natural habitat • proposed by zoologist H. Reiter in 1868 • Johannes Warming is founder of plant ecology • Alexander von Humbolt-the father of ecology • First put forward the concept of ecosystem by A.G Tansley in 1935 • E.P Odum also defined the ecosystem in his way • Tansley define ecosystem s a “ major ecological unit which has both structure and funtions” • Odum has defined ecosystem as the basic functional unit of organism & their surrounding interacting with each other and with their won component Organization of ecosystem
• Organized by both structural and functional units
• Structure point of view, all the ecosystem consist of the following basic components 1) Abiotic components 2) Biotic components • The functional organization of ecosystem are grazing, predation, parasitization, decomposition etc • The positive, negative or neutral interactions occur among organisms at both inter and intra specific levels 1. Biotic components
• Living components of an ecosystem
• Includes all living organisms present in the environmental system, they are interacting with one another • Biotic components are grouped into three; i. Producers ii. Consumers iii. Decomposers i. Producers ( Autotrophic elements) • They are chiefly green plants • Use radiant energy of sun in photosynthetic process where CO2 is assimilated and light energy is converted into chemical energy • Oxygen is evolved as byproduct in the photosynthesis • Such as Hydrilla, Spirogyra, phytoplaktons, herbs, shrubs and trees ii. Consumers • These living members which consume the food synthesized by producers • Under this category includes all kinds of animals that are found in an ecosystem • There are different classes or categories of consumers such as, a) Primary consumers- herbivore b) Secondary consumers –primary carnivore/omnivores c) Tertiary consumers –secondary carnivore iii. Decomposers and Transformers
• Fungi and bacteria are included in this group
• Attack the dead remains of producers, consumers and degrade the complex organic substances into simpler compounds • Simple organic compound are attacked by another kind of bacteria • Transformers change the organic compound into the inorganic forms that are suitable for reuse by producers or green plants • These are very impo. role in maintaing dynamic nature of ecosystem 2. Abiotic components • Non-living factors and includes; – Physical factors are light, temperature, moisture, – Chemical factors includes salts or gases (O2 & CO2), pH, water – Edaphic factors includes soil Types of ecosystem Thank you