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Made By Group I

WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM ?

An ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals
and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other,
and also with their non-living environments (weather, earth,
sun, soil, climate, atmosphere).

In an ecosystem, each organism has its' own niche, or role to
play.
Consider a small puddle at the back of your home. In it, you
may find all sorts of living things, from microorganisms, to
insects and plants. These may depend on non-living things
like water, sunlight, turbulence in the puddle, temperature,
atmospheric pressure and even nutrients in the water for
life.



Characteristics of the Ecosystem
Ecosystems range in size from microscopic
environments up to the entire intertwined
environment of Earth (known as the "biosphere").
The number of ecosystems on Earth is countless and
each ecosystem is distinct. Despite the myriad types
of ecosystems and their diverse range, all ecosystems
have several characteristics in common that help
define them.

Ecosystems Are Hierarchical
All ecosystems have a feeding hierarchy.
The hierarchy includes an energy source (e.g., the
sun) and producers, consumers, decomposers and
non-living chemicals such as minerals and other
elements. These components depend on one another.
Ecosystems may contain grazer food webs in which plants
(i.e., producers) absorb non-living nutrients with the help
of the sun. Animals (i.e., consumers) eat plants and other
animals to take in nutrients.
When plants and animals die or when animals excrete
waste, bacteria (i.e., decomposers) feed on the waste
materials. The nutrients then go back into the water
and/or soil for re-absorption by producers.
A detritus food web occurs in the absence of sunlight. In a
detritus food web, the energy comes from dead matter (i.e.,
detritus) instead of green producers. One example of a
detritus food web is the ecosystem of a deciduous forest
floor.



Ecosystems Have Biodiversity
Earth is thought to have over 10 million different
species of life, and ecosystems depend on such
biodiversity for survival. Because each organism in an
ecosystem has a purpose (i.e., a niche), the loss of just
one species from an ecosystem could significantly shift
the balance.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency,
"recent studies suggest that reductions in biodiversity
can alter both the [size] and the stability of ecosystems.

If biodiversity in an ecosystem declines, the system
may become more susceptible to environmental
occurrences such as drought and other problems such
as disease and pests.


For example, tropical rain forests are complex
ecosystems full of biodiversity. Plants and animals in
a rain forest thrive because of the natural balance of
the ecosystem. When a rain forest ecosystem is altered
to support a banana farm, pest problems abound.


Ecosystems Have Regular Temperature
and Rainfall Pattern
Due to complicated global climate patterns, different areas
have unique and relatively cyclical climates.
Ecosystems form in response to the unique but predictable
climate of each geographic area. Unique ecosystems will
form in different climates. Likewise, since elevation and
topography affect climate, different ecosystems will form at
different elevations. The life that exists in any given
ecosystem is the direct result of elevation, topography and
temperature and rainfall patterns
. For example, the vegetation of a desert ecosystem
is sparse due to temperature extremes and lack of
rainfall. The plant life that does exist is adapted
to conserve water. Desert fauna also have adapted
for water conservation, and since desert plants are
important sources of water for the animals, many
desert plants have developed extreme protection
methods (e.g., cactus needles).

Different Types of Ecosystems

Polar ecosystems

Are located on the top and bottom of Earth. These ecosystems
often have flat surfaces covered by ice for much of the year.

The precipitation is typically snow, although it is possible to
see hail or sleet on warmer days.
The animals in polar ecosystems are specially adapted to
extreme cold. Polar animals include penguins, polar bears,
seals and arctic birds.

Mountain Zones

Mountain ecosystems exist at high altitudes and frequently
have limited vegetation, although bushy plants may be
evident. The landscape is rocky. Temperatures tend to be
low due to the height of the mountains.
Precipitation tends to be in the form of snow in the
higher regions, but mist and rain are possible as well.
Relationships between prey and predators, such as goats
and foxes, play key roles in maintaining the balance of
this and other ecosystems. Some mountain ecosystems are
home to cliff-dwelling birds and eagles.




Tundra


The tundra ecosystem is similar to the polar
ecosystem. Often polar regions are referred to as
tundra zones. Tundra zones are characterized by
permafrost, or frozen ground, and limited
vegetation.
Long periods of light and darkness alternate
though the year with half the year being dark
and half the year being light. Few animals and
plants are able to survive in these conditions.
Precipitation on the tundra is often snow.



Temperate Forests

Temperate forest ecosystems are most commonly found
in mid-latitude areas between the polar regions and
the equator.
Temperate ecosystems have very cold winters and warm
summers. These forests have two types of tree growth:
evergreen, which keep their leaves all year-round; and
deciduous trees, which drop their leaves seasonally.
Temperate forest ecosystems provide shelter and food for
a large variety of animals. Rain is often plentiful and
the soil tends to be fertile, as it is not prone to long
freezing periods.



