- An ecosystem is a functional unit of nature where living organisms interact with each other and with their physical environment.
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| ECOSYSTEM |
- Components of an Ecosystem:
Biotic (Living)
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Producers (plants, algae – make food by photosynthesis)
- Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores)
- Decomposers (bacteria, fungi – break down dead matter into nutrients)
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Abiotic (Non-living)
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Air, water, soil, temperature, sunlight, minerals etc.
Types of Ecosystems:
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Natural: Forests, ponds, lakes, deserts, oceans etc.
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| NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS |
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Artificial/Man-made: Gardens, crop fields, aquariums etc.
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| MAN MADE ECOSYSTEM |
Food Chain:
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Linear sequence showing “who eats whom.”
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Always starts with producers → herbivores → carnivores.
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Example: Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Eagle.
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| FOOD CHAIN |
Food Web:
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Interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.
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Provides stability to the ecosystem.
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| FOOD WEB |
Trophic Levels:
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Each step in a food chain is a trophic level.
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1st: Producers, 2nd: Primary consumers, 3rd: Secondary consumers, 4th: Tertiary consumers.
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10% Law of Energy Flow:
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Only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
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Rest is lost as heat during metabolic activities.
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| THE LOSS OF ENERGY AS HEAT FROM PRODUCERS TO CONSUMERS |
Decomposers:
Very important for recycling nutrients.
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Break down dead plants & animals → release nutrients back to soil.
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| DECOMPOSERS |
Importance of Ecosystem:
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Provides food, oxygen, and raw materials.
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Maintains balance in nature (nutrient cycle, energy flow).
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Supports biodiversity.