ECS 205 A –Environmental

Sciences
 Introduction to
Environmental Sciences
Syllabus
 Evaluation

 Mid Term Examination 20 %

 Assignments – 15 %
 Quizzes – 7 %
 Project Work ( Based on Field Visits) - 20 %
 Interactions in class and Attendance – 8 %
 End Semester Examination – 30 %
Project Work
Texts/Other Resources

1. Gilbert M. M. and Wendell E. (2008). Introduction to

environmental engineering and science, Prentice Hall, 2008.

 2. Canter L.W. (1996) Environmental Impact Assessment,

2nd Edn. New York, McGraw Hill.

 3. Odum E.P. (2007) Ecology: A Bridge between Science and

Society.
 4. Any book on Environment and Ecology by the Indian
Authors or Foreign Authors, Internet, Environmental
Reports, Research Papers or Current or Old News Items etc.
Emphsis Suggested by the
Institute

Explain the importance of the
environment.
● Describe the importance of
natural resource management
● Be able to critic the sustainable
development practices.
● Ability to analyze and
incorporate the essence of
environment implications in their
day to day decision making.
Introduction to Environmental
Science & Sustainable
development

As per Environment Protection Act 1986,

Environment is defined as the sum total of
water, air, and land and the inter-
relationships that exist among them and with
the human beings, other living organisms
and materials
 What is
Environmental
Science?
The study of how humans interact with
their environment
Our environment is everything that
surrounds us, both natural
and man- made.
 Environment: the total of
our surroundings
• All the things around us with which
we interact:
• Living things
• Animals, plants, forests, fungi,virus,
etc.
• Nonliving things
• Oceans, clouds, soil, rocks
• Our built environment
• Buildings, human-created living
centers
• Social relationships and institutions
SEGMENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
• Atmosphere – it is composed of several
distinct layers such as troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere and ionosphere.
• Hydrosphere – Water – Ocean
• Lithosphere – Solid part of the Earth
crust.
– The crust includes minerals, soil and rock.
– Largest volume of Earth’s interior – Mantle.
• Biosphere – It is the part of the earth which
includes Air, Land, Water, Rock within which
Earth, Man & Environment
 Humans impact the physical environment in many
ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels,
and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered
climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and
undrinkable water.
 Earth is like a mother to the mankind who are totally
dependent on it. Age of earth is estimated to be
about 4.6 billion years.
 Our ancestors depended on earth resources for their
survival in the world and they started giving due
importance to the resources such as trees, plants,
sun , water , air etc. Plants, trees, herbs, minerals
were also exploited as ancient medicines by them.
Recycling – A Continuous Phenomena
 Today this is continuing as Ayurveda or Unani system of
medicines.Cows were exploited to get milk. In fact the life
form on this earth is being created through the recycling
of the remains from the dead bodies, decayed plants ,
minerals etc.We are not sure about the rebirth but
recycling through DNAs, genes etc.possibly through
remains in the earth and these materials is happening.
 Man has slowly developed techniques to exploit the nature
, in fact earlier he was scared of the vagaries of nature like
lightning, rains, fires, hot waves, storms etc.
 Necessity is the mother of invention.
 Agricultual practices were started almost 10000 years
ago.Human brains developed science and technology
to devise more and more products and processes to
harness natural resources
 Several inventions took place with time. Industrial
revolution started in 1760 and it is considered to have
lasted up to 1840. Digitalization is happening in the
Industry 4.0/5th period. Agricultural revolution was
replaced by the industrial revolution and this has
entered the space and computer age. We did not have
mobiles commercially earlier till 1983 – AI, Space
Technology etc.
 1. Emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4,
NOx, water vapours etc., besides CFC, responsible
for ozone layer depletion.
 2. Hazardous chemicals ( xenobiotics {i.e.,foreign
to animal life) or anthropogenic compounds which are
recalcitrant to biological degradation in nature ) from
agriculture and industries.
 3. Production of nuclear materials.
 4. Nuclear wastes.
 5. Biological warfare.
 Ecology

 These activities have grave impacts on the environment

and these are challenging the survival of man on this
terrestrial ball. These may have to be controlled to
make the life sustainable on this earth.

