BIOLOGY ECOSYSTEM

ECOSYSTEM

Ecosystem:
Ecosystem is a biological community where the living and non-living components interact with
each other and their physical environment. It is the functional unit of nature and varies greatly
in size. Let us have a look at the structure, function and components of ecosystem.

Structure of Ecosystem:
The structure of ecosystem comprises two different components:

 Biotic
 Abiotic

Biotic Components:

Biotic Components are the living components involved in shaping the ecosystem.

It includes biotic factors such as:

Producers: All green plant in the ecosystem are termed as the producers, as they produce
their own food by making use of solar energy. All living organisms are dependent on plants for
both oxygen and food.

Consumers: They include both primary consumers and secondary consumers. As animals
depend on plants for their food, they are called consumers. Primary consumers feed directly
of Producers for their food and the secondary consumers feed on the primary consumers for
their food. All herbivores animals are an example of Primary consumers. Carnivores and apex
predators make up the secondary and tertiary consumers.
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Decomposers: They are the saprophytes which include fungi and bacteria. Decomposers
convert the dead matter into nitrogen and carbon dioxide and the process is called
decomposition.

Energy Flow: Energy flow is the flow of energy along the food chain, through different trophic
levels. Energy is passed from the producers to the decomposers through various trophic
levels.
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Abiotic Components:

Abiotic components include inorganic materials like air, water, and soil.

Ecosystem Types:
There are three main types of ecosystem:

Terrestrial Ecosystem:

These are the ecosystem found only on land. The terrestrial ecosystems include:
 Forest ecosystem
 Grassland ecosystem
 Desert ecosystem
 Mountain ecosystem
 Aquatic Ecosystem

The aquatic ecosystem is the ecosystem in the water body. It includes:

Freshwater Ecosystem:

The freshwater ecosystem can be divided into the following categories:

 Lentic: This includes slow-moving or still water such as lakes, ponds, pools, etc.

 Lotic: This includes fast-moving water bodies such as rivers and streams.

 Wetlands: These include the environment where soil is saturated with water for a certain
time period.

Oceanic Ecosystem: The ocean ecosystem is the largest ecosystem. It covers about 71% of the
total earth’s surface. This is also known as the marine ecosystem and is divided into deep
water, shallow water and deep ocean surface. A large variety of corals, echinoderms, brown
algae, cephalopods and dinoflagellates are found here.

Ecological Pyramids:
An ecological pyramid is the graphical representation of the relationship between different
organisms. Each bar of the pyramid represents a different trophic level.

The different types of ecological pyramids include:

Pyramid of Numbers: This represents the number of organisms in each trophic level,
irrespective of their size.
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Pyramid of Biomass: This represents the total mass of organisms at each trophic level.

An energy pyramid: An energy pyramid (sometimes called a trophic pyramid or an ecological

pyramid) is a graphical representation, showing the flow of energy at each trophic level in an
ecosystem.

Pyramid of Productivity: It is the total amount of energy present at each trophic level and the
total energy lost between each trophic level.
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Ecological Succession: Ecological succession refers to the change in the structure of species of
an ecological community over time. These are of two types:

Primary Succession: This is a type of succession in which plants and animals first colonize a
barren piece of land.

Secondary Succession: This is the type of succession in which an ecosystem that is destroyed,
revives itself.

Function of Ecosystem:

 The level of organisms regulates the flow of energy.

 The autotrophs are the producers that produce energy which is transferred through
various trophic levels.
 The minerals of the biosphere are cycled through the biosphere.
 It supports life systems and provides stability.

Decomposition:
It is the process of break down complex organic matter into simpler inorganic substances such
as carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients by the action of decomposers.

 Detritus: Dead remains of plants and animals such as leaves, barks, flowers, faecal
matter of animals, etc. constitute detritus.

 Detritivores: Organisms that feed on detritus are called detritivores. Earthworms, fungi,
etc. are examples of detritivores.
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Steps in Decomposition:

 Fragmentation: It is the breakdown of detritus into smaller particles by the action of

detritivores.

