Question

what is ecosystem?and where its used​

Answer 1

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☞ An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system.

☞ Ecosystems underpin all human life and activities. The goods and services they provide are vital to sustaining well-being, and to future economic and social development. The benefits ecosystems provide include food, water, timber, air purification, soil formation and pollination.

Answer 2

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what is ecosystem?and where it is used ?

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What is an Ecosystem?

• The ecosystem is the structural and functional unit of ecology where the living organisms interact with each other and the surrounding environment. In other words, an ecosystem is a chain of interaction between organisms and their environment. The term “Ecosystem” was first coined by A.G.Tansley, an English botanist, in 1935.

Structure of the Ecosystem:-

The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely:

• Biotic Components

• Abiotic Components

• The biotic and abiotic components are interrelated in an ecosystem. It is an open system where the energy and components can flow throughout the boundaries.

Structure of Ecosystem

Structure of Ecosystem highlighting the biotic and abiotic factors

Biotic Components :-

• Biotic components refer to all life in an ecosystem. Based on nutrition, biotic components can be categorised into autotrophs, heterotrophs and saprotrophs (or decomposers).

• Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. They are called autotrophs as they can produce food through the process of photosynthesis. Consequently, all other organisms higher up on the food chain rely on producers for food.

• Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for food. Consumers are further classified into primary consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary consumers.

• Primary consumers are always herbivores that they rely on producers for food.

• Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They can either be a carnivore or an omnivore.

• Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food. Tertiary consumers can also be an omnivore.

• Quaternary consumers are present in some food chains. These organisms prey on tertiary consumers for energy. Furthermore, they are usually at the top of a food chain as they have no natural predators.

• Decomposers include saprophytes such as fungi and bacteria. They directly thrive on the dead and decaying organic matter. Decomposers are essential for the ecosystem as they help in recycling nutrients to be reused by plants.

Abiotic Components

• Abiotic components are the non-living component of an ecosystem. It includes air, water, soil, minerals, sunlight, temperature, nutrients, wind, altitude, turbidity, etc.

Functions of Ecosystem

The functions of the ecosystem are as follows:

• It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders stability.

• It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.

• It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.

Important Ecological Concepts

1. Food Chain

• The sun is the ultimate source of energy on earth. It provides the energy required for all plant life. The plants utilise this energy for the process of photosynthesis, which is used to synthesise their food.

• During this biological process, light energy is converted into chemical energy and is passed on through successive levels. The flow of energy from a producer, to a consumer and eventually, to an apex predator or a detritivore is called the food chain.

• Dead and decaying matter, along with organic debris, is broken down into its constituents by scavengers. The reducers then absorb these constituents. After gaining the energy, the reducers liberate molecules to the environment, which can be utilised again by the producers.

2. Ecological Pyramids

• An ecological pyramid is the graphical representation of the number, energy, and biomass of the successive trophic levels of an ecosystem. Charles Elton was the first ecologist to describe the ecological pyramid and its principals in 1927.

• The biomass, number, and energy of organisms ranging from the producer level to the consumer level are represented in the form of a pyramid; hence, it is known as the ecological pyramid.

• The base of the ecological pyramid comprises the producers, followed by primary and secondary consumers. The tertiary consumers hold the apex. In some food chains, the quaternary consumers are at the very apex of the food chain.

• For example, Grasshoppers feed on crops such as cotton and wheat, which are plentiful. These grasshoppers are then preyed upon by common mice, which are comparatively less in number. The mice are preyed upon by snakes such as cobras. Snakes are ultimately preyed on by apex predators such as the brown snake eagle.

3. Food Web

• Food web is a network of interconnected food chains. It comprises all the food chains within a single ecosystem. It helps in understanding that plants lay the foundation of all the food chains. In a marine environment, phytoplankton forms the primary producer.