Grasslands

Grassland ecosystems occur in temperate zones
but they do not get enough rain or precipitation
to support a forest. Grasslands are typically flat
and have rich soil.
These ecosystems support a large number of
animals, including prey species, such as
buffalo, and predators such as wolves. .



Tropical Rainforests


Tropical rainforest ecosystems are located near the
equator and are warm all year-round. Because of the
warmth and high level of precipitation, tropical
rainforests have a year-round growing season.
Rainforest plants tend to grow large as they compete
for sunlight. However, rainforest soil tends to be poor
as the forest nutrition is locked in the vegetation.
Rainforest ecosystems contain the greatest number of
plant and animal species on land.

Deserts

Desert ecosystems get very little precipitation. To be
classified as a desert, an area must receive no more
than 10 centimeters of rain per year. Desert
temperatures are usually very high during the day.
Desert plants and animals have adapted to their dry
habitats. Desert geography varies by region, with
sand dunes being common in some, and flat surfaces
with strange-shaped rock outcroppings common in
others.


Oceanic

The oceanic ecosystem is the largest, most diverse on
the planet. There are many smaller ecosystems in
this biome, including coral reefs, shoreline and
deep-water ecosystems. Despite its richness, the
ocean contains dead areas of water in which there
is little or no life.
Abiotic & Biotic Factors in Ecosystems




Abiotic factors

Abiotic means not living. Abiotic factors include temperature,
soil, light, aspect, atmospheric gases present, sunlight, wind,
wind patterns, precipitation, habitat, season, cloud cover,
altitude and location of the ecosystem.
The seasons, cloud cover, altitude and aspect and location of the
ecosystem will determine how much sunlight plants receive and
therefore will govern photosynthesis.



Biotic factors

Biotic factors are the living things in the ecosystem.
From the tiniest bacteria to the largest mammal, all
need abiotic factors in order to survive.
They need air to breath and light to photosynthesize, for
example. If the ecosystem is small, the biotic factors will
rely on the abiotic factors more than if the ecosystem is
large. If there is much diversity in an ecosystem the
biotic factors rely on each other as well as on the abiotic
factors.
FOREST ECOSYSTEM

A forest ecosystem is the community formed by
plants and animals of that particular area that
interact with the chemical and physical features
of the environment in which they live.
The Amazon rain forest ecosystem is an example
of a forest ecosystem. This ecosystem is home to a
wide variety of plant and animal species, which
include producers, consumers and decomposers.
These organisms are interdependent on each other
for survival.


Producers

Green plants are the producers of this ecosystem.
There are four layers of plants in this ecosystem.
The emergent layer includes huge trees towering
165 feet or more that are spaced far apart.
Canopy trees are closely spaced and are about
65 to 165 feet high. They provide fruits, nectar
and seeds to many creatures. The understory has
very few plants as it receives very little sunlight.
Almost nothing grows on the forest floor as it is
devoid of sunlight.
Primary Consumers

These are the herbivores that depend on green
plants for food. Some of these creatures eat
grasses and leaves.
The capybara, a semi-aquatic rodent, lives on
the forest floor and thrives on grasses and
water plants. Other primary consumers that
live in the canopy, such as the red howler
monkey, feed on fruits, nuts, leaves and
flowers.



Secondary Consumers

Secondary consumers are the creatures that feed on the
herbivores. These include some monkeys such as golden
lion tamarins, which eat fruits as well as insects and
frogs. Giant anteaters living on the forest floor and
tamanduas (small anteaters that exist in trees) feed on
ants and termites.
Predators thrive in all the layers of the Amazon
rainforest. Ocelots and jaguars hunt for mammals,
reptiles and birds on the forest floor and understory.
Harpy eagles and the green snakes called emerald tree
boas prey on birds, lizards and mammals for food.
Decomposers

The decomposers break down dead plants and animals,
returning the nutrients to the soil to be made usable by
the producers.
Apart from bacteria, ants and termites are important
decomposers of this ecosystem. Millipedes and
earthworms also help to break down dead matter.
The warm and moist climate of this region is
conducive for the decomposers to work at a rapid pace.
Dead matter is broken down within six weeks.
Interdependence and Symbiosis

The organisms of this ecosystem are interdependent on each other
for survival. An example in this regard is the relationship
between Azteca ants and cecropia trees. The ants, which thrive in
the hollow stems of the trees, depend on the special juice produced
by the trees for food. In exchange, the ants chase away the insects
that may harm the ceropias and kill the climbing vines that
might choke these trees.
An example of a symbiotic relationship is the one between ants
and caterpillars. The ants feed on sweet juices produced by spots
on the caterpillars back. In return, they protect the caterpillars
from attack.


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