This document provides an overview of ecosystems, defining them as biological environments consisting of living and non-living components. It categorizes ecosystems into aquatic (marine and freshwater) and terrestrial (forest, desert, grassland, tundra) types, detailing their characteristics and examples. Additionally, it highlights the distribution of various species within these ecosystems, emphasizing the biodiversity found particularly in India.

1. TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM
by Manas Dhidar , Hitik Negi
and Jatin Kumar

2. What is Ecosystem ?
• A Ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all
the living organisms or Biotic Component, in a particular
area, and the non-living, or Abiotic Component such as
air, soil, water and sunlight with which the organism
interact.

3. TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM
AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEM
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEM
MARINE
ECOSYSTEM
FRESHWATER
ECOSYSTEM

4. DESERTS
ECOSYSTEMS
FORESTS
ECOSYSTEMS
TUNDRA
ECOSYSTEMS
GRASSLANDS
ECOSYSTEM
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEM

5. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
• An Aquatic Ecosystem is an ecosystem in a
body of water. Communities of organisms
that are dependent on each other and on their
environment live in aquatic ecosystems.
The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are:-
1) Marine ecosystems
2) Freshwater ecosystems

6. 1. MARINE ECOSYSTEM
• Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth’s aquatic
ecosystems. Examples include Estuaries, Lagoons, coral reefs,
the deep sea, and the sea floor.
• Marine waters cover two-thirds of the surface of the Earth.
• Such places are considered ecosystems because the plant life
supports the animal life and vice versa.
• According to the World Resource Center, coastal habitats account
for about one-third of marine biological productivity.

7. • Estuaries occur where there is a noticeable change in salinity between
saltwater and freshwater source.
• The National Geographic Society defines lagoons as a “shallow body of
water protected from a larger body of water by sandbars, barrier islands,
or coral reefs”.
• Coral reefs are one of the most well-known marine ecosystems within
the world. The largest being that of the Great Barrier Reef. These reefs are
composed of large coral colonies of a variety of species living together.
• The deep sea conquers up to 95% of the space occupied by living
organisms. Combined with the sea floor, these two areas have yet to be fully
explored and have their organisms documented making these ecosystems
some of the hardest to understand by scientists.

9. 2. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM
• Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems.
They include lakes and ponds, rivers, streams, springs,
and wetlands.
• Freshwater habitats can be classified by different factors, including
temperature, light penetration and vegetation.
• Freshwater ecosystems can be divided into lentic ecosystems (still
water) and lotic ecosystems (flowing water).
• Limnology is a study about freshwater ecosystems. It is a part
of hydrobiology.

10. • A lake ecosystem includes biotic (living) plants, animals
and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving)
physical and chemical interactions. Lake ecosystems
are a prime example of lentic ecosystems.
• River ecosystems are prime examples of lotic ecosystems.
• A pond ecosystem refers to the freshwater ecosystem
where there are communities of organism dependent on
each other with the prevailing water environment for
their nutrients and survival.

11. TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM
• A terrestrial ecosystem is a type of ecosystem found only on biomes
also known as beds.
• A biome is a community of plants and animals that have common
characteristics for the environment they exist in. They can be found
over a range of continents.
• Four primary terrestrial ecosystems exist:- Forest Ecosystems, Desert
Ecosystem, Grasslands Ecosystem & Tundra Ecosystem.
• India is also rich in its fauna. India has approximately 90,000 animal
species, 2,000 species of birds, they constitute 13% of world’s total.
• It has 2500 species of fish, which is nearly 12% of world stock. It also
shares 5% - 8% of the world’s amphibians, reptiles & mammals.

12. 1. FOREST ECOSYSTEM
• It is further divided into 5 parts:-
TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS:-
 The tropical evergreen forests usually occur
in areas receiving more than 200cm of rainfall.
 Having a temp. of 15- 30’ celsius.
 They occupy 7% of the earth’s land surface.
 These trees have great height up to 60 m.
 Trees found in these areas are Ebony,
Mahogany, Rosewood, Rubber & Cinchona.

13. TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS:-
• These are the most widespread forest in India.
• These are also called monsoon forests.
• They receiving rainfall between 200cm to 70cm.
• Teak is the most dominant species in this forest.
TROPICAL THORN FORESTS:-
• In regions with less than 70cm rainfall.
• This vegetation covers a large part of south-
Western north America , Africa , south America
& Australia.
• Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the
main plant species.

14. • Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil to get
moisture.
• Leaves are mostly thick & small to minimize evaporation.
BOREAL FORESTS:-
• Taiga, also known as boreal forests or snow forests, is a biome characterized by
conferious forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces and larches.
• The taiga is the world’s largest biome apart from
the oceans.
• Countries with boreal forests include Russia, Alaska,
Sweden, finland, Norway and small regions of Scotland.
• The boreal region in Canada almost 60% of the
Country’s land area.
• It shelters more than 85 species of mammals, including
Wood bison, moose, grizzly, beavers & wolves.

