This document discusses the major types of ecosystems. It defines terrestrial ecosystems as land ecosystems like grasslands, deserts, and forests. Aquatic ecosystems are divided into freshwater ecosystems found in lakes, rivers, and wetlands, and marine ecosystems found in oceans. Some key points made are: - Terrestrial ecosystems are differentiated based on dominant plant life and climate factors. Examples given are deserts, grasslands, and forests. - Aquatic ecosystems include freshwater habitats like lakes and rivers, as well as marine habitats like coral reefs and coastal wetlands. - Ecosystems maintain a balance and ecological succession between living and non-living elements. Human activities can disrupt this balance, threatening wildlife conservation

1. Major Types of
Ecosystem
John Paul L. Hablado
Science Instructor

2. Objectives
At the end of this chapter, the students:
• Defined terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
• Enumerated examples of terrestrial
ecosystems
• Enumerated examples of aquatic
ecosystems
• Differentiated terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems

3. Objectives, Continued
• Differentiated freshwater and marine
ecosystems
• Gave the importance of ecosystems
• Appreciated the important points in forest
and marine preservation

4. Communities (review)
A biological community is a group of
interacting populations that occupy the
same area at the same time.

5. Limiting Factors (review)
Any abiotic factor or biotic factor that
restricts the numbers, reproduction, or
distribution of organisms is called a
limiting factor.
Limiting factors include sunlight, climate,
temperature, water, nutrients, fire, soil
chemistry, and space, and other living
things.

6. Ecological Succession(review)
The change in an ecosystem that
happens when one community replaces
another as a result of changing abiotic (without
life) and biotic factors (life) is
ecological succession.
There are two types of ecological
succession—primary succession and
secondary succession.

7. The establishment of a community in an area of
exposed rock that does not have any topsoil is
primary succession.

8. The orderly and predictable change that takes
place after a community of organisms has been
removed but the soil has remained intact is
secondary succession.

9. The distance of any point on the surface of Earth
north or south from the equator is latitude.

10. The average weather conditions in an area, including
temperature and precipitation, describe the area’s
climate. The graph shows how temperature and
precipitation influence the communities.

11. ECOSYSTEM
The self-sustaining structural and
functional interaction between living
and non-living components

12. Ecology, definition
Ecology
-Scientific study of the interactions
between organisms and the environment

13. Ecological Research(review)
AREAS OF ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH:
1. Global Ecology: examines the influence of energy and materials on
organisms across the biosphere
2. Landscape Ecology: focuses on the exchanges of energy, materials,
and organisms across multiple ecosystems
3. Ecosystem Ecology: emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling
among the various biotic and abiotic components
4. Community Ecology: deals with the whole array of interacting
species in a community
5. Population Ecology: focuses on factors affecting population size over
time
6. Organismal Ecology: studies how an organism’s structure,
physiology, and (for animals) behavior meet environmental challenges

14. Global ecology
Landscape ecology
Ecosystem ecology
Community ecology
Population ecology
Organismal ecology

15. Natural
1.Terrestrial ecosystems (grasslands, forests, desert
ecosystems)
2.Aquatic ecosystem (freshwater and marine ecosystems)
a. Lentic (Stagnant water) like lake, ponds etc.
b. Lotic (Flowing water) like river, ocean, sea, etc.
Artificial
1.A crop land, garden, aquarium, park, kitchen garden.

16. Major Types of
Ecosystem

17. Two Major Types of Ecosystems
• Terrestrial Ecosystem – land ecosystem
(grassland, desert, forest)
• Aquatic Ecosystem – water ecosystem
(freshwater and marine/saltwater ecosystems)
* lake, pond, sea, stream, river, estuary)

18. Terrestrial Ecosystems

20. Bases of Classifying the Major Types
of Ecosystem
• Dominant autotrophs and heterotrophs
• Diversity in time and space
• Movement and storage of nutrients
• Temperature
• Climate

21. Terrestrial Ecosystems
Three Major Types
* Desert -Arid land with little or no vegetation
( more than 1/3 of the Earth’s land surface)
* Grassland - Land where grass or grass- like
vegetation grows and is the dominant form
of plant life
* Forest - Land that is covered with trees and
shrubs

22. Desert
More than one-third of the Earth’s land surface is
covered with deserts, where average
precipitation is low (<250 mm or 10 in per year)
and evaporation rates are high. The amount of
precipitation and range of temperature are
dependent on the geographical (latitudinal) and
physiographical (altitudinal) locations of the
area.