 Ecology

 The term ecology was described by Earnst Haeckel in

1869. Ecology deals with the study of interaction of
organisms in their natural space with their surroundings.
Number of Slides are more
because of bigger Font Size
Please Note.
 Example is the interaction of tiny
insect in a forest with other
insects, animals, plants, soil,
water, air etc.
 Thus ecology is a science which
deals with the interaction and
relationship of organisms or a
group of organisms.
Ecosystem

 Tansley in 1935 defined ecosystem as a self -

regulating group of biotic community of
species interacting with each other and with
their non-living environment exchanging
energy and matter.
 This helps us to understand the connection
between organisms and their abiotic
environment.
 Ecology is then the study of ecosystems.
• Ecosystem - living things in a given area, non-
living chemical and physical factors of their
environment, linked together through nutrient cycle
and energy flow
Types of Ecosystem

Natural Artificial/Man-made

Terrestrial Aquatic
(Forest, Grass
land, Desert) Marine Fresh water

Lotic -river, stream or spring. Lentic -lake, pond or swamp.

 How can humans help to
prevent changes in
1
ecosystems?
Use resources wisely
2

Laws that control pollution

3

Clean up litter
4

Keep rivers and lakes clean

 Ecosystems:
Fundamental
Characteristics
ABIOTIC components
• Solar energy provides practically all the energy
for ecosystems.
• Inorganic substances, e.g., sulfur, boron etc.
tend to cycle through ecosystems.
• Organic compounds, such as proteins,
carbohydrates, lipids, and other complex
molecules, form a link between biotic and abiotic
components of the system.
 Ecosystems: Fundamental
Characteristics
BIOTIC components
• The biotic components of an ecosystem can be
classified according to their mode of energy
acquisition.
• In this type of classification, there are:

• Autotrophs and Heterotrophs

• Organisms that produce their own food from an
energy source, such as the sun, and inorganic
compounds.
• Organisms that consume other organisms as a
food source.
Structure of ecosystem

 The structure of ecosystem involves mainly two

concepts i.e., food chains and food web through which
energy and nutrients move through the ecosystems.
 Sun is the driving force of ecosystems. This structure is
described in 5 levels :
 Producers
 Herbivores
 Carnivores
 Detrivores
 Decomposers
 Examples of interactions
Symbiosis is a term describing any relationship
or interaction between two dissimilar
organisms. The specific kind of symbiosis
depends on whether either or both organisms
benefit from the relationship.

For example, the close relationship between

Clown fish and sea anemones (Tentacles –
Sting) which provides clownfish with
protection from predators through stinging
other sea animals however, it gets almost no
or a very little advantage for itself -
Commensalism
Mutualism is defined as an interaction between
individuals of different species that results in
positive (beneficial) effects on per capita
 Honey guide bird takes human to beehive &
the eats wax left after the recovery of honey.

and algae, honeyguides bird guides humans to Beehives – human

remove bees to gey honey for both.

Commensalism, in biology, a relationship between individuals of

two species in which one species obtains food or other benefits
from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.
Example - orchids growing on tree branches- grow on top of tree
without being eaten or walked over by ground organisms.
E coli in human intestines ( mutualistic or commensalism or
both ?).

Antagonism, in ecology, an association between organisms in which

one benefits at the expense of the other. As life has evolved,
natural selection has favoured organisms that are able to
efficiently extract energy and nutrients from their
Physico-chemical and biological
factors in Environment
 Physico-chemical properties are the intrinsic physical and
chemical characteristics of a substance. These include
appearance, boiling point, density, volatility, water
solubility and flammability etc
 Physical factors of ecosystem and environment

 Critical physical factors are temperature, light and

hydrology (such as rainfall, soil moisture, flow rates, and
sea level), as well as infrequent events that reshape
ecological systems, such as fires, floods, and storms.
 Physical attributes reflect, in part, the influence of solar
radiation. Solar radiation warms land and water masses,
drives hydrologic cycles, and supports photosynthesis
(which is essential to support biological systems).

 Biochemical factors include microbial, enzymatic and

photobiological or electrobiological changes etc.

