Lecture 9

Environmental Sciences and
Sustainability
WMES 6101B
Course Teacher:
Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman
Associate professor
Department of Environmental Science
Jahangirnagar University
Email: rahmanmm@juniv.edu
Google Scholar ID: https://scholar.google.com/citations?pli=1&user=nzljxJcAAAAJ
Research gate ID: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Md-Mostafizur-Rahman-9/research
Ecosystem
 Ecosystems are functional units consisting of living things
in a given area, non-living chemical and physical factors of
their environment, linked together through nutrient cycle
and energy flow.
Component of ecosystem
Abiotic Substances
1)Organic (including proteins, carbohydrates etc.)

2)Inorganic (including Carbon dioxide, water, sunlight,
nitrogen, Ca, Phosphate etc.)
Component of ecosystem
Biotic
1)Producers
2)Consumers
3) Decomposers
Producers in the Ecosystem
 Producers in an ecosystem are considered as Autotrophs.
Autotrophic organisms like photosynthetic and
chemosynthetic bacteria, blue green algae, and all other
green plants. Producers produce their food by undergoing
a reaction called as photosynthesis.
Consumers in the Ecosystem
 Heterotrophic organisms in the ecosystem which eat other
living creatures.
 Consumers can be classified as follows:
Decomposers in the Ecosystem
 Decomposers are the organisms that
feed on dead and decayed organic
matter.
 These are also called as detrivorous

(heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by
consuming decomposing organic
matter) organisms. Earthworms are a
good example
 So these decomposers help to complete a food cycle.
 Example of decomposers are bacteria and fungi.

Functions of an Ecosystems
 The function of an ecosystem describes the flow of
energy and the cycling of nutrients. That is, how much
sunlight is trapped by the plants in a year, how much
plant material is eaten by herbivores, and how many
herbivores are eaten by carnivores.
The functional aspects of an ecosystem includes:
a)Energy cycles
b)Food chains and Food webs
c)Diversity (interlinks between organisms)
d)Biogeochemical cycles
e)Evolution
Ecosystem services of Sundarbans
Types of Ecosystems
Ecosystem can be classified into following:
1) Aquatic Ecosystem 2) Terrestrial Ecosystem

A terrestrial ecosystem is a
a) Marine type of ecosystem found only
ecosystem on biomes.
b) Fresh water
ecosystem
Aquatic Ecosystems
“An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem
located in a body of water.”
The amount of dissolved oxygen in a water body is

frequently the key substance in determining the extent and
kinds of organic life in the water body. Fish need dissolved
oxygen to survive. Conversely, oxygen is fatal to many
kinds of anaerobic bacteria.
The salinity of the water body is also a determining factor

in the kinds of species found in the water body. Organisms
in marine ecosystems tolerate salinity, while many
freshwater organisms are intolerant of salt.
Terrestrial ecosystem
A terrestrial ecosystem is a
type of ecosystem found
only on biomes.
Why are terrestrial ecosystem

is important?
Terrestrial ecosystems support most of our

development, from raw materials to food production.
Forests make up 30% of the Earth‫׳‬s surface, provide
oxygen and shelter for many land species, and
constitute and important stock of carbon.
Food Chain in Ecosystem
“A food chain is a series of steps by which
energy is obtained, used, and transformed by
living things.”
Food chain consists of the sequence of populations

of an ecosystem which allows the transfer of food
and energy through it.
Each member becomes the food of later species of

member. The food chain is also known as a
predator food chain. It consists of producers,
consumers and the decomposers.
Significance of Food Chains
 Helps in understanding food relationship and

interdependence among various organisms.
 The mechanism of transfer of food, energy, nutrients and as

well as pollutants through various components of nature
can be studied.
 The effect of the use of pesticides on the ecosystem can be

studied. As several of them are not bio-degradable it goes
on accumulating at every trophic level.
 Indiscriminate use of DDT and other pesticides has an

adverse effect on the food chain and consequently disturbs
the ecosystem.
Threats to Ecosystems
Anything that attempts to alter the balance of the
ecosystem potentially threatens the health and
existence of that ecosystem.
1. Habitat Destruction
2. Pollution
3. Eutrophication
4. Invasive species
5. Overharvesting
Habitat Destruction
rats and bats, which are strongly linked with the direct and
indirect spread of zoonotic diseases. “Rodents and some
bats thrive when we disrupt natural habitats. They are the
most likely to promote transmissions of pathogens. The
more we disturb the forests and habitats the more danger
we are in.
The zoonotic diseases are linked to environmental change

