----------Ecosystem---------------

The term Ecosystem wes first of all processed by A . G.

Tansley in 1935.

Definition - Ecosystem is a aggregate system formed as

a result of interactions between biotic and abiotic facters.

Component of Ecosystem –
1) Abiotic components 2)Biotic
component
a) Physical factors a) Autorophic
component
Temperature , light
Rain , etc

b) Chemical factors b) hetrotrophic

component
Element , Gases ,
Proteins , lipide, etc

1) Abiotic component :--

a) Physical factors :- those physical

facters which affect the biotic
activies in any way , from the
physical environment.
b) Chemical facters :-
A). Inorgainc substances :- it
includes water ,element , and
gas .

B) organic substances :-
these substsnce help to
establish relation between
biotic and abiotic
component .
 2) Biotic component:- on the basic of
nutrient relations of organisms

Function of Ecosystem :-
1) Food chain :- the process of eating and
being eaten is know as food chain .

GRASS GRASSHOPPER  FROG  SNAKE

HAWK
 

2) Food web :- interlinking of number of

food chain is known as food web .
3) Trophic Level :- the trophic level of an
organism is the position it occupies in a
food web.
GRASS  DEAR  LION
(1ST T. P) (2ST T.P) (3rd T.P)

4) Ecological pyramid :- Graphical

representation of trophic levels is
known as ecological pyramid.

Types of Ecological pyramid

 1) Pyramid of number – it reperesant
the number of individual organisms
at each tropic level .
It can be upright or inverted grassleand It –
upright &
Parasitic food chain – inverted .
2) Pyramid of biomass – it is a base
upon total biomass at each tropic
level in a food chain.

GRASSLAND  PYRIMID IS UPRIGHT

POND  PYRAMID IS INVERTED

3) Pyramid of energy – the amount of

energy present at each tropic level is
considered for this type of pyramid .
Pyramid of energy is always upright
.

Kinds of Ecosystem
I) Natural Ecosystem – is an ecosystem
found in a nature where organism
freely interact with other component
of that environment.

a) Terrestrial Ecosystem – refer to

Ecosystem found on land .
Forest , grassland , deserg

b) Aquatic Ecosystem – include

Ecosystem found with in water
It is further classification as—

i) Freshwater Ecosystem -- which is

Devided into lentic (standard water)
such as takes & ponds & lotic (running
water ) such as streams & rivers.

j) Marine water Ecosystem – Oceans

II) Artificial Ecosystem - such as national

park , zoo , aqurieam , that are
 ecosystem which are modified by
human for their own profit.

Energy flow in an Ecosystem ---

Flow of energy in an Ecosystem takes place
throght food chain and it is the energy flow
which keeps the ecosystem going . Energy
flow is always unidirectional . the flow is
according to two lows of thermodynamic.

First low – Energy can neither be created nor

be destroyd, but it can be transformed from
one form of energy to another.

Second low – energy gets converted from a

more concentrated form to dispersed form .
at every level then is 90% loss of energy &
only 10% is available at next tropic level.
Energy flow models –
1) Universal energy flow model – this
model followed the first & second low
and discussed the energy flow in
ecosystem.
2) Single channel energy flow model – this
model also followed the first & second
low & discussed the energy flow in
ecosystem .
3) Double channel energy flow model – It
nature both grazing & detritus food
chain operate in the same ecosystem . it
also followed the and first and second
low of thermodynamics .

Bio – geochemical cycle—

Bio-geochemical cycle mainely refer to the
movement of nutrients and other element
biotic and abiotic factors .the term
biogeochemical is derived from “bio”
meaning biosphere “geo” meaning
geological component and “chemical”
meaning the element move through a
cycle .the major element in biochemical.

 Nitrogen cycle – Nitrogen is an essential

element for all living organism . the
cycle is divided into following steps—

I) Nitrogen fixation – Nitrogen is fixed

by the rhizobium bacteria in
leguminous plants .

II) Nitrogen mineralization – in this step

the organic N2 is converted into
ammonium ion .
N2 ---------->.NH4+

III) Nitrofication – in this step ammonium

ion is converted into nitrite and then
to nitrate it is done by nitrifying
bacterias.
NH4+ ----------->NO2---------> NO3-
IV) Denitrification – in this process
oxidised from of nitrogen are again
converted into N2 . It is an anaerobic
procrss.n
ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES
 Environment is derived from the French
word environner which means is
encircle or surround.
 Environment (protection) act 1986,
environment includes all the physical
and biological surroundings of an
organism along with their interactions.
 Environment is thus defined as the sum
total of water , air and land the inter –
relationships that exist among then and
with the human beings , other living
organisms and materials.