Factors that alter the critical chemical and physical

characteristics of ecological systems include temperature, pH
electrochemical (redox) potential, and the transparency of air
and water. pH of human system ?
Pathways of ecosystem :

 There are three major pathways through

which plant or tree biomass is degraded into
the forms that release nutrients again
available to plants: microbial decomposition;
vertebrate herbivores; and wildfires.
 Here microbes, herbivores, and wildfires play
a joint role in the functioning of ecosystems .
Thus the diversity of mechanisms regulate the
biosphere.
 Chemical factors of ecosystem
 Critical chemical attributes include levels of
oxygen, nutrients, pH, salinity, and other
chemicals in the environment.

 Biochemical factors include all biological

attributes including microbial and other
biological processes.
 Physical, chemical, and biological processes are
influenced by the amount and timing of light
including temperature and weather conditions,
photoactivation of chemicals, mutations, and the
timing of reproductive cycles. Solar radiation can
have potentially harmful effects on some species.
 Reproduction and other activity patterns of
species are often related to physical and chemical
cues such as temperature, light, and salinity. They
may also be linked to physical disturbances (such
as periodic fires or floods).
 Food Chains

 Transfer of energy through eating and being eaten.

Each step is called a trophic ( relating to feeding and
nutrition ) level..
 The main source of energy for food chain is sun, dead
animals or waste produced from living animals. On the
basis of energy source there are two types of food
chains :
Types of food chains :
 1. Grazing food chain – Starting with plants etc
 2. Detritus food chain – Starts with dead organic
matter..
 Trophic Levels
• A trophic ( food and nutrition ) level is the
position occupied by an organism in a food
chain.
• Trophic levels can be analyzed on an energy
pyramid.
• Producers are found at the base of the pyramid and
comprise the first trophic level.
• Primary consumers make up the second trophic
level.
• Secondary consumers make up the third trophic
level.
• Finally tertiary consumers make up the top
trophic level.
 Living green plants produce food through
photosynthesis with the help of UV light of sun
by plants, trees, grasses. These are eaten by
Herbivores. Carnivores depend upon herbivores
for the same. This depends upon the sun and
this autotrophic energy moves into herbivores
and then into carnivores or omnivores. Most of
the ecosystems in nature follow this food chain.
 Grass → Caterpillar or Grasshopper → Frog
→ Snake → Hawk
 Detritus Food chain
 This starts from the dead animals and
microorganisms feeding on these ( detritus)
and their producers. This does not depend so
much on solar energy and this depends on the
organic matter produced in other system.

 Leaf litter - Earthworms or insects - Sparrows

or Crows or Black birds or Vultures - Hawk or
Eagle
Food Web

 In fact feeding relationship in the ecosystem

is complex. Some feed on producers and some
times carnivores also feed on dead organic
material. Some carnivores are dependent on
varied diets, e.g., human feed on plants,
animals, and fungi also. Such organisms are
called omnivores, e.g., bears, birds, dogs,
raccoons, foxes, certain insects, nightingales,
and even humans.
 Most of the times the detritus food chain may
inter-link with grazing food chain in a complex
manner.
 Example is that the earthworm may feed on
herbivores and on detrivore , waste produced from
plants and animals and on dead bodies of plants or
animals as a source of energy. The inter-linking
food chain is like a mesh and it is known as Food
web.
 This will be discussed in details later alongwith
figure.
Functions of ecosystems

 1. Energy flow
 2. Nutrient cycling
Energy flow
 Autotrophic organisms use sun light to
produce food and energy through
photosynthesis. This energy is used by other
trophic levels to remain alive and keep
working.
 Chronobiology - Circadian
Rhythms
 Actually in deep sea light cannot reach the areas which
are lying deep. However, because of some volcanic
eruptions temperatures are high . Organisms there are
dependent on organic debris as food. Moreover,
autotrophic bacteria use H2S and sulfur compounds as
food along with CO2 to produce food. These bacteria
are known as chemoautotrophic bacteria.-
methanogens, halophiles, nitrifiers, thermoacidophiles,
sulfur oxidizers, etc.
 Circadian Rhythms- are physical, mental, and
behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These
natural processes respond primarily to light and dark
and affect most living things, including animals,
plants, and microbes
2. Nutrient cycling

 Bacteria and fungi decompose the dead

bodies and waste produced from the living
animals and even insects .The nutrients,
chemicals and energy is circulated within
ecosystem are known as biogeochemical
cycles.