 Leaching: It's the phenomenon by which water-soluble nutrients sink to the soil horizon
and precipitate as salts that aren't available.

 Catabolism: It is the breakdown of detritus into simple inorganic nutrients by the action
of bacterial and fungal enzymes.

 Humification: It is the formation and continuous deposition of a dark-coloured organic

amorphous substance called humus. Humus is extremely resistant to microbial action
and decomposes at a very slow rate. Because it is colloidal, it acts as a nutrient reservoir.

 Mineralization: It is the process by which some microorganisms further break down

humus to form simple inorganic nutrients.

Ecological Succession:
Ecological succession is the process of change in the structure of species that belongs to an
ecological community over time. After a mass extinction, the time scale can be decades or even
millions of years. This change occurs orderly and sequential, parallel with the changes in the
physical environment.

 Pioneer Species: The species that invade a bare area are called pioneer species.

 Pioneer Community: The community that is capable to invade a bare area is known as
the pioneer community.

 Climax Community: A community that is almost near to equilibrium with the

environment is called the climax community.

 Sere: A sequence of ecological communities arising in an area from the initial pioneer
community to the final climax community.

 Primary Succession: Primary succession is a type of biological and ecological succession

of plant life. It occurs in an environment in which a new substrate is deposited. This new
substrate is not having any kind of vegetation and other organisms. It also usually lacks
soil and organic matter. It occurs in places such as land after a lava flow or area left from
the retreated glacier.

 Secondary Succession: Secondary succession is a type of biological and ecological

succession of plant life which takes place in a habitat that has been previously populated
but has since been disturbed or damaged. For instance, regions where existing
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vegetation has been removed (due to tree-felling in a woodland or destructive events

such as fires).

Succession of Plants:
Hydrarch: A succession that begins in a water body or aquatic environment is called Hydrosere
or Hydrarch Succession.

Xerarch: Xerosere is a succession of plants that are limited in the availability of water
availability. It includes the different stages in xerarch succession. Xerosere originates in
extremely dry situations such as sand deserts, dunes, salt deserts, rock deserts, etc.

In secondary succession, the invasion of species depends on the availability of water, conditions
of the soil, and the environment. It also depends on whether any seeds or other propagules are
present. Because soil is already existent, the pace of succession is substantially faster, and the
climax community is reached much sooner.

Succession always proceeds towards the mesic community.

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BIOLOGY ECOSYSTEM

Nutrient Cycling:
The movement of nutrients through the various components that belong to an ecosystem is
called nutrient cycling. It is also called biogeochemical cycles (bio: living organism, geo: rocks,
air, and water).

Types of Nutrient Cycles:

 Gaseous.
 Sedimentary.

Standing State: The total amount of various nutrients like nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus,
calcium, etc., present in the soil at any given time, is referred to as the standing state. It differs
in different kinds of ecosystems and also on the basis of season.
The atmosphere serves as a reservoir for gaseous nutrient cycles (carbon and nitrogen).
The reservoir for the sedimentary nutrient cycle (sulfur, phosphorus, etc.) exists in the earth’s
crust.
The rate of release of nutrients into the atmosphere is regulated by environmental factors.
The reservoir functions to meet with the deficit occurring due to an imbalance between influx
and efflux.

Ecosystem Carbon Cycle:

Carbon is contained by most of the chemicals that make up living tissue. When the organisms
die the carbon contained by them is recycled to be used by future generations. The movement
of carbon through the various components of the ecosystem is called the carbon cycle.

 As a result of respiration and combustion, carbon is released into the environment as

CO2.
 Carbon dioxide is absorbed by producers during the process of photosynthesis to
produce carbohydrates.
 Animals feed on the producers. The food chain causes carbon to move along various
trophic levels. During breathing, the majority of the carbon eaten is exhaled as CO 2. The
animals and plants eventually die.
 Decomposers eat the dead organisms and break them down. This causes the carbon in
their bodies to be returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. In some extraordinary
conditions, decomposition is blocked. The plant and animal material may then be turned
into fossil fuel for use in the future for combustion.
 Marine animals may convert some of the carbon in their diet to calcium carbonate which
is then used to make the shells for their bodies. Over time these shells of dead organisms
get collected on the seabed and form or converted into limestone. Due to various
BIOLOGY ECOSYSTEM

activities and movements of the earth, this limestone may eventually become exposed to
the air where it is subjected to weathering. This results in the back release of carbon into
the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is also released through volcanic
action.
 Human activities have significantly influenced the carbon cycle. Rapid deforestation and
massive burning of fossil fuels have increased the rate of release of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.

