate simple energy flow; food webs show the complex,
interconnected relationships and energy transfers.​

●​ This entire system ensures energy moves through the ecosystem and nutrients cycle
continuously.​
Summary Table:

Level Description Examples

Producer Makes own food (photosynthesis) Grass, algae
Primary Consumer Eats producers (herbivores) Rabbit, caterpillar
Secondary Consumer Eats primary consumers Frog, small fish
Tertiary Consumer Eats secondary consumers Snake, bigger fish
Quaternary Consumer Eats tertiary consumers (apex) Eagle, shark
Scavenger Eats dead animals (carrion) Vulture, hyena
Detritivore Eats dead organic matter, waste Earthworm, woodlouse