 C, N, S and P cycles etc.

 Trophic Levels Found on
an Energy Pyramid
• The greatest amount of energy is found at the base of
the pyramid.
• The least amount of energy is found at top of the
pyramid.

Source: corpuschristiisd.org/user_files/91702/Ecosystem.ppt
 Food
Chains
Transfer of energy and nutrients from one
feeding group of organism to another
• The producers, consumers, and
decomposers of each ecosystem make up
a food chain.
• There are many food chains in an
ecosystem.
• Food chains show where energy is
transferred and not who eats who.
 Types of Food Chains
1. Grazing food chain
Plants

Herbivores
(cattle, elephant, etc.)

Prime.Carnivores
(tigers, lions, snakes, etc.)

Second.Carnivores (hawk,
 Types of Food Chains
2. Detritus Food Chain - The organic . waste
and dead matter derived from grazing food
chains are called detritus.
Dead Organic Materials (Decomposing organic
.matter)

Detrivores (Algae, Fungi, Bacteria, Earthworms,

etc.,)

Chemical Energy -- Simpler Organic .

Compounds.
 Biomagnification
• Biological Magnification- Hg eaten by fish
& getting into human later on.
– Ecological Balance :
• Maintaining and Regulating the population size
• Overpopulation - All organisms and even human

- In addition, at each trophic level, the

concentration of food chains keep on
increasing,
 Food
Webs

 This has been discussed before as well

 In ecosystems, some consumers feed on a

single species, but most consumers have
multiple food sources.

Hawk/ Eagle eats both mouse and snake.

 In this way, individual food chain becomes inter-

connected to form a food web.
 Food Webs
• All the food chains in an area make up the food web of the area.
• Maintaining the stability of an ecosystem
 ENERGY FLOW IN
•
ECOSYSTEM
All organisms must obtain a supply of energy and
nutrients from their environment in order to survive.
• The transformations of energy in an ecosystem begin first with
the input of energy from the sun.
• Because, it is the first step in the production of energy for
living things, it is called “Primary production”.
• Photosynthesis -- Chemical reaction where green plants use
water and carbon dioxide to store the sun’s energy in
• glucose.
ENERGY is stored in glucose. Glucose is stored as starch in
plants
The energy contained within producers and consumers is
ultimately passed to the decomposers that are responsible for
the constant recycling of nutrients.
 ENERGY FLOW IN
• ECOSYSTEM
Thus, there is a one-way flow of energy through the
biotic community and a cycling of nutrients
between the biotic and abiotic components of the
• ecosystem
• Energy flow cannot occur in reverse direction.
The amount of energy decreases with successive trophic
• levels.
Only About 1% of energy from the sun is used by green
• plants & rest remains unutilized.
• Similarly, there is loss of energy in each trophic level.
The transfer of food energy between the organisms in an
ecosystem can be tracked by constructing food chains,
food webs, pyramids of numbers, biomass, etc.,
 NUTRIENT
CYCLES
• Nutrient cycles involve storage and
transfer of nutrients through different
components of the ecosystem, so that the
nutrients are repeatedly used.
• The cyclic movements of chemical
elements of the biosphere between the
organisms and environment are referred
as “BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES”
 A biome is an area classified according to the
species that live in that location. These form the
niches for specific species

 The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth

where life exists—all ecosystems. The biosphere
extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to
the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush
rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition
zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial
ecosystems meet.
 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
• It involves biological, geological and chemical
systems and all are interlinked through a cyclic
chain.
• It is the complete pathway that a chemical
element flows from the atmosphere, water, rock
or soil to the living organisms and again back
to the atmosphere, water, rock or soil.
• The return of chemical elements from living
organisms to abiotic component is called
Mineralization.
• There are 4 different biochemical cycles

– Hydrological cycle (water)