23. Major Types of Deserts
• Tropical Desert -the region on either side of
the equator (e.g. Southern Sahara and Namib in Africa)
• Temperate Desert ( Mid- Latitude)-(of
weather or climate) free from extremes;
mild; or characteristic of such weather or
climate(e.g. Sechura in South America & Mojave in Southern
California)
• Cold Desert ( High Latitude)-Having a low or
inadequate temperature (e.g. Gobi in Mongolia)

24. Grasslands
These can be found in flat or slightly rolling
terrains that cannot support large stands of
trees. They abound in regions where
average precipitation is moderate that
ranges from 250 to 750 mm (10-30 in) a
year.

25. Grasslands, continued…
Grassland ecosystems are very useful.
They provide homes and breeding
grounds for wildlife species. They serve
as grazing areas for cattle and other
livestock and sources of pulp and roofing
materials. Grasslands also provide
vegetation cover and protection against
soil erosion.

26. Examples of Grasslands
1. Tropical Grassland –otherwise known as
Savanna.

27. These are found in areas with high average
temperatures, very long dry seasons (about
half a year),and abundant rains in the rest of
the year. They are located in a wide belt on
either side of the equator between the
Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
In Philippines, grassland areas are covered
usually by: cogon or blady grass (Imperata
cylindrica), Bogang /talahib or fodder cane
(Saccharum spontaneum), and
Samsamong (Themeda triandra)

28. 2. Temperate ( Mid-Latitude ) Grasslands

29. These are located in the large interior
areas of the continents. They have
moderate average temperatures and a
more even distribution of precipitation
throughout the year than tropical
grasslands. These areas have cold
winters with occasional snow covering the
ground , hot and dry summers , and winds
blowing almost throughout the year.

30. 3. Polar (High Latitude) Grasslands or
Arctic Tundras

31. These are located in areas just below the
arctic region of perpetual ice and snow.
These areas are cold, and they
experience icy gale-like winds, fairly low
average annual precipitation during brief
summer periods and long winter
darkness.
One effect of extreme coldness is the
presence of permafrost, water that is
permanently frozen year-round in thick
layers of soil.

32. The wet Arctic tundra is covered with a
thick spongy mat of growing plants such
as lichens, sedges (grass-like plants often
growing in dense tufts in marshy places),
mosses, and low woody shrubs.

33. FOREST

34. Undisturbed areas with an average
precipitation of 750 mm ( 30 in) or more a
year tend to be covered with forests,
consisting of various species of trees and
smaller woody forms of vegetation.

35. Types of Forests
1. Temperate(Mid-Latitude) Deciduous
Forests
2. Cold(High –Latitude) Northern
Coniferous Forests (also called boreal
forests or taiga)
3. Tropical Rain Forests

36. Temperate Deciduous Forests
These are found in areas with
moderate average temperatures that
change significantly during four
distinct seasons. They have long
summers, mild winters , and
abundant precipitation spread fairly
and evenly throughout the year.

37. Cold Northern Coniferous Forests
These are found in regions with
subarctic climate where winters are
long and dry with only light snowfall.
Temperatures range from cool to
extremely cold ,and summers are
very brief with mild to warm
temperatures.

38. Tropical Rain Forest
They are characterized by the presence of
high amounts of rainfall (200-500 cm per
year), normally warm and relatively
constant temperature (average annual
temperature of 28˚C), often with low
nutrients in the soil and mainly deciduous
woody vegetation.

