Structure of the

Ecosystem
THE STRUCTURE OF AN ECOSYSTEM IS
CHARACTERISED BY THE
ORGANISATION OF BOTH BIOTIC AND
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS. THIS INCLUDES
THE DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY IN
our environment. It also includes the climatic
conditions prevailing in that particular
environment.
The structure of an ecosystem can be split into
two main components, namely:

•Biotic Components
•Abiotic Components

The biotic and abiotic

components are interrelated in
an ecosystem. It is an open
system where the energy and
components can flow
throughout the boundaries.
 Biotic
Components
Biotic components refer to all living components
in an ecosystem. Based on nutrition, biotic
components can be categorized into autotrophs,
heterotrophs and saprotrophs (or decomposers).
Producers
include all autotrophs such as plants. They
are called autotrophs as they can produce
food through the process of photosynthesis.
Consequently, all other organisms higher up
on the food chain rely on producers for food.

Examples:
• Trees.
• Grass.
• Algae.
• Cyanobacteria.
• Phytoplankton.
Consumers
or heterotrophs are organisms that depend
on other organisms for food. Consumers are
further classified into primary consumers,
secondary consumers and tertiary
consumers..

Level of Consumers:

• Primary consumers
• Secondary consumers
• Tertiary consumers
• Quaternary consumers
 Primary consumers
 are always herbivores as they rely on producers for food.
 Omni=everything): As the name suggests, they can consume anything no matter
it is plant or animal meat. For e.g. Cats, Dogs, Humans, etc.

• Zooplankton.
• Butterflies Rabbits.
• Grasshoppers.
• Giraffes.
• Snail.
• Elephants.
• Pandas.
 Secondary consumers
- depend on primary consumers for energy. They can
either be carnivores or omnivores.
• dogs,
• cats,
• moles,
• and birds
 Tertiary consumers
are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food.
Tertiary consumers can also be carnivores or omnivores.

• Fox
• coyotes
• Eagles
• owls
• sea turtles
• sea lions
• Hawks
• and foxes
Quaternary consumers
are present in some food chains. These organisms prey on tertiary
consumers for energy. Furthermore, they are usually at the top of a
food chain as they have no natural predators.

•Ons
• wolves
• polar bears
•Humans
•hawks.
 Decomposers
include saprophytes such as fungi and
bacteria. They directly thrive on the dead
and decaying organic matter.
Decomposers are essential for the
ecosystem as they help in recycling
nutrients to be reused by plants.

• ex:
• Fungi
• insects
• earthworms
• bacteria.
Herbivore
is an organism that mostly feeds on plants.
Herbivores range in size from tiny insects such
as aphids to large, lumbering elephants.
Herbivores are a major part of the food web, a
description of which organisms eat other
organisms in the wild

Herb=plants; vole=kind of diet): They only

consume grass or plants as a food source. For
e.g. Cows, Buffalo, deer, goats, etc.
Carnivore
The word carnivore is derived from
Latin and literally means “meat eater.”
A carnivore is an animal that feeds on
other animals. Carnivores come in
many shapes in sizes, but they often
have some similarities. Most carnivores
have relatively large brains and high
levels of intelligence.

Carnivore (Carni=meat): They solely

depend on other animals’ flesh for their
food. For e.g., Lion, Tiger, etc.
Omnivore
An omnivore is an organism that
regularly consumes a variety of
material, including plants, animals,
algae, and fungi. They range in size
from tiny insects like ants to large
creatures—like people.

Omni=everything): As the name

suggests, they can consume anything
no matter it is plant or animal meat. For
e.g. Cats, Dogs, Humans, etc.
 Abiotic Components

Abiotic components are the non-living component of

an ecosystem. It includes air, water, soil, minerals,
sunlight, temperature, nutrients, wind, altitude,
turbidity, etc.
Functions of
Ecosystem
Functions of
Ecosystem
 THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ECOSYSTEM ARE AS FOLLOW

• It regulates the essential • It maintains a • The abiotic

ecological processes, balance among components help
supports life systems the various
and renders stability. in the synthesis
trophic levels
• It is also responsible for
in the of organic
the cycling of nutrients
between biotic and ecosystem. components that
abiotic component. • It cycles the involve the
minerals exchange of
through the
biosphere
energy.
So the functional units of an ecosystem or functional components that work
together in an ecosystem are:

Productivity – It refers to the rate of biomass production.

Energy flow – It is the sequential process through which energy flows from
one trophic level to another. The energy captured from the sun flows from
producers to consumers and then to decomposers and finally back to the
environment.
Decomposition – It is the process of breakdown of dead organic material.
The top-soil is the major site for decomposition.
Nutrient cycling – In an ecosystem nutrients are consumed and recycled
back in various forms for the utilization by various organisms.
TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM
An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in
a desert, or as big as an ocean, spanning
thousands of miles. There are two types 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:
• Forest Ecosystem
• Grassland Ecosystem
• Tundra Ecosystem
• 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.
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.
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.
 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.
AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEM
Aquatic ecosystems are
ecosystems present in a
body of water. These can
be further divided into two
types, namely:
Freshwater Ecosystem
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.
 Habitat
Habitat diversity explores the variations in ecosystems within a
specific geographic area. In general, the variety of distinct habitats
found in an ecosystem or biome is referred to as habitat diversity. The
term biodiversity refers to the full range of living systems, including
genetic diversity, habitat diversity and species diversity.
Loss of
biodiversity!
Conversion of natural habitats
into agricultural land can
result in the loss of
biodiversity, as it disrupts the
ecosystems that support
various plant and animal
species.
Important
Ecological
Concepts
 1. Food Chain
T hesun is the ultimate source of energy on earth. It provides the energy required for all
plant life. The plants utilize this energy for the process of photosynthesis, which is used to
synthesize their food.
During this biological process, light energy is converted into chemical energy and is
passed on through successive trophic levels. The flow of energy from a producer, to a
consumer and eventually, to an apex predator or a detritivore is called the food chain.
Dead and decaying matter, along with organic debris, is broken down into its constituents
by scavengers. The reducers then absorb these constituents. After gaining the energy, the
reducers liberate molecules to the environment, which can be utilized again by the
producers.
2. Ecological Pyramids
An ecological pyramid is the graphical representation of the number, energy, and biomass
of the successive trophic levels of an ecosystem. Charles Elton was the first ecologist to
describe the ecological pyramid and its principals in 1927.
The biomass, number, and energy of organisms ranging from the producer level to the
consumer level are represented in the form of a pyramid; hence, it is known as the
ecological pyramid.
The base of the ecological pyramid comprises the producers, followed by primary and
secondary consumers. The tertiary consumers hold the apex. In some food chains, the
quaternary consumers are at the very apex of the food chain.
These grasshoppers are then preyed upon by common mouse, which are comparatively les
in number. The mice are preyed upon by snakes such as cobras. Snakes are ultimately
preyed on by apex predators such as the brown snake eagle.
3. Food Web
Food web is a network of
interconnected food chains. It
comprises all the food chains
within a single ecosystem. It helps
in understanding that plants lay
the foundation of all the food
chains. In a marine environment,
phytoplankton forms the primary
producer.
3. Food Web
Food web is a network of
interconnected food chains. It
comprises all the food chains
within a single ecosystem. It helps
in understanding that plants lay
the foundation of all the food
chains. In a marine environment,
phytoplankton forms the primary
producer.