– Carbon cycle
– Nitrogen cycle
– Phosphorous cycle
 HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
• In this cycle, fresh water evaporates and
condenses on the earth. Oceans are
the main source of evaporated water,
which leaves behind salts.
• Water also evaporates from fresh water
bodies, from land and plants.
 HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
The steps involved in hydrologic cycles are
– evaporation
– condensation
– infiltration
– runoff
– precipitation
 CARBON CYCLE
• Carbon enters plants as CO2
– Bacteria process carbon in a fashion that allows it to
be recycled.
– Obtain energy from the molecules, and convert
carbohydrates to carbon dioxide as a result of
respiration.
• Photosynthesis removes carbon from the abiotic
environment (fixes carbon into organic molecules)
• Carbon moves through food chain through consumption
of one organisms by another
• Cellular respiration, combustion, and erosion of
limestone return carbon to the atmosphere, water and
abiotic environment.
Carbon cycle
 NITROGEN CYCLE
• Nitrogen is crucial for all organisms
– Nucleic acids and DNA, RNA etc.
– Proteins
– Chlorophyll ( C55H72MgN4O5)
• Nitrogen- 78% in Atmosphere
•N 2 is very stable and must be broken apart by
organisms, combined with other atoms into a
usable form.
• The process of entering atm. Nitrogen into
the organism and again back to the
Nitrogen Fixation (NF) can be carried out by symbiotic N fixer
and non-symbiotic N fixer and other natural as well as
industrial process.
– Conversion of N2 → NH3
•
Symbiotic bacteria, associated with roots of legumes and
flowering plants. eg. Rhizobium which convert N into the
organic nitrogen for their own cells. when these organisms
die or leave wastes certain other bacteria and fungi return the
N to the soils and atmosphere.
• Non-symbiotic N fixers are both aerobic and anaerobic
bacteria as well as cyanobacteria. These occur in soil, marine
and fresh water.
• Lightning storms convert atmospheric N into nitrates and
reaches the soil through rain water. They can also be
converted to ammonia by denitrifying bacteria.
 Wet & dry
Atmospheric deposition

Nitrogen fixation by Nitrogen Denitrificat

free living & ion
symbiotic microbes. Pseudomon
as

Plants
Consumer
s

Detritus Litter fall

Ammonification
Uptake
Heterotrophs

Nitrificati
Nitroso- Soil on Soil
Soil
monas nitrite nitrate
ammonia Nitrobacter
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen cycle
 PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
• The only cycle that does not have a gaseous state
• Inorganic phosphate PO4 is released from rocks and
-
sediments through the action of erosion.
• Soil PO4 is absorbed by plants and incorporated into
nucleic 3-

• acids, phospholipids and ATP (adenosine

triphosphate). Animals obtain most of their P by
• consumption of other
3animals and from water.
• PO43-is released to the soil again by decomposers.
• Dissolved PO43-gets absorbed by algae and aquatic
plants Decomposers break down waste and returns PO4
to
3-
Phosphorous cycle
 Oxygen Cycle

Oxygen is the most important element in

our life.
About 21% of Oxygen is present in the
atm.
as free O2.
Plants and animals can take the free O2 from
the atmosphere through a process called
respiration, and it release CO2 and water into
the atm.
 Oxygen Cycle
CO2

CO2

PLANTS and ATMOSPHERE

ANIMALS

O2

O2
Types of ecosystems

 On the basis of the presence of abiotic and

biotic factors and their interaction amongst
each other there are 2 main ecosystems
i.e., terrestrial or land and aquatic
ecosystem.

 As habitat varies on the earth with climate

these are further subdivided into many
subtypes.
Terrestrial ecosystem

 Terrestrial ecosystem is basically the land

ecosystem. Major reservoirs are lithosphere
and atmosphere.
 Major terrestrial system is also called Biome

 On the basis of the presence of biotic and

abiotic factors the terrestrial ecosysrems are
the Forest, ecosystem Grassland ecosystem
and Desert ecosystem..
Forest ecosystem

 Forest occupies approximately 40 % of total

land on earth. In India forest cover is almost
21 % of its land area.

 These are the ecosystems having a

predominance of trees that are interspersed
with a large number of species of herbs,
shrubs, climbers, lichens, algae and a wide
variety of wild animals and birds.
Components of forest ecosytem are
as follows :
Abiotic components
 In addition to inorganic substances these also
contain organic debris, e.g., fallen leaves,
seeds, branches etc.
 It has canopy and sub-canopy , middle flora
zone and ground flora zone, litter zone and
rhizosphere zone with sun light penetration
Biotic components
Living organisms present in the food chains.
Autotrophs ( Producers )
Produce their food through photosynthesis. Trees
are predominant species. There are herbs, shrubs,
climbers, epiphytes e.g., orchids and ground flora.