15. MANGROVE FORESTS:-
• A mangrove is a shrub or small tree that grows in
coastal saline or brackish water.
• These forest found in the areas of coast influenced by
tides.
• The total mangrove forest area of the world in 2000 was 137,800 square
kilometres (53,200 sq mi), spanning 118 countries and territories.
• Herons, kingfishers, cormorants, snakes, lizards, spiders, insects, snails
and mangrove crabs thrive on mangrove palnts.
• In India, its found in deltas of ganga, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari &
kaveri.
• In India, Royal Bengal tiger, turtles, crocodiles, gharials, snake are also
found in these forests.

16. 2. DESERTS ECOSYSTEM
• A desert ecosystem is defined by interactions between living
organism the climate in which they live, and any other non-living
influences on the habitat.
• Deserts are arid regions which are generally associated with
warm temperatures, however cold deserts also exist.
• Deserts can be found on every continent, with the largest being
located in Antarctica the Arctic, Northern Africa and the Middle
East.
• There are 4 types of desert ecosystem:-
Sand desert, plateau desert, Mountain desert,
cold desert.

17. SAND DESERT:-
• An erg (sand sheet if it lacks dunes) is a broad, flat area of desert covered
with wind-swept sand with little or no vegetative cover. The term takes its
name from the Arabic word ʿarq (meaning “dune field”).
• The Rub' al Khali desert is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world.
The desert covers some 650,000 km2.
• Approximately 85% of all the Earth's mobile sand is found in ergs that are
greater than 32,000 km2.
• Ergs are also found on other celestial bodies, such as Venus, Mars,
and Saturn's moon Titan.
• The largest hot desert in the world, the Sahara, covers 9 million square
kilometres

18. PLATEAU DESERT:- in geology plateau is also called high Plain or a tableland.
• It is usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly Above the
surrounding area, often one or more slides with steep slopes.
• Some desert plateau are:- tibetian plateau, pajarito plateau, hardangervidda in Europe.
MOUNTAIN DESERTS:-
A large, dry, barren region, usually having sandy or rocky soil and little or no
vegetation. Water lost to evaporation and transpiration in a desert exceeds the amount
of precipitation; most deserts average less than 25 cm (9.75 inches) of precipitation
each year, concentrated in short local bursts.
The Desert Mountains are a mountain range located in west-central Nevada south of
the Lahontan Reservoir and north of the town of Yerington. The range is located
in Lyon and Churchill counties. The range includes Cleaver Peak, at 6,711 feet
(2,046 m) above sea level in the western part of the range and Desert Peak, at 6,404 feet
(1,952 m) in elevation, in the eastern part of the chain.

19. COLD DESERT:-
• Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve located in the
western Himalayas region, within Himachal Pradesh state in North
India.
• Biosphere reserves are the areas of coastal ecosystems which promote
the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
• There are over 669 biosphere reserves around the world in over 120
countries.
• Cold deserts are found in the Antarctic, Greenland, Iran, Turkestan,
Northern and Western China.
• Some famous cold deserts are: – Atacama, Gobi, Great Basin, Namib,
Iranian, Takla Makan, and Turkestan.
• Antarctica is the largest cold desert of the earth.

20. 3. TUNDRA ECOSYSTEM
• Tundra ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic
and on the tops of mountains, where the climate is cold and
windy and rainfall is scant.
• Tundra lands are snow-covered for much of the year, until
summer brings a burst of wildflowers.
• Tundra consists of predators such as owls, foxes, wolves,
and polar bears at the top of the chain. Predators hunt herbivores,
plant eating animals, such as caribou, lemmings, and hares.
• Bearberry, Labrador Tea, Diamond Leaf, Arctic Moss, Arctic
Willow, Caribou Moss, Tufted Saxifrage, Pasque Flower

21. 4. GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
• Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses however,
sedge and rush families can also be found along with variable proportions
of legumes, like clover, and other herbs.
• Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica.
• Grasslands are found in most ecoregions of the Earth.
• For example, there are five terrestrial ecoregion classifications (subdivisions) of
the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome which is one of
eight terrestrial ecozones of the Earth's surface.
• Grassland ecosystem are further divided into :-
 Tropical & Sub Tropical Grasslands
 Temperate Grasslands

22. TROPICALAND SUBTROPICAL:-
• These grasslands are classified with tropical and subtropical Savannas
and shrublands
• They are widespread in Africa, and are also found all throughout South Asia,
Llanos of South America and Australia, and the southern United States.
• African savannas occur between forest or woodland regions and grassland
regions.
• The average temperature of 27 °C with peaks of 30 °C in April and October,
and between 300 and 1500 mm of rain per year.
• Flora found in this region are:- Acacia ( tree), Baobab (Tree), Grass, Low
shrubs & Thorns.

23. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS:-
• Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters.
• Summer temperatures can be well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while
winter temperatures can be as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• They typically have between 10 and 35 inches of precipitation a year,
much of it occurring in the late spring and early summer.
• Other animals of this region include: deer, mice, jack
rabbits, snakes, fox, owls, blackbirds meadowlarks, sparrows,
quails, hawks and hyenas.
• Grasslands go by many names. In the U.S. Midwest, they're known
as prairies. In South America, they're called pampas. Central Eurasian
grasslands are referred to as steppes, while in Africa they're
named savannas.