and human behavior. The disruption of pristine forests
driven by logging, mining, road building through remote
places, rapid urbanization and population growth is bringing
people into closer contact with animal species they may
never have been near before.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/destroyed-habitat-creates-the-perfect-
conditions-for-coronavirus-to-emerge/
,” David Quammen, author of Spillover: Animal
Infections and the Next Pandemic, recently wrote in the
New York Times
Habitat Destruction
We invade tropical forests and other wild landscapes,

which harbor so many species of animals and plants—and
within those creatures, so many unknown viruses.
“We cut the trees; we kill the animals or cage them and
send them to markets. We disrupt ecosystems, and we
shake viruses loose from their natural hosts.
When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it

Shrinkage of Sundarban mangrove forest from 968-2014
Climate change and deforestation
Averaged over 2015—2017, global loss of tropical forests contributed

about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Pollution:
Pollution may be natural or human-caused, but regardless
they potentially release destructive agents or chemicals
(pollutants) into the environments of living things.
“In a lake, for example, it can create havoc on the

ecological balance by stimulating plant growth and causing
the death of fish due to suffocation resulting from lack of
oxygen.
The oxygen cycle will stop, and the polluted water will also
affect the animals dependent on the lake water
Wetland in Dhaka metropolitan area between
1978 and 2009.
Eutrophication
The known consequences of cultural eutrophication
include blooms of blue-green algae (i.e., cyanobacteria),
tainted drinking water supplies, degradation of recreational
opportunities, and hypoxia.
Invasive species
If Any foreign species that finds its way into an ecosystem,
and has the ability to prey on vulnerable and native
members of that ecosystem, they will be wiped out, sooner
or later
Overharvesting
Fish species, and special plants all do fall victim from time
to time as a result of over-harvesting or humans over-
dependence on them.
ecosystems members including humans.
The theme for World Environment Day 2022 is
“Only One Earth” And WED 2021 was
Ecosystem Restoration
Every three seconds, the world loses enough

forest to cover a football pitch, and over the
last century, humans have destroyed half of the
wetlands.
Ecological restoration It is the process of
assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has
been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.
Ecosystem restoration can take many forms
• Growing trees,
• Greening cities,
• Minimizing waste
• Changing diets or
• Cleaning up rivers and
coasts.
"Stopping pollution is the best solution"

Why its Important to restore Ecosystem?
Ecosystem restoration is one of the most

important ways of delivering nature-based
solutions for
food insecurity,
climate change mitigation and adaptation, and
biodiversity loss.
• It won’t be quick or easy

• But the beauty of ecosystem restoration is that
it can happen at any scale – and everyone has
a role to play.
Lecture: 16
References
1) Textbook of Environmental Studies by

Erach Bharucha, Universities Press, India,
2005
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

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Environmental Sciences and

1)Organic (including proteins, carbohydrates etc.)

 These are also called as detrivorous

 So these decomposers help to complete a food cycle.

 Example of decomposers are bacteria and fungi.

The functional aspects of an ecosystem includes:

1) Aquatic Ecosystem 2) Terrestrial Ecosystem

The amount of dissolved oxygen in a water body is

The salinity of the water body is also a determining factor

Why are terrestrial ecosystem

Terrestrial ecosystems support most of our

Food chain consists of the sequence of populations

Each member becomes the food of later species of

 Helps in understanding food relationship and

 The mechanism of transfer of food, energy, nutrients and as

 The effect of the use of pesticides on the ecosystem can be

 Indiscriminate use of DDT and other pesticides has an

The zoonotic diseases are linked to environmental change

We invade tropical forests and other wild landscapes,

When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it

Averaged over 2015—2017, global loss of tropical forests contributed

“In a lake, for example, it can create havoc on the

Every three seconds, the world loses enough

"Stopping pollution is the best solution"

Ecosystem restoration is one of the most

• It won’t be quick or easy

1) Textbook of Environmental Studies by

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