Phosphorus Cycle:
The phosphorus cycle is the process by which phosphorus moves through the different layers of
the atmosphere that is the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

Steps in Phosphorus Cycle:

 Weathering: Weathering of uplifted rocks adds phosphates to the land. Eventually, some
phosphates reach the ocean again.
 Fertilizers: Phosphate fertilizers from fields might run off straight into the streams. These
may later become part of a soil pool or can be absorbed by the plants.
 Excretion and Decomposition: Animal excretion (on land or in the ocean) and animal and
plant decomposition both produce phosphates on land and in water.
 Dissolved Phosphates: Dissolved phosphates plays important role in forming ocean
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sediments by precipitation. The process of conversion of these sediments into phosphate

rocks is a very slow and gradual process.
 Geological Uplift: Geologic forces can lift up the phosphate rocks very slowly from the
ocean floor or the rocks thick with phosphate in them to form the huge mountains.

Ecosystem Services:
The results or outcome of ecosystem processes is called ecosystem services.

Services of Healthy Forest Ecosystems:

Purification of air and water.

Mitigation of droughts and floods.

 Cycling of nutrients.
 Generation of fertile soils.
 Providing habitats to wildlife.
 Maintenance of biodiversity.
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 Pollination of crops.
 To provide storage site for carbon.
 Providing aesthetic, cultural, and spiritual values.
 The average price tag of these ecosystem services is estimated to be US $ 33 trillion
annually.
 This is near twice the value of the global gross national product GNP (the US $ 18 trillion).

The Calculation, Out of the Total Cost of Various Ecosystem Services:

 Soil formation accounts for about 50% of the ecosystem services.

 Recreation for about 10% of these services.
 Nutrient cycling about 10% of them.
 The cost of climate regulation and habitat dark approximate 6% each.
 Mind map : learning made simple Chapter - 14
CO2 in atmosphere

combustion of fossil
 Purify air and water.
Tertiary Photosyntheses Burning of forest
Producers fuels for vehicles
(terrestrial food chains) fuelwood and electricity and heat
 Mitigate droughts and flood.
organic debris
 Cycle nutrients.
 Generates fertile soil. Autotrophs, Herbivores and carnivores
Litter fall respiration and
Detritus decomposition  Provide wildlife habitat.
 Maintain biodiversity.
Decomposition Stratification
 Pollinate crops. Pond, lake, river, estuary
Uptake (i) Tall emergent trees
Detritus food chain Coal
Plankton
 Provide storage site for carbon
Soil solurin
Run off  Provide aesthetic, cultural and (ii) Canopy trees Top most layers
Oil and Gas
c
organic oti
Weathering sediments
spiritual values. Abi (iii) Understoreys trees
Limestone And Dolomoite
t
f differen species
}
Rock minerals Calcareous
ion o (iv) Shrubs
sendiments tri bu t en t l ev el s
Dis iffer
at d (v) Herbs
Bottom layers
(vi) Grasses }
NPP= GPP-R
Takes place in areas where no living
organisms ever existed. E.g. newly
cooled lava, bare rock, newly created
pond or reservoir. t Cycling Rate of formation of new
trien organic matter by consumers
Nu
Takes place in areas which have lost
g ical Succession Ecosystem
all life forms due to destructions Ecolo
and floods. E.g. abandoned farm
lands, burned or cut forests, lands
that have been flooded
Food chain shows  Fragmentation
ion
e ss  Upright e.g. in grassland energy pathways.  Leaching
ucc
S Energy passes from  Catabolism

h
 Inverted e.g. in tree ecosystem
producer (plants)

ac
 Humification

dr
Primary succession
to Plant-eaters, to  Mineralisation

Hy
Animal-eaters and
to tertiary consumer.
Takes place in water areas. The  Upright e.g. in grassland
successional series progress from  Inverted e.g. in pond
hydric to the mesic conditions Phytoplankton Reed-swamp stage
(a) (d)

