An ecosystem is defined as a system including living organisms and their physical environment interacting as a unit. It consists of biotic components like organisms and dead organic matter, abiotic components like soil, water and atmosphere, and the interactions between them. Energy from the sun flows through ecosystems, with organisms playing different roles as producers, consumers or decomposers. Ecosystems are classified as terrestrial like forests and grasslands, or aquatic like ponds and oceans, and perform functions like regulating processes, supporting life, and maintaining nutrient cycles and energy flow between trophic levels.

1. Environmental
studies
Topic to explain
Ecosystem

2. Defination:-
• Ecologist Arthur tansley has
defined ecosystem as “The
whole system including not only
the organism-complex, but also
the whole complex of physical
factors forming what we call the
environment”.

3. Image of ecosystem

4. Aspects of eco system:-
• In an ecosystem living organisms (biotic components) continually interact
with each other and with the environment (abiotic components).
• In simple words ecosystems include living organisms, the dead organic
matter produced by them, the abiotic environment within which the
organisms live and exchange elements (soils, water, atmosphere), and the
interactions between these components.
• The simplest example of an ecosystem - just a single living plant (biotic
component) within a small terrarium exposed to sunlight to which a water
solution containing essential nutrients for plant growth has been added
(abiotic environment).

5. Division of eco system:-
• The ecosystems are broadly classified in following two types:
1.Terrestrial Ecosystems
They include grassland, cropland, forest, desert, etc.
2.Aquatic Ecosystesms
They include pond, lake, river, sea, etc.

6. Major ecosystem in the world:-
• The earth itself is an ecosystem. There are many types of ecosystems in
the world. These can be broadly divided into three classes.
1.fresh water Ecosystem
e.g. lake, pond grasslands etc.
2.terrestrial Ecosystem
e.g. forests
3.ocean Ecosystem
e.g. marine, island etc.

7. Characteristics of ecosystem
• Sun is primary or major source to provide energy, which then
flows through any ecosystem.
• During flow of energy all components get role to play as
primary/secondary / tertiary producers or consumers.
• In any Ecosystem, the biotic communities interact with their
abiotic component that affects the biotic properties of
individuals maintaining their flow of energy.

8. Function of ecosystem
• regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and
renders stability. It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients
between biotic and abiotic components. It maintains a balance among
the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.
• Energy flow – It is the sequential process through which energy flows
from one trophic level to another. The energy captured from the sun
flows from producers to consumers and then to decomposers and finally
back to the environment.