 Environment can also be defiend as the

circumstances or conditions that
surrounds an organism.

 Environmental studies is the scientific

and systematic study of the
environmental system and the status of
its changes on organism.

Framework for addressing

environmental problem:--
Five stages when addressing an
environment problem ,
1. cientific assessment — collrction
of information, data, simulations ,
model, predicate the future.
 2. Risk analysis –Result from
simulations are analyzed, potential
effects.

3. Public education and involvement

— Through publications, awareness ,
through media.

4. Politicalaction—course of Action

5. Evaluation — Action of evaluation ,

monitored, improve the initial
assessment

Objectives of environmental studies

 Awareness
◦ To help people acquire an awareness
of and a sensitivity to the total
environment and its allied problems
 Knowledge
 ◦ To help people acquire basic
understanding of the total
environment and associated problems
 Attitude
◦ To help people acquire social
values, strong feelings of concern for
the environment and the motivation to
act in protecting and improving
 Skills
◦ To help people acquire the skills for
identifying and solving environmental
problems
 Evaluation Ability
◦ Evaluate environmental measures and
education programs
 Participation
◦ Active involvement at all levels in
working towards resolving
environmental problems
Components of Environment:-
Environment into the following four
components
Atmosphere
Lithosphere


Hydrosphere


Biosphere



Atmosphere:-- The atmosphere is a

gaseous cover, which protects the earth
from radiations and provides life
sustaining Oxygen, the macronutrient
Nitrogen and Carbon dioxide needed for
photosynthesis.
The atmosphere protect screens the
dangerous UV radiations from the sun.


The atmosphere plays a major role in

maintaining the heat balance of the earth


by absorbing the re-emitted radiation

from the earth.
The atmosphere is broadly divided
into four major zones viz.
  Troposphere,
 Stratosphere,
 Mesosphere and
 Thermosphere.

Troposphere:-- Troposphere is the layer of

air nearest to the ground. Temperature
decreases with height
Troposphere extends upto 18km from the
earth surface
The troposphere contains 75% of the
tmosphere's total mass.

Most types of clouds are found in the

troposphere,
and almost all weather occurs within this
layer.

STRATOSPHERE :--
 Stratosphere is the layer of air above the
troposphere where temperature increases
with height.
 Stratosphere extends upto 50 km above
land surface.
 The average temperature rise is –2.5ºC.
 Ozone is found in higher concentrations
between 20 and 30 km above the surface.
Hence sometimes this layer is referred to
as the “ozone layer”.

MESOSPHERE :--
Mesosphere is the layer of air above the
stratosphere up to 90km, where
temperature decreases with height.
The average temperature decreases to –
90°C.
This is the coldest layer of the
atmosphere.
Mesopause is the top of the mesosphere,
which is a transition layer between
Mesosphere and Thermosphere.

THERMOSPHERE:--

Thermosphere is the layer that extends up

to 350 km above ground surface.
 The temperatures in the thermosphere
increase with increasing height, but there
are not many molecules in this layer.
The air becomes less and less dense as we
reach space.
The temperature in this layer can be as
high as 1200°C

LITHOSPHERE :--
The earth’s crust consisting of the soil
and rocks is the lithosphere.
 The soil is made up of inorganic and
organic matter and water.

Hydrosphere --

 This comprises all water resources both

surface and ground water. The world’s
water is found in oceans and seas, lakes
and reservoirs, rivers and streams,
glaciers and snow caps in the Polar
Regions in addition to ground water
below the land areas.
 The distribution of water among these
resources is as
 Oceans and Seas 96–97 %
 Glaciers and polar icecaps 2–3 %
 Fresh water < 1%
 The water locked up in the Oceans and
Seas are too salty and cannot be used
directly for human consumption,
 domestic, agriculture or Industrial
purposes.
 Only less than 1% of water resources are
available for human exploitation. Water is
considered to be a common compound
with uncommon properties.

BIOSPHERE:--

 The biosphere is a capsule encircling the

earth’s surface wherein all the living
things exist.
 This portion extends from 10000 m below
sea level to 6000 m above sea level. Life
forms do not exist outside this zone.
 The biosphere covers parts of other
segments of the environment viz.
Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and
Atmosphere.
 Life sustaining resources like food, water
and oxygen present in the biosphere are
being withdrawn and waste products in
increasing quantities are being dumped.
--------AIR POLLUTION--------

Definition—

Solid waste managament

Solid waste management denotes the process of

collecting, treating and disposing of solid wastes.
Solid waste can be domestic, agricultural or even
industrial wastes.

Source—