What is Ecosystem | Definition, Components, Examples, Structure …
Table of Contents
An Ecosystem
The system formed by the interactions of living organisms with the abiotic components of the environment is called an ecosystem. An ecosystem consists of biotic and abiotic components that perform functions as a unit. The biotic components are living things but abiotic components are non-living things. So, an ecosystem entails the definition that a community of different populations of organisms living together in a specific habitat.
An ecosystem can be defined as a community of lifeforms living and interacting with non-living components of an environment.
An ecosystem is a place where different plants, animals, and other living beings work together to form a bubble of life.
Structure of the Ecosystem
The structure of an ecosystem can be determined by the organization of the biotic and abiotic components of an environment. This helps in the distribution of energy in the environment. This also includes the climatic conditions that prevail in the particular environment.
The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely:
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Biotic Components
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Abiotic Components
Biotic components
Biotic components refer to all living components in an ecosystem. Based on nutrition, biotic components can be classified as autotrophs, heterotrophs, and saprotrophs (or decomposers).
Producers
Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. They are called autotrophs because they can produce food through photosynthesis. This makes all other organisms at the bottom of the food chain dependent on the producer for food.
Consumers
Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for food. Users are further classified into primary users, secondary users, and tertiary users.
Herbivores
Herbivores are the living organisms that eat the producers like plants and their productive things.
Primary Consumers
The primary consumers have always been herbivores, as they depend on producers for their food.
Secondary Consumers
Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They can be carnivores or omnivores.
Tertiary Consumers
The Tertiary Consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food. Tertiary consumers can be carnivores or omnivores.
Quaternary Consumers
Quaternary consumers can be found in various food chains. These organisms benefit from tertiary energy consumers. In addition, they are usually at the top of the food chain and have no natural enemies.
Decomposers
Decomposers involve saprophytes, such as fungi and bacteria. They grow directly on dead and decaying organic matter. Degradations are important in ecosystems because they help recycle nutrients so that plants can use them again.
Rebounding Ecosystems
However, ecosystems can be recovered from the damage. Vulnerable coral reef ecosystems in the South Pacific are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and declining salinity. Corals turn white or lose their bright color in very warm water. They die in water that is not salty.
Most coral reef ecosystems can recover from collapse. As ocean temperatures cool and salt traps increase, brightly colored coral reefs return. Slowly building up their rocks. Algae, plants, and animals also return.
Individuals, cultures, and governments work to preserve the ecosystems that matter most to them. For example, the government of Ecuador recognizes the rights of ecosystems in the country’s constitution. The so-called Rights of Nature states that nature or Pachamama [earth], where life is reproduced and exists, must survive, survive, maintain, and renew its vital cycles, structure, function, and growth processes has the right to create.
Bactrian and Dromedary
Different desert ecosystems support different types of camels. The dromedary camel is long and fast, with long legs. It is native to the hot, dry deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The Bactrian camel has a coarser coat, is shorter, and has more body fat than the dromedary. The Bactrian camel is native to the cold desert plains of Central Asia.
The two types of camels are easy to distinguish: dromedaries have one hump, and dromedaries have two.
Coral triangle
The most diverse ecosystem in the world is the Great Coral Triangle in Southeast Asia. The Coral Triangle extends from the Philippines in the north to the Solomon Islands in the east to Indonesia and Papua in the west.
Ecocide
The destruction of entire ecosystems by human means is called ecocide or ecocide.
The Human Ecosystem
“Human ecosystem” is the term scientists use to study how humans interact with their ecosystems. The study of human ecosystems encompasses geography, ecology, technology, economics, politics and history. The study of urban ecosystems focuses on cities and suburbs.
An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in the desert or as large as an ocean of thousands of miles. There are two types of ecosystems:
- Earth’s ecosystems
- aquatic ecosystems
Earth’s ecosystems
Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively terrestrial ecosystems. Earth’s ecosystems are different for different geographic regions. They are as follows:
- Forest ecosystem
- The Grassland ecosystem
- Tundra ecosystem
- Desert ecosystem
Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem consists of various plants, especially trees, animals, and microorganisms that live in harmony with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help maintain the Earth’s temperature and are a major carbon sink.
The Grassland Ecosystem
The vegetation of the grass ecosystem is dominated by grasses and herbs. Temperate grasslands and tropical grasslands or savannas are examples of grassland ecosystems.
Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems have no trees and are located in cold climates or where rainfall is low. They are covered with snow most of the year. Tundra-like ecosystems can be found in the Arctic or on mountain tops.
Desert Ecosystem
Deserts occur all over the world. This is an area with little rainfall and little vegetation. Warm days and cold nights.
Aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems in bodies of water. It can be divided into two types, viz.
- Freshwater Ecosystems
- Marine Ecosystems
Freshwater Ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems are aquatic ecosystems that include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Unlike marine ecosystems, they have no salinity.
Marine Ecosystems
Oceans and seas are marine ecosystems. They have higher salinity and greater biodiversity than freshwater ecosystems.
Final Words:
Guys! I have tried my best to provide you most authentic information related to an ecosystem. The ecosystem is a complete system to maintain varieties of life. The ecosystem is a broader term and have different ideas here. If you have any questions related to this topic, you can ask in the comment section box.
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