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Eco System

The document defines and describes terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystems include forests, grasslands, tundras, and deserts, and are dominated by interactions between organisms and their surrounding land environment. Aquatic ecosystems contain freshwater or saltwater habitats and support a diversity of plant and animal life. Both ecosystem types play important roles like nutrient recycling, water purification, and sustaining food chains.

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Ananya Gupta
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
62 views

Eco System

The document defines and describes terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystems include forests, grasslands, tundras, and deserts, and are dominated by interactions between organisms and their surrounding land environment. Aquatic ecosystems contain freshwater or saltwater habitats and support a diversity of plant and animal life. Both ecosystem types play important roles like nutrient recycling, water purification, and sustaining food chains.

Uploaded by

Ananya Gupta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a 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
interactions between organisms and their environment.

Different Type of Ecosystem


 Terrestrial Ecosystem
 Aquatic Ecosystem

Terrestrial Ecosystem
Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems. There are different types of
terrestrial ecosystems distributed around various geological zones. They are as follows:

1. Forest Ecosystem
2. Grassland Ecosystem
3. Tundra Ecosystem
4. Desert Ecosystem

Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem consists of several plants, particularly trees, animals and
microorganisms that live in coordination with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests
help in maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major carbon sink.

Grassland Ecosystem
In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs. Temperate
grasslands and tropical or savanna grasslands are examples of grassland ecosystems.

Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or where rainfall is
scarce. These are covered with snow for most of the year. Tundra type of ecosystem is
found in the Arctic or mountain tops.

Desert Ecosystem
Deserts are found throughout the world. These are regions with little rainfall and scarce
vegetation. The days are hot, and the nights are cold.

Characteristics Features
1) Lower availability of water ( as compared to aquatic ecosystems) and the consequent
importance of water as a limiting factor.
2) Greater temperature fluctuations on both a diurnal and seasonal basis.
3) There is greater availability of light favoured by a transparent atmosphere.
4) Availability of gases is more. Carbon dioxide serves as a substrate for photosynthesis,
Oxygen serves as a substrate in aerobic respiration and Nitrogen serves as a substrate for
nitrogen fixation.
5) Organisms in the terrestrial ecosystem are adapted to factors
like acquisition of water, prevention of evaporation of water from body surface, traits
providing body support in the atmosphere as well as traits to withstand extremes of
temperatures. They also have evolved many methods of transporting gametes in the
environment.
Structure

The structural components of the biotic communities in the terrestrial ecosystems are mainly
composed of plants, animals, and microbes. However, the terrestrial communities are functionally
more diversified and complex than the aquatic ecosystems.12 They mainly consist of producers,
consumers, and detritivores of numerous species which interact and inter-depend one on another
for co-existence and thereby shaping the structure and the transfer of matter and energy along and
across the various trophic levels.

Function
 Biomass production
 Vegetation's efficiency of using sunlight and water
 Water retention and climate regulation
 Ultimately food security.

Fun Facts/ Did You Know?


Life is tough in tundra.

Almost all tundras in the Northern Hemisphere are found in the Arctic. Small tundra-like areas do
exist in Antarctica, which is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The tundra is a huge, treeless
landscape. It covers roughly 20% of the Earth's surface. Because the ground is frequently
continuously frozen, trees cannot grow there. Polar bears, foxes, and reindeer live on the Arctic
tundra.

Aquatic Ecosystem
Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems present in a body of water. These can be further divided
into two types, namely:

1. Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Marine Ecosystem

Freshwater Ecosystem
The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams
and wetlands. These have no salt content in contrast with the marine ecosystem.

Marine Ecosystem
The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial salt content
and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.

Characteristic Features
1. Water Diversity: They can be made of either freshwater or saltwater.
2. Varied Habitat Population: They provide habitat for a variety of flora and
fauna ranging from shallow water to even the deepest of oceans.
3. Exclusive Biodiversity: Algae and corals make up the majority of
the flora of aquatic ecosystems.
4. Rich Sustainance Network: They facilitate the smooth continuity of the
overall complex food chain play, regulate the hydrological cycle, and act as a
pollution filter.

Structure

Function
1. Allows nutrients to be recycled more easily.
2. Aids in the purification of water
3. Recharges the groundwater table
4. Provides a home for aquatic vegetation and fauna.
5. Prevents flooding

Fun Facts/Did you know?


The oceans alone cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface or 140,000,000 square miles. The
average ocean depth is about 12,000 feet and the deepest point is the Mariana Trench in
the Pacific Ocean with a depth of about 32,800 feet

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