There are different forest types such as deciduous,

temperate coniferous forests, temperate deciduous
forests ) species.
Economic vs Environmental value of
a tree
 Heterotrophs
Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores ( Consumer)
a. Primary consumers
 These feed on the tree leaves as ants, flies,
grasshoppers etc. Other larger animals feed on
tree shoots like deer, Asian antelope (Nilgai),
mongoose, bats etc.
b. Secondary consumers
 Organisms depending on herbivores for their food
e.g., fox, snakes, birds etc.
 c. Tertiary consumers
 These are top carnivores depending on secondary
consumers e.g., lion, tiger, man etc.
Saprotrophs ( Decomposers )
 Various microrganisms such as fungi like Aspergillus
spp., Trichoderma spp. etc. and bacteria such as
Bacillus spp., Clostridium spp., Pseudomonas spp.
etc. Achromobacter, Acinetobacter, Alkanindiges,
Alteromonas, Arthrobacter, Burkholderia, Dietzia,
Enterobacter, Kocuria, Marinobacter can degrade
aromatic and aliphatic compounds.
 Thus these degrade organic chemicals for
being recycled to nature through biological and
biogeochemical processes.

GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS
 Grasslands are dominated by grass species but
sometimes also allow the growth of a few trees
and shrubs. Rainfall is average but
erratic.Approximately 20-40 % of earth surface
is grassland ecosystem.
 Abiotic components
 Main abiotic factors are nutrients from earth and
environment.
Biotic components
Autotrophs ;
 All grass forms such as Cyanadon spp., Pos spp.,
Brachiaria spp., Dactyloctinium spp. etc. along with
herbs and shrubs. Switch grass, Miscanthus ?
 Heterotrophs : Herbivore and carnivores
( consumers )
 These make available chemicals in nature and help
in nutrient cycling.

Desert Ecosystem
 These types of ecosystems occupy 20-33 % land
on earth.
 India- 12 %. Extreme whether conditions, less than
25 cm rainfall, high temperature, harsh climate
are factors leading to desertification.
 Abiotic components : Sandy
 Biotic components : Desert biomass and animals.
 Less trees but mainly cactus type plants, shrubs, herbs,
bushes, are dominant. Some species of lichens and mosses
are also present.
 Plants in this region are known as xerophytes ( cacti) etc
 Heterotrophs ( Consumers )
 Herbivores and carnivores , the reptiles (snakes, lizards
etc. ), insects, birds and rodents ( mice, squirrel etc. )
which can sustain extreme weather conditions. Camel is
the animal which is predominantly present. Camel hump –
fat storage.
 Biodegradations

 Decomposers : Some fungi and bacteria which can

survive and survive on the plant species etc.

Aquatic ecosystem
 Interaction of biotic and abiotic components in
hydrosphere.
 There are 3 main Aquatic ecosystems
 1. Freshwater ecosystem
 2. Marine ecosystem
 3. Astuary ecosystem
 Fresh water ecosystem is of 2 types:
 Lentic ecosystem and lotic ecosystem,
 Lotic ecosystem- Flowing water- River, springs,
streams etc.

 Lentic ecosystem ( Pond ecosystem)

 Stagnant water
 Small but several biotic and abiotic components
are interrelated in several ways here.
 Shorter Slide ?

 Abiotic components such as temperature, pH,

light etc., organic and inorganic compounds
such as amino acids, proteins, CO2, O2,
 Phosphate, nitrogen etc.
 Biotic components
 Producers : Photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodospirillum
rubrum, Cosmarium, Autotrophs spp., Clostridium spp.,
Spirulina etc., phytoplankton and green plant. With the
help of inorganic compounds these produce proteins, fats,
carbohydrates etc.

 Some plants are submerged in the ponds such as

water hyacinth, Hydrilla etc.
Fish, lizards, snakes – Ants- numbers –
Collaborative Efforts – Traction to the niches

 Consumers : Some detritivores also eat dead

plant matter. Mollusc, fish, frog etc. Fish eat
algae and large fish eat small fish, frogs etc.