39. Major Rain Forest Regions
1. American Rain Forest Region
(Amazonia-the biggest rainforest
subregion)
2. Malesian Rain Forest Region
3. African Rain Forest Region

40. Major Philippine Forest Types
1. Mangrove Forest-literally a “forest of the sea”

41. 2. Beach Forest
Talisay-Terminalia catappa
Kamachile - Pithecollobium dulce
3. Molave Forest – Molave Vitex parviflora
4. Dipterocarp Forest- the most important type
for timber production and export uses
5. Pine Forest
6. Mossy Forest

42. Aquatic Ecosystems
A. Freshwater Ecosystems
* Lake * Stream
* Reservoir * Pond
* Wetland * River
B. Marine Ecosystems
* Estuary * Wetland

43. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
 Only about 2.5 percent of the water on Earth is
freshwater.
Freshwater Ecosystems

44. Rivers and Streams
The characteristics of rivers and streams
change during the journey from the source to
the mouth.

45. Streams and Rivers
– Most prominent physical characteristic of streams and
rivers is current
– Headwaters are generally cold, clear, turbulent, swift, and
oxygenrich; they are often narrow and rocky
– Downstream waters form rivers and are generally warmer,
more turbid, and more oxygenated; they are often wide
and meandering and have silty bottoms
– May contain phytoplankton or rooted aquatic plants
– Diversity of fishes and invertebrates inhabit unpolluted
rivers and streams
– Damming and flood control impair natural functioning of
stream and river ecosystems

46. Streams and Rivers

47. Lakes
Natural bodies of freshwater formed from
precipitation, runoff or groundwater that fill in
depressions in the surface caused by glaciers
(Bear Mountain), volcanoes (Crater Lake) or
other ways such as supplied with water from
rain (precipitation) or streams .
Size varies from small ponds to very large
lakes

48. • Oligotrophic Lakes:
– Nutrient-poor and generally oxygen-rich
– Small supply of plant nutrients
– Generally deep with steep banks; fed by glaciers and
mountain streams with little sediment; crystal clear
• Eutrophic Lakes:
– Nutrient-rich and often depleted of oxygen if ice covered
in winter
– Rooted and floating aquatic plants live in shallow and
well-lighted area close to shore
– Water is too deep to support rooted aquatic plants;
small drifting animals called zooplankton graze on the
phytoplankton
– Invertebrates live in the benthic zone; Fishes live in all
zones with sufficient oxygen

49. Zones of a Lake

50. Lakes and ponds are divided into three
zones based on the amount of sunlight that
penetrates the water.
The area closest to the shore is the littoral
zone.

51. The limnetic zone is the open water area
that is well lit and is dominated by plankton.

52. The profundal zone is the deepest areas
of a large lake.
It is much colder and lower in oxygen
than the other two zones.

53. Wetlands
– Habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time
and that supports plants adapted to water-saturated soil
– High organic production and decomposition and have low
dissolved oxygen content
– Can develop in shallow basins, along flooded river banks,
or on coasts of large lakes and seas
– Wetlands are among the most productive biomes on Earth
– Plants include lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, and black
spruce
– Wetlands are home to diverse invertebrates and birds, as
well as otters, frogs, and alligators
– Humans have destroyed up to 90% of wetlands; wetlands
purify water and reduce flooding

54. Wetlands

55. Transitional Aquatic
Ecosystems
Areas of land such as
marshes, swamps, and
bogs that are saturated
with water and that
support aquatic plants are
called wetlands.

56. Marine Ecosystems
The intertidal zone is a
narrow band where the
ocean meets land.
Communities are
constantly changing in
this environment as a
result of disturbance.

57. The photic zone is
shallow enough that
sunlight is able to
penetrate.
Open Ocean Ecosystems

58. Below the photic
zone lies the
aphotic zone—an
area where
sunlight is unable
to penetrate.
Open Ocean Ecosystems

59. The benthic zone
is an area along
the ocean floor
that consists of
sand, silt, and
dead organisms.
Open Ocean Ecosystems

60. The deepest
region of the
ocean is called
the abyssal
zone.
Open Ocean Ecosystems

61. Coastal Wetlands
• Estuaries:
– Where rivers meet the sea; partially enclosed bodies of
water where sea water mixes with fresh water as well
as nutrients from streams, rivers and runoff from the
land
• Coastal Wetlands:
– Coastal land areas covered with water all or part of the
year
– Combined with Estuaries, they are some of the Earth’s
most productive ecosystems because of nutrients,
rapid flow of water and ample sunlight:
• Estuaries and Coastal Wetlands: include river mouths,
inlets, bays, sounds, salt marshes and mangrove forests

