ECOSYSTEM

Definition of Ecosystem
• An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants,
animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with
each other, and also with their non-living environments
(weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere).
• A community of living (biotic) organisms in conjunction
with the nonliving components (abiotic) of their
environment, interacting as a system.
• They are linked together through nutrient cycle and
energy flow.
• It simply means “Ecological Systems”. Ecology is the
study of ecosystems.
Scales of Ecosystems
• Micro:
A small scale ecosystem such as a pond, puddle, tree
trunk, under a rock etc.
• Messo:
A medium scale ecosystem such as a forest or a large
lake.
• Biome:
A very large ecosystem or collection of ecosystems with
similar biotic and abiotic factors such as an entire
Rainforest with millions of animals and trees, with many
different water bodies running through them.
Ecosystem can be put into 2 groups:
• Aquatic Ecosystem
• Terrestrial Ecosystem
Levels of organization in an ecosystem
Food chains
• feeding relationship in an ecosystem
Food web
• a network of many food chains and is more complex.
Trophic levels of food chains
• The levels of a food chain (food pyramid)
Two (2) things required by living
organisms from the environment:
• Energy to provide power
• Nutrients to provide substance
Energy Flow
• Also called the calorific flow, refer to the flow of energy
through a food chain.
• The flow of energy in the ecosystem is an open system
Nutrient Cycles
• The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic
matter back into the production of living matter.
• Describes how nutrients move from the physical
environment into living organisms, and are subsequently
recycled back to the physical environment (MARTIN
2010).
• the nutrient flow is a part of a closed system and these
chemicals are recycled and replenished constantly
instead of being lost.
Nutrient Cycles
Macros Nutrients Micros Nutrients

• Carbon • Iron
• Nitrogen • Copper
• Oxygen • Sodium
• Phosphorus
• Sulfur
Group Work
• Describe and explain the following:
• Oxygen Cycle
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle
• Phosphorus Cycle
• Sulfur Cycle

• Give one example each cycle

• Present your output in the class.
Eutrophication
• Eutrophication is characterized by excessive plant and algal growth due to
the increased availability of one or more limiting growth factors needed
for photosynthesis (Schindler 2006), such as sunlight, carbon dioxide, and
nutrient fertilizers.
• Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients
• Eutrophication occurs naturally over centuries as lakes age and are filled in
with sediments (Carpenter 1981).
Biodiversity
• Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from
all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of
which they are part; this includes diversity within species,
between species, and of ecosystems.
• The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity
• Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where
each species, no matter how small, all have an important
role to play.
A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural
services for everyone:
• Ecosystem services
• Protection of water resources
• Soils formation and protection
• Nutrient storage and recycling
• Pollution breakdown and absorption
• Contribution to climate stability
• Maintenance of ecosystems
• Recovery from unpredictable events
A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural
services for everyone:
• Biological resources
• Food
• Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs
• Wood products
• Ornamental plants
• Breeding stocks, population reservoirs
• Future resources
• Diversity in genes, species and ecosystems
A healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural
services for everyone:
• Social benefits
• Research, education and monitoring
• Recreation and tourism
• Cultural values
Ecosystem Services
• technical term for the benefits humans and other living
things get from ecosystems.
• the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to
human well-being
• They support directly or indirectly our survival and quality
of life.
Ecosystem services can be categorized in
four main types:
• Provisioning services are the products obtained from ecosystems
such as food, fresh water, wood, fiber, genetic resources and
medicines.
• Regulating services are defined as the benefits obtained from the
regulation of ecosystem processes such as climate regulation, natural
hazard regulation, water purification and waste management,
pollination or pest control.
• Habitat services highlight the importance of ecosystems to provide
habitat for migratory species and to maintain the viability of gene-
pools.
• Cultural services include non-material benefits that people obtain
from ecosystems such as spiritual enrichment, intellectual
development, recreation and aesthetic values.
Provisioning Services
• Ecosystem services that describe the material or energy outputs from
ecosystems. They include food, water and other resources.
• Food: Ecosystems provide the conditions for growing food. Food comes
principally from managed agro-ecosystems but marine and freshwater
systems or forests also provide food for human consumption. Wild foods
from forests are often underestimated.
• Raw materials: Ecosystems provide a great diversity of materials for
construction and fuel including wood, biofuels and plant oils that are
directly derived from wild and cultivated plant species.
• Fresh water: Ecosystems play a vital role in the global hydrological cycle,
as they regulate the flow and purification of water. Vegetation and forests
influence the quantity of water available locally.
• Medicinal resources: Ecosystems and biodiversity provide many plants
used as traditional medicines as well as providing the raw materials for the
pharmaceutical industry. All ecosystems are a potential source of medicinal
resources.
Regulating Services
• the services that ecosystems provide by acting as
regulators eg. regulating the quality of air and soil or by
providing flood and disease control.
• Local climate and air quality
• Carbon sequestration and storage
• Moderation of extreme events
• Waste-water treatment
• Erosion prevention and maintenance of soil fertility
• Pollination
• Biological control
Habitat Services
• Habitats for species: Habitats provide everything that an individual
plant or animal needs to survive: food; water; and shelter.

• Maintenance of genetic diversity: Genetic diversity is the variety of

genes between and within species populations. Genetic diversity
distinguishes different breeds or races from each other thus providing
the basis for locally well-adapted cultivars and a gene pool for further
developing commercial crops and livestock.
Cultural Services
• Recreation and mental and physical health: Walking and playing
sports in green space is not only a good form of physical exercise but
also lets people relax. The role that green space plays in maintaining
mental and physical health is increasingly being recognized, despite
difficulties of measurement.
• Tourism: Ecosystems and biodiversity play an important role for
many kinds of tourism which in turn provides considerable economic
benefits and is a vital source of income for many countries
• Aesthetic appreciation and inspiration for culture, art and
design: Language, knowledge and the natural environment have
been intimately related throughout human history.
• Spiritual experience and sense of place: In many parts of the world
natural features such as specific forests, caves or mountains are
considered sacred or have a religious meaning
Thank You so much!