 Decomposers : Fungi and bacteria.

 Lotic ecosystem ( Rivers ) : Flowing
water
 a.Producers : Green algae, diatoms, mosses
etc.
 b. Consumers : Snails, flatworms, fish etc.
Marine ecosystem

Marine ecosystem
 Major ecosystem on earth as almost 70 % of earth
surface is covered with water.
 Abiotic components : Physicochemical factors are
currents, waves, tides, light, temperature,
pressure, salinity, etc.
 Biotic components :
 Producers :
 Microalgae, dianoflagellates, diatoms, microalgae.,
macroalgae..
 Consumers : Herbivores such as fish larvae,
copepods, molluscs, and carnivores such as
Bombay duck, large fish, cod fish etc.
 Decomposers : Fungi and bacteria.

Estuary ecosystem
 Here river meets sea.
.
Allelopathy- Neem inhibits pests.
Eucalyptus- inhibits the growth
 Abiotic components : Change in salinity.
Organisms can survive the change in salinity
and there are more nutrients here
 Biotic components
 Producers : Sea weeds, Azolla, sea grass,
algae etc. and mangroove/ mangrove forests
( the trees and shrubs).
 Mangrooves can tolerate salinity.
 Consumers : Small fish, zooplanktons, large
fish etc. Crustaceans and amphibians are also
present.
 Decomposers : Fungi and bacteria.
Video on Ecology and Ecosystems

 https://www.google.com/search?
q=video+on+ecology+and+ecosystems&sca_esv=1fe4607916880b1c&sca_upv
=1&rlz=1C1RXQR_enIN1122IN1122&ei=4__CZpvPFJmMnesPpr2_0A0&ved=0ah
UKEwjbzKqoz4CIAxUZRmcHHabeD9oQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=video+on+ecolog
y+and+ecosystems&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiH3ZpZGVvIG9uIGVjb2xvZ3k
gYW5kIGVjb3N5c3RlbXMyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAA
GKIEGIkFSKvNAVAAWIi4AXAEeAGQAQCYAdoCoAHxLaoBCDAuMTkuOS4xuAEDyAE
A-
AEBmAIeoALPKcICDhAAGIAEGJECGLEDGIoFwgIGEAAYBxgewgILEAAYgAQYkQIYig
XCAgoQABiABBixAxgNwgIHEAAYgAQYDcICCBAAGAcYHhgPwgIGEAAYBRgewgIIEA
AYBRgHGB7CAggQABgHGAgYHsICBhAAGA0YHsICCBAAGAUYDRgewgIKEAAYBRg
KGA0YHsICCBAAGAgYDRgewgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAgUQABiABMICBBAAGB7CA
gYQABgIGB7CAgQQIRgKwgIKECEYoAEYwwQYCpgDAJIHCTQuMTUuMTAuMaAHup
wB&sclient=gws-wiz-
serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4cddd668,vid:9dAcEBXAFoo,st:0
Video on Ecosystems

 https://www.google.com/search?
q=video+on+ecology+and+ecosystems&sca_esv=1fe4607916880b1
c&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1RXQR_enIN1122IN1122&ei=4__CZpvPFJmMnes
Ppr2_0A0&ved=0ahUKEwjbzKqoz4CIAxUZRmcHHabeD9oQ4dUDCA8&
uact=5&oq=video+on+ecology+and+ecosystems&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mt
d2l6LXNlcnAiH3ZpZGVvIG9uIGVjb2xvZ3kgYW5kIGVjb3N5c3RlbXMyCB
AAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGKIEGIkFSKvNAVA
AWIi4AXAEeAGQAQCYAdoCoAHxLaoBCDAuMTkuOS4xuAEDyAEA-
AEBmAIeoALPKcICDhAAGIAEGJECGLEDGIoFwgIGEAAYBxgewgILEAAYg
AQYkQIYigXCAgoQABiABBixAxgNwgIHEAAYgAQYDcICCBAAGAcYHhgP
wgIGEAAYBRgewgIIEAAYBRgHGB7CAggQABgHGAgYHsICBhAAGA0YHs
ICCBAAGAUYDRgewgIKEAAYBRgKGA0YHsICCBAAGAgYDRgewgILEAAY
gAQYhgMYigXCAgUQABiABMICBBAAGB7CAgYQABgIGB7CAgQQIRgKw
gIKECEYoAEYwwQYCpgDAJIHCTQuMTUuMTAuMaAHupwB&sclient=gws
-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f3dba2a2,vid:eGG7hyx_HlA,st:0
PHOTOCHEMICAL PATHWAYS IN
ECOSYSTEM

