UNIT I ENVIRONMENT, ECOSYSTEM AND

BIODIVERSITY
 ECOSYSTEM
Classification of Ecosystem

Ecosystem

Terrestrial Aquatic
(Land based) (Water based)

Marine
Forest Desert Grass Land Freshwater
(salty water)

Lentic
Lotic
(Stagnated
(runing water)
water)

River Lake Pond

I Forest Ecosystem

It is a natural ecosystem consisting of dense growth of plants and wild animals.

It covers about 1/3rd of the earth’s land area. The forest covered with trees of

different height, the shrubs and herbs. In forest area receives moderate to

heavy rainfall.
Types of Forest Ecosystem
Depending upon the climatic conditions forests can be classified into 4 types – Tropical
evergreen, Tropical deciduous, Temperate evergreen, Temperate deciduous Forests.

(a) Tropical Evergreen Forests

This type of forests receives heavy rainfall and a hot summer. Due to heavy
rainfall throughout the years, these forests are evergreen in nature. In this forest, the
trees are dense and multilayered gives shelter to many wild animals. Here there is no
talk about drought. These are found near equator. Ex. sandal & teak.

(b) Tropical Deciduous

They are monsoon forests and it is found in many parts of the world. As these
forests receive only seasonal rains, they shed their leaves during the dry season.
Large number of flora and fauna are present here. Ex. sandal & teak and rat, rabbit,
fox etc.

(c) Temperate Evergreen

It is found in area where the rainfall exceeds 2000 mm. It is found in eastern and
western slopes of Western Ghats. Ex. rose wood, bamboo, ebony.

(d) Temperate Deciduous

They are found in areas where warm moist summers alternate with winters. Ex.
oak, beech
Structure and Function of Ecosystem
(a) Biotic component
(i) Producer: In forests the produces are mainly trees. The plants
produce food by photosynthesis process.
(ii) Consumers: In forests the consumers are of three types:
Primary consumer – Feed directly upon produces. Ex. ants, spiders,
elephants etc.
Secondary consumer – Feed on primary consumer. Ex. birds,
lizards, frogs, snake etc.
Tertiary consumer – Top carnivores like lion and tiger.
(iii) Decomposers; These include microorganisms like bacteria and
fungi.
(b) Abiotic component
The abiotic components are organic and inorganic substances found
in soil and air.
Functions/importance of Forest Ecosystem

(i) Forests maintain climate and rainfall.

(ii) They are known as biggest factories on the earth which produce

oxygen and absorb carbon-di-oxide in day time.

(iii) They provide shelter to many animals and thousands of

microorganisms.

(iv) They protect biodiversity.

(v) Helps in controlling air pollution

II Desert Ecosystem

Desert Ecosystems are found in regions receiving an annual rainfall less

than 25 mm. They occupy 17% of all land on the planet. It is an ecosystem

comprising of very dry sandy and rocky area. The climatic condition here is

very high temperature, low rain fall and intense sunlight. Because of this

condition, flora and fauna are not seen in this region. Leaves and stems of

plants present in this region are modified to conserve water, Animals like

insects, reptiles, birds, camels, kangaroo rat, and gray fox are fond here.
Types of Desert Ecosystem

Based on climatic conditions deserts are classified into three types.

(i) Tropical deserts: It is the driest and hottest place on the earth.
Rainfall is irregular and in some years it is no. Windblown, sun dunes
are very common. Ex. Sahara desert (located at Northern Africa) ,
Thar desert (Rajasthan).
(ii) Temperate deserts: It is also a dry area with very little rain. Day time
will be very hot and night time is very cold. Ex. Majeve desert (South
California).
(iii) Cold deserts: Cold deserts have heavy snowfall throughout winter.
Unlike hot deserts, cold deserts have long cold winter and short
warm summer. Ex. Gobi desert (China).
Structure and Components of Forest Ecosystem
(a) Biotic component
(i) Producer: Shrubs, bar-bushes, some grasses and few trees. Some
dominant plant species include succulents, lichens and xerophytic
mosses.
(ii) Consumers: These include animals such as insects, reptiles that
can survive in this climate.
(iii) Decomposers: Due to poor vegetation with very low amount of
dead organic matter, Decomposers are poor in this desert
ecosystem.
(b) Abiotic component
Due to less rainfall, the abiotic components like organic and inorganic
substance are poorly present in the soil.