Takes place in dry areas. The series Always upright because energy is lost During transfer of energy from one
progress from xeric to mesic conditions Marsh-meadow stage
as heat at each step trophic level to another, only about
Submerged plant stage
(b) (e) 10% is stored at higher levels; remaining
90% is lost in respiration (heat).
Specific place occupied by an organism in
the food chain in an ecosystem.

Submerged free floating Scrub stage

plant stage (f)
(c)
Begins with producers, present
at the first trophic level.
Begins with detritus such as dead
bodies of animals or fallen leaves.
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Important Questions
 Multiple Choice Questions:
1. An inverted pyramid of biomass can be found in which ecosystem?
(a) Forest
(b) Marine
(c) Grassland
(d) Tundra.
2. Which of the following is not a producer?
(a) Spirogyra
(b) Agaricus
(c) Volvox
(d) Nostoc.
3. Which of the following ecosystems is most productive in terms of net primary production?
(a) Deserts
(b) Tropical rainforests
(c) Oceans
(d) Estuaries.
4. Pyramid of numbers is:
(a) Always upright
(b) Always inverted
(c) Either upright or inverted
(d) Neither upright nor inverted.
5. Approximately how much of the solar energy that falls on the leaves of a plant is converted
to chemical energy by photosynthesis?
(a) Less than 1%
(b) 2-10%
(c) 30%
(d) 50%.
6. Among the following, where do you think the process of decomposition would be the
fastest?
(a) Tropical rainforest
(b) Antarctic
(c) Dry arid region
(d) Alpine region.
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7. How much of the net primary productivity of a terrestrial ecosystem is eaten and digested
by herbivores?
(a) 1%
(b) 10%
(c) 40%
(d) 90%.
8. During the process of ecological succession the changes that take place in communities are:
(a) Orderly and sequential
(b) Random
(c) Very quick.
(d) Not influenced by the physical environment
9. Climax community is in a state of:
(a) non-equilibrium
(b) equilibrium
(c) disorder
(d) constant change.
10.Among the following biogeochemical cycles which one does not have losses due to
respiration?
(a) Phosphorus
(b) Nitrogen
(c) Sulphur
(d) All of the above.
11.The sequence of communities of primary succession in water is:
(a) phytoplankton, sedges, free-floating hydrophytes, rooted hydrophytes, grasses and
trees.
(b) phytoplankton, free-floating hydrophytes, rooted hydrophytes, sedges, grasses and
trees.
(c) free-floating hydrophytes, sedges, phytoplankton, rooted hydrophytes, grasses and
trees.
(d) phytoplankton, rooted submerged hydrophytes, floating hydrophytes, reed swamp,
sedges, meadow and trees.
12.The reservoir for the gaseous type of bio-geochemical cycle exists in
(a) stratosphere
(b) atmosphere
(c) ionosphere
(d) lithosphere.
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13.If the carbon atoms fixed by producers already have passed through three species, the
trophic level of the last species would be
(a) scavenger
(b) tertiary producer
(c) tertiary consumer
(d) secondary consumer.
14.Which of the following types of ecosystem is expected in an area where evaporation
exceeds precipitation, and mean annual rainfall is below 100 mm.
(a) Grassland
(b) Shrubby forest
(c) Desert
(d) Mangrove.
15.The zone at the edge of a lake or ocean which is alternatively exposed to air and immersed
in water is called:
(a) Pelagic zone
(b) Benthic zone
(c) Lentic one
(d) Littoral zone.
 Very Short Question:
1. Decomposition is faster if deteritus is rich in nitrogen and water soluble substance like
sugars. When is the decomposition process slower?
2. If we count the number of insects on a tree and number of small birds depending on those
insects as also the number of larger birds eating the smaller, what kind of pyramid of
number would we get?
3. Differentiate between Sere and Seral communities.
4. Who are generally the pioneer species in a Xerarch succession and in a Hyararch
succession?
5. Which metabolic process causes a reduction in the Gross Primary Productivity?
6. What percentage of photosyntheticallyactive radiation is captured by plants?
7. Name the pioners of primary succession in water.
8. Name any two man – made ecosystem?
9. Define stratification?
10. Name the ecological pyramid that is always upright?
 Short Questions:
SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM
1. What is the shape of pyramid of biomass in sea? Why?
2. Give an example of an ecological pyramid which is always upright. Justify your Answer.
3. Differentiate between primary succession and secondary succession. Which one occurs
faster?
4. Gaseous nutrient cycle and sedimentary nutrient cycles have their reservoir. Name them.
Why is a reservoir necessary?
5. Differentiate between Hydrarch and a Xerarch succession.
6. Why is secondary sucession faster than primary sucession?