 Photosynthesis
 Light dependent reactions
 This reaction takes place in chloroplast of the
cell.
 Light is converted into chemical energy in the
form of ATP i.e., photophosphorylation and the
photolysis of water takes place resulting in
the formation of NADPH2 and evolution of O2..
 Light Independent Reactionas

 This reaction takes place in the stroma of the

chloroplast. By using products of light
dependent reaction the CO2 is fixed as
glucose.

 Plants use some energy for their survival i.e.,

respiration. Remaining is used by herbivores
for their activities. Then further the remaining
is used by carnivores in the food chain.
 OVERALLPHOTOSYNTHESIS
REACTION
 6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 + 6O2
 Rubisco the Reversible Enzyme
(Lethargic) is used.
 End of the slides

 Respiration
 External respiration
 Here oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide is exhaled.
Gills and lungs are used in this gaseous exchange.
 Internal Respiration
 This is also called cellular respiration. Chemical energy
in the organic molecules is released through oxidation
in the form of ATP.When oxygen is required it is called
aerobic cell respiration and when this takes place in
the absence of O2 this is called anaerobic cellular
respiration.
 Organic molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats
, glycerides etc. are transferred to energy in the form of
ATP, some is used and some is lost as heat. Such
respiration takes place in almost every cell in the body.

Photorespiration
 The reaction takes place in the chlorophyll of the plant.
 Chlorophyll-b absorbs light and passes it on to
chlorophyll-a where light energy is converted into
chemical energy.
Biochemistry of Photosynthesis
Reaction
 6 CO2 + 12 NADPH + 10 H2O + 18
ATP => 2[C3H5O3 - (PO3)(2-)] + 4
H+ + 12 NADP+ + 18 ADP + 16 Pi
Reactions in Bacteria


6 CO2 + 6 H2S = C6H12O6 + 6 S (bacterial anaerobic
photosynthesis)
 Actually, the balanced equation is: 6 CO2 + 12 H2S = C6H12O6 +
6H20 + 12S

 6 CO2 + 18 ATP + 12 NADPH + 12H+ => 2[C3H6O3 - (PO3H)] + 18 ADP

+ + 16 Pi + 12 NADP+ + 6 H2O
 where
 Pi = PO3H (phosphate
group)
 ATP = ADP + Pi
 NADPH = NADP+ + H+ + 2e-

 )
oxygenic photosynthesis

 The net-reaction of all light-dependent

reactions in oxygenic photosynthesis is:

 2H2O + 2NADP+ 3ADP + 3Pi → O2 + 2 H+ +

2NADPH + 3ATP
 Light independent reactions
 This reaction takes place in the stroma of the
chloroplast. By using products of light dependent
reaction the CO2 is fixed as glucose.
 The products of the light independent reaction are
glucose, NADP+, and H2O. The reactants are CO2,
NADPH, and ATP.
 Plants use some energy for their survival i.e.,
respiration. Remaining is used by herbivores for
their activities. Remaining is used by carnivores in
the food chain.
 Respiration
 External respiration
 Here oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide is exhaled.
Gills and lungs are used in this gaseous exchange.

Photorespiration
 The reaction takes place in the chlorophyll of the plant.
 Chlorophyll-b absorbs light and passes it on to
chlorophyll-a where light energy is converted into
chemical energy.
 Internal Respiration
 This is also called cellular respiration. Chemical
energy in the organic molecules is released through
oxidation in the form of ATP. When oxygen is required
it is called aerobic cell respiration and when this
takes place in the absence of O2 this is called
anaerobic cellular respiration. Organic molecules such
as carbohydrates, proteins, fats , glycerides etc. are
transferred to energy in the form of ATP, some is used
and some is lost as heat. Such respiration takes place
in almost every cell in the body.