62. • Sea grass Beds:
– Species of plants that grow underwater in shallow
marine and estuaries along the coastline
– Highly productive and support a variety of marine
species
– Stabilize shorelines and reduce wave impact
• Life is harsh; adapt to daily and seasonal changes in
tidal and river flow; water temperatures and salinity;
and runoff from the land including soil sediment and
pollutants; because of this, they may have low plant
diversity but high productivity

63. Estuaries

64. Life in Coastal Wetlands

65. Intertidal Zones

66. Life Along the Coast

67. Coral Reefs
– World’s oldest, most diverse and most productive ecosystem
– Known as “Natural Wonders”
– Biodiversity – marine equivalent of Tropical Rain Forests
– Formed by tiny animals known as polyps – jellyfish; calcium
carbonate
– Occupy only 0.2% of the ocean’s floor
– 15% have been destroyed and another 20% damaged
– They provide important ecological and economic services;
• Moderate atmospheric temperatures
• Act as natural barriers protecting coasts from erosion
• Provide habitats
• Support fishing and tourism businesses
• Provide jobs and building materials

68. Coral Reefs

69. Life on a Coral Reef

70. We know that no living organism can live in
isolation. We cannot survive without producers in
nature. All living beings depend on other living
beings in the biological community. Not only they
are dependent on one another, but also each of
them exist in a certain proportion. This creates a
complete balance in nature amongst living
organisms. This is evident from the study of food
chains which operate between living organisms.
Importance of Ecosystem

71. Diversion of forest lands for other purposes
have to be prevented. Reckless cutting of
forests need to be checked. Steps have to be
taken to stop shifting practice of cultivation.
Forest fire is another cause of forest depletion
which needs to be controlled effectively.
Afforestation has to be taken up effectively.

72. It is believed that if forest destruction is not
checked then there is a fear that many birds
and animals may become extinct. There must
be a control over ruthless hunting. Suitable
laws are to be made against it. National
parks, biosphere reserves and zoological
parks are to be set up to safe guard the lives
of wild animals and birds.
Conservation of Wildlife

73. Forests are important components of our environment. Rapid
destruction of this important resource is a cause of concern.
 Afforestation, preventing reckless cutting of trees and making
everyone aware of the need to conserve it will help forest
conservation.
Nature enjoys ecological balance only if the relative number of
species is not disturbed. So, conservation of wildlife is important for
the future.
National parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves are
established to protect and conserve wildlife.
Such measures would ensure that the wildlife does not become
extinct.
Conservation of aquatic life would be ensured by removal of
industries near water bodies.
Conservation of Ecosystem

74. The balance between the living beings and also with
the non- living environment is called the Ecological
Balance or simply a Balance in Nature.
Unfortunately, however human activities have upset
the ecological balance in nature, so it is more
essential that balance in nature should be
established soon because it is essential for our own
existence.

75. Awareness about ecosystem conservation
can be done by posters, competitions about
ecosystem conservation, arranging T.V.
programmes and websites related to
ecosystems.

76. If all mankind were to disappear,
The world would regenerate back to the
rich state of equilibrium
That existed ten thousand years ago.
If insects were to vanish,
The environment would collapse into
chaos.
Edward O Wilson

77. References
• Tayo, Gilma T. et.al .2004. Fundamentals of Environmental
Science. Bulacan:Trinitas Publishing ,Inc.
• Lee ,Sergio L. and Myrna L. Anes. 2008. Lecture Notes in
Environmental Science: The Economy of Nature and Ecology
of Man. Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc.
• Miller G. Tyler,Jr. 2006. Environmental Science :Working with
the Earth(Eleventh Edition). Singapore: Brooks/Cole,a division
of Thomson Learning Asia.
• 8122418481_Environmental_Science.pdf
• Basics_of_Environmental_Science(Section 1).pdf
• http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152248/
• http://www.google.com