7. Distinguish between upright & inverted pyramids?
8. Explain with an example, why is the length of a food chain in an ecosystem generally
limited to 3-4 tropic level?
 Long Questions:
1. Briefly describe the biotic components of an ecosystem.
2. Give an account of factors affecting the rate of decomposition.
3. Sometimes due to biotic/abiotic factors, the climax remains in a particular serai stage (pre-
climax) without reaching climax. Do you agree with this statement? If yes give a suitable
example.
 Assertion & Reason Questions:
1. For two statements are given-one labelled Assertion and the other labelled Reason. Select
the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
a. Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
b. Both assertion and reason are true, but reason is not the correct explanation of
assertion.
c. Assertion is true, but reason is false.
d. Both assertion and reason are false.
Assertion: Ecosystem is the structural and functional unit of biosphere consisting of abiotic
and biotic components which interact with each other and maintain a balance in nature.
Reason: In an ecosystem, energy and matter are continuously exchanged between living
and non-living components.
2. For two statements are given-one labelled Assertion and the other labelled Reason. Select
the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
a. Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
b. Both assertion and reason are true, but reason is not the correct explanation of
assertion.
c. Assertion is true, but reason is false.
SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM
d. Both assertion and reason are false.
Assertion: Different ecosystems have different species composition.
Reason: The type of species that can thrive in an ecosystem is dependent upon its
geography, topography and climate.
 Case Study Questions:
1. Read the following and answer any four questions from (i) to (v) given below:
Except for the deep sea hydro-thermal ecosystem, sun is the only source of energy for all
ecosystems on Earth. Of the incident solar radiation less than 50 per cent of it is
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). We know that plants and photosynthetic bacteria
(autotrophs), fix Sun’s radiant energy to make food from simple inorganic materials. Plants
capture only 2-10 per cent of the PAR and this small amount of energy sustains the entire
living world. So, it is very important to know how the solar energy captured by plants flows
through different organisms of an ecosystem. All organisms are dependent for their food on
producers, either directly or indirectly. The green plant in the ecosystem are called
producers. In a terrestrial ecosystem, major producers are herbaceous and woody plants.
Likewise, producers in an aquatic ecosystem are various species like phytoplankton, algae
and higher plants. You have read about the food chains and webs that exist in nature.
Starting from the plants (or producers) food chains or rather webs are formed such that an
animal feeds on a plant or on another animal and in turn is food for another. The chain or
web is formed because of this interdependency. No energy that is trapped into an organism
remains in it for ever. The energy trapped by the producer, hence, is either passed on to a
consumer or the organism dies. Death of organism is the beginning of the detritus food
chain/web. All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs.
They are hence called consumers and also heterotrophs. If they feed on the producers, the
plants, they are called primary consumers, and if the animals eat other animals which in
turn eat the plants (or their produce) they are called secondary consumers. Likewise, you
could have tertiary consumers too. Obviously the primary consumers will be herbivores.
Some common herbivores are insects, birds and mammals in terrestrial ecosystem and
molluscs in aquatic ecosystem.
1) ……………………. Is an herbivore organism in the aquatic ecosystem.
(a) Molluscs
(b) Insects
(c) Mammals
(d) Birds
2) In the ecosystem, green plants are
(a) Consumers
(b) Decomposers
(c) Producers
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(d) All of them
3) PAR is a ………………….
(a) Powerful Atomic Radiation.
(b) Photosynthetically Atomic Radiation.
(c) Photosynthetically Active Radiation.
(d) Powerful Active Radiation.
4) Which ecosystem on earth does not require sun as an energy source?
5) Name any two producers from aquatic ecosystem.
2. Read the following and answer any four questions from (i) to (v) given below:
The consumers that feed on these herbivores are carnivores, or more correctly primary
carnivores (though secondary consumers). Those animals that depend on the primary
carnivores for food are labelled secondary carnivores. A simple grazing food chain (GFC) is
depicted below:
Grass Goat Man
Producer Primary consumer Secondary consumer