Function
It gives shelter to animals like camels, reptiles and small insects.
III Grassland Ecosystem

The important plants of grassland are obviously grasses with small low

shrubs. It occurs where rainfall is intermediate between of deserts and forests.

There are numerous wildflowers that grownup in grasslands. These

grasslands occupy 20% of earth’s surface.

If they receive more rainfall, they would become forestlands or if they

receive less rainfall, they would become desert land.

Types of Grassland :

(i) Tropical Grassland: These are seen near to equator. These regions
are very hot all year around. These are known as savanna type.
Some trees and shrubs are found. Moderate rainfall is there. Some
animals like Zebra, Giraffes, etc., are found here.

(ii) Temperate Grassland: These are located faraway from equator.

Here the climatic condition will be rough winter and hot summers.
Temperate Grasslands have less rainfall.

(iii) Polar grasslands: They are cold, treeless regions. The lower part of soil
are permanently frozen, but in summer low growing mosses, lichens,
grasses and small shrubs are found in artic polar regions. Animals like
artic wolf, artic fox, etc. are found here.
Structure and Components of Grassland Ecosystem
(a) Biotic component
(i) Producer: Mainly producers are grasses. A few herbs and shrubs
are also found here.
(ii) Consumers:
Primary consumer – Cows, Goats, Sheep, Buffaloes, Rabbits, etc.,
Secondary consumer –lizards, frogs, snake etc.
Tertiary consumer – Hawks, eagles, etc.
(iii) Decomposers – These include microorganisms like bacteria and
fungi.
(b) Abiotic component
The abiotic components are organic and inorganic substances found
in soil and air.
Function of Grassland ecosystem:

1. Gives shelter too many insects, animals and birds.

2. It contains many flora and fauna in it.

3. Gives some herbal plants.

Aquatic Ecosystem

A. Pond ecosystem

A pond is a small water reservoir which can be natural or artificial,

temporary or permanent. The depth in pond may be 12- 15 ft. in which sun

rays can penetrate to the bottom permitting the growth of plants there.
Structure and Components of Pond Ecosystem
(a) Biotic component
(i) Producer: It includes submerged, free floating Phytoplankton like
algae, osmarium etc., and Microphytes like hydrilla.
(ii) Consumers:
Primary consumer – They depend on their food from plants. Ex..
Protozoa, small fish
Secondary consumer – Insects and small fish. They feed on Primary
consumers.
Tertiary consumer – Large fish. They feed on smaller fish.
(iii) Decomposers – These include microorganisms like bacteria and
fungi. They decompose the dead organisms.
(b) Abiotic component
The abiotic components are organic and inorganic substances found
in bottom soil or dissolved in water. Some dead organic matter is also
present in water.
B. Lake Ecosystem

A lake is a large body of water that is surrounded by land

Types of lakes: (i) Oligotrophic Lakes ( low accumulation of dissolved nutrient

salts)(ii) Eutrophic lakes (Water rich in mineral and organic nutrients)(iii)
Dystrophic lakes( lake with brown tea colour water).

Zones of lake:

(i) Limnetic zone(It can be defined as the surface water in which

variety of phytoplankton consisting of algae, fish etc.,
(ii) Profundal zone: It is a deep zone of a body of water having light
oxygen levels.
(iii) Benthic zone: It is the lowest level of the water body , includes
sediment surface.
Structure and Components of lake Ecosystem
(a) Biotic component
(i) Producer: Producers are autotrophic green plants
(phytoplankton, algae.

(ii) Consumers:
Primary consumer – They include zooplankton, small fishes, they
feed on primary consumers.
Secondary consumer –Insects and frogs, snakes, crabs. They
feed on Primary consumers.
Tertiary consumer – Large fish. They feed on secondary
consumers.
(iii) Decomposers; These include microorganisms like bacteria and
fungi. They decompose the dead organisms .
(b) Abiotic component
The abiotic components are organic and inorganic substances found
in bottom soil or dissolved in water. Some dead organic matters are
also present in water.