The detritus food chain (DFC) begins with dead organic matter. It is made up of
decomposers which are heterotrophic organisms, mainly fungi and bacteria. They meet
their energy and nutrient requirements by degrading dead organic matter or detritus. These
are also known as saprotrophs (sapro: to decompose). Decomposers secrete digestive
enzymes that breakdown dead and waste materials into simple, inorganic materials, which
are subsequently absorbed by them. In an aquatic ecosystem, GFC is the major conduit for
energy flow. As against this, in a terrestrial ecosystem, a much larger fraction of energy
flows through the detritus food chain than through the GFC. Detritus food chain may be
connected with the grazing food chain at some levels: some of the organisms of DFC are
prey to the GFC animals, and in a natural ecosystem, some animals like cockroaches, crows,
etc., are omnivores. These natural interconnection of food chains make it a food web. How
would you classify human beings!
1) ……………………….. is a beginning of Detritus food chain.
(a) Living organic matter
(b) Producers
(c) Dead organic matter
(d) Consumers
2) The meaning of sapro word in the saprotrophs is ……………………….
(a) To produce
(b) To divide
(c) To consume
(d) To decompose
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3) GFC is a ……………………………..
(a) Global food chain
(b) Grazing food chain
(c) Global food consumers
(d) Grazing form chain
4) Write a short note on Grazing food chain.
5) What is ‘Food web’.
 Answer Key-
 Multiple Choice Answers:
1. (b) Marine
2. (b) Agaricus
3. (b) Tropical rainforests
4. (c) Either upright or inverted
5. (b) 2-10%
6. (a) Tropical rainforest
7. (b) 10%
8. (a) Orderly and sequential
9. (b) equilibrium
10. (d) All of the above.
11. (b) phytoplankton, free-floating hydrophytes, rooted hydrophytes, sedges, grasses and
trees.
12. (b) atmosphere
13. (c) tertiary consumer
14. (c) Desert
15. (d) Littoral zone.
 Very Short Answers:
1. Its slower if detritus is rich in lignin and chitin.
2. Inverted Pyramid of Number .
3. Sere: Entire sequence of communities that successively change in a given area.Serial
community: Individual transitional community .
4. Pioneer species in Hydrarch succession are usually the small phytoplanktons and that in
Xerarch succession are usually lichens.
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5. Respiration.
6. 2 – 10%
7. Phytoplanktons
8. Aquarium & Garden.
9. Stratification in an ecosystem refers to the vertical distribution of different species
occupying different levels.
10. Pyramid of energy.
 Short Answer:
1. Inverted, because biomass of fishes far exceeds that of phytoplankton.
2. Pyramid of energy is always upright and can never be inverted, because when energy
flows from a trophic level to the next trophic level some energy is always lost as heat at
each step.
3. Primary Succession: Aprocess that starts where no living organisms are there. Secondary
succession: Aprocess that starts in areas which have lost all the living organisms that
existed there.
4. Reservoir for Gaseous nutrient cycle : Atmosphere; for sedimentary nutrient cycle : Earth’s
crust. Reservoir is needed to meet with the deficit which occurs due to imbalance in the
rate of influx and efflux.
5. HydrarchSuccession: Starts in water proceeds from hydric (aquatic) to mesic (neither dry
nor wet) situations. Xerarchsuccession: Starts on barren rock Proceeds from Xeric (dry)
conditons.
6. Secondary succession refers to community development on sites previously occupied by
welldeveloped communities where the environment is both organic & inorganic. Since
these bare areaspossesses suitable soil for proper growth so, secondary successes is more
rapid them primarysuccession.
7. In upright pyramid the number of producers or its biome is maximum in an ecosystem & it
decreases progressively at each trophic level. Whereas in inverted pyramid at producer
level is minimum & is increasing progressively at each trophic level in a food chain.
8. In a food chain at each trophic level about 90% of energy is degraded into heat & only 10%
energy is transferred to next tropic level thus of trophic levels in the food chain the
amount energy to be transferred to next trophic level will be approximately negligible thus
a food chain is generally limited to 3-4 trophic levels.
 Long Answer:
1. Biotic components: Of an ecosystem’s biotic components, the plants are producers as they
introduce food materials and energy into the living world. The animals are consumers
because they get food and energy by consuming plants directly thus called primary
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consumers (herbivores); secondary/ tertiary consumers (carnivores) obtain energy and food
indirectly from plants, and microorganisms are decomposers for they flourish by breaking
dead organic matter to simple substances that are returned to environment for reuse by
plants.
In an ecosystem, nutrients are used again and again in a cyclic manner, whereas energy
trapped from sunlight is lost as heat.
2. Factors affecting decomposition:
i. The upper layer of soil is the main site of decomposition processes in the ecosystem.
ii. The rate of decomposition of detritus is affected by climatic factors and the chemical
quality of detritus.
iii. Temperature and soil moisture affect the activities of root microbes.
iv. The chemical quality of detritus is determined by the relative proportion of water-
soluble substances, polyphenols, lignin, and nitrogen.
3. Sometimes pre-climax stage remains in a particular serai stage without reaching the climax
because during ecological succession any change in abiotic and biotic components may
affect the particular serai stage, leading to the pre-climax stage before the climax is
achieved.
This type of condition occurs in the presence of seeds and other propagules. This
secondarily based area may be invaded by moss or exotic weeds thus exhibiting succession
seriously and the climax community is never regenerated.
 Assertion and Reason Answers:
1) a) Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
Explanation:
Ecosystems include living organisms, the dead organic matter produced by them, the
abiotic environment within which the organisms live and exchange elements and the
interactions between these components. Ecosystems include the concept that living
organisms continually interact with each other and with the environment to produce
complex systems with emergent properties, such that "the whole is greater than the sum of
its parts" and "everything is connected". The idea of the ecosystem relates to the idea that
all organisms in the environment are engaged in relationships with every other aspect (like
resources and other organisms) in that environment. Ecosystems deal with energy and
nutrient flow through a system/community.
2) a) Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
Explanation:
A Each ecosystem has different kinds of species. This is because the type of species that can
thrive in an ecosystem is dependent upon its geography, topography and climate. For
SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM
example, the desert biomes have species that are well adapted to life in the sand with
limited access to water, such as camels and cacti. The species in tundras have adaptations
to keep the body warm, such as the polar bear that has fur and fat layers under its skin.
 Case Study:
1.
1. (a) Molluscs.
2. (c) Producers.
3. (c) Photosynthetically Active Radiation.
4. The deep sea hydro-thermal ecosystem is the ecosystem on earth that does not
require sun as an energy source.
5. Algae and phytoplankton both are producers in an aquatic ecosystem.
2.
1. (c) Dead organic matter.
2. (d) To decompose.
3. (b) Grazing food chain.
4. The producers are present in beginning of grazing food chain. Grass is taken as
producer in this chain. Then goat is primary consumer because it eats or consume
grass. Man are secondary consumers in the chain because man consume goat which
consumes grass.
5. The normal interconnection of food chain is known as Food web.