Ecosystem, Categories

and Characteristics
Objectives
Define Identify Explain

Define the Identify the Explain how does

ecosystem and its components of the earth’s life-
major categories ecosystems support system
work.

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston
Ecology and Ecosystem

Ecology is the science that focuses on how organisms interact

with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter
and energy.

Ecosystems are made up of the organisms and physical

environment and the interactions between the living and non-
living components within them

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/biology2xmaster/chapter/ecosystem-ecology/
Ecology and Ecosystem and its categories

There are three broad categories of ecosystems based on their

general environment: freshwater, ocean water, and terrestrial.

Within these broad categories are individual ecosystem types based

on the organisms present and the type of environmental habitat.

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/biology2xmaster/chapter/ecosystem-ecology/
Ocean ecosystems
• are the most common,
comprising 75 percent of
the Earth’s surface
• consisting of three basic
types: shallow ocean,
deep ocean water, and
deep ocean surfaces (the
low depth areas of the
deep oceans).
Although not as diverse as the first two, deep ocean
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/biology2xmaster/chapter/ec ecosystems contain a wide variety of marine
osystem-ecology/
https://oceanworlds.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/ocean-zones-
and-animals-who-live-there/
organisms.
Ocean ecosystems
• The shallow ocean
ecosystems include
extremely biodiverse
coral reef ecosystems,
and
• the deep ocean surface
is known for its large
numbers of plankton and
krill (small crustaceans)
that support it. are especially important to aerobic respirators worldwide
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osystem-ecology/
as the phytoplankton perform 40 percent of all
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and-animals-who-live-there/
photosynthesis on Earth
Freshwater ecosystems
• Freshwater ecosystems are
the rarest, occurring on only
1.8 percent of the Earth’s
surface.
• Lakes, rivers, streams, and
springs comprise these
systems
• they are quite diverse, and
• they support a variety of fish,
amphibians, reptiles, insects,
phytoplankton, fungi, and
bacteria.
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https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/freshwater-ecosystem/
Terrestrial ecosystems
• known for their diversity, are
grouped into large categories
called biomes, such as tropical
rain forests, savannas,
deserts, coniferous forests,
deciduous forests, and tundra.
• Grouping these ecosystems
into just a few biome
categories obscures the great
diversity of the individual
ecosystems within them https://courses.lumenlearning.com/biology2xmaster/chapter/ecosystem-ecology/
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Terrestrial ecosystems
Types of Biomes Characteristics
Rainforest (tropical) contains the world’s greatest biodiversity. Located near the equator, this biome
experiences equal day length, warm temperatures and up to 200 inches of rain annually.
These conditions lead to prolific plant growth in levels from the forest floor to the canopy.
Temperate populate eastern North America, central Europe and northeastern Asia; Distinct seasons,
Deciduous Forest consistent precipitation and varied temperatures yield a diverse biome; Deciduous
broadleaf trees, evergreens and other plants flourish. This biome hosts many animal
species including deer, rabbits, bears, birds, insects and amphibians.
Boreal or Taiga extends south of the Arctic Circle; endures long, dry winters, cool, wet summers and a 130-
Forest day growing season. Annual precipitation ranges from about 16 to 40 inches, typically as
snow; hosts coniferous trees and low plants. Animal species include bears, moose, lynx,
deer, hares and woodpeckers, among others.
Chaparral Scrubland and few trees; receives between 25 and 30 inches of rain annually, chiefly in
winter. Dry summers mean dormancy for many plants; can be found throughout southern
California and Baja, Mexico.
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Terrestrial ecosystems
Types of Biomes Characteristics
Grassland Temperate grassland includes steppes, veldts and prairies. Moderate precipitation, rich
soils, hot summers and cold winters distinguish this biome. The few trees grow along
rivers. Some animals include deer, gazelles, birds, insects and larger predators such as
wolves and lions.
Savanna takes up nearly half of Africa as well as parts of India, South America and Australia; receive
concentrated rainfall for several months and then drought. Few trees dot the grassy
savanna; The animals living here have long legs for escaping predators and usually are
seen in herds
Desert receive less than 12 inches of precipitation annually and experience very high
temperatures. Desert subtypes include hot and dry, semiarid, coastal and cold. desert
species include yuccas, cacti, reptiles, small mammals and burrowing owls.
Tundra The coldest biome, the treeless Arctic tundra, receives only about 60 growing days and low
precipitation. Plants consist mostly of shrubs, lichens, mosses, sedges and liverworts.
Tundra animals include lemmings, caribou, migratory birds, mosquitos, flies and fish.
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 • Ecosystems are complex with many interacting parts.
• changes in the environment that effect their compositions
Ecosystem • They are routinely exposed to various disturbances which are due to
natural processes: when lightning causes a forest fire and destroys
and Changes part of a forest ecosystem, the ground is eventually populated by
grasses, then by bushes and shrubs, and later by mature trees,
restoring the forest to its former state.
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Ecosystem and Changes
• The impact of environmental
disturbances caused by human
activities is as important as the
changes formed by natural
processes.
• Human agricultural practices,
air pollution, acid rain, global
deforestation, overfishing,
eutrophication, oil spills, and
illegal dumping on land and
into the ocean are all issues
of concern to
conservationists.
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• Scientists classify matter into levels of organization ranging
from atoms to galaxies.
• Ecologists study interactions within and among five of these
levels of organization
• Organisms
• Populations
• Communities
• Ecosystems
• Biosphere

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston
Biosphere
• Biosphere and its ecosystems
are made up of living (biotic) and
non-living (abiotic) components
• Examples of nonliving
components: water, air,
nutrients, rocks, heat, and solar
energy
• Living components include
plants, animals, microbes, and
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition
all other organisms Cengage Learning, Boston
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Organisms
• Ecologists assign each organism in an ecosystem to a feeding
level, or trophic level, depending on its source of nutrients.
• Broad classification of living organisms: producers and
consumers
• Producers- or autotrophs (self-feeders) make the nutrients they
need from compounds and energy obtained from their
environment
• In a process photosynthesis, plants capture solar energy that
falls on their leaves and use it in combination with CO2 and
H2O to form organic molecules, including energy-rich
carbohydrates which stores the chemical energy that plants
need.
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston
Organisms
• About 2.8 billion years ago, producer
organisms called cyanobacteria, most
of them floating on the surface of the
ocean, began to carry out the process
of photosynthesis. (at that time, the
atmosphere contained essentially no
oxygen)
• It took several hundred million years
before the percentage of oxygen in the
air, generated by photosynthesis,
reached its current level of about 21%- Cyanobacteria, also referred to as blue-
high enough to keep animals and green algae, naturally occur in all
humans live. freshwater ecosystems.
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage
Learning, Boston
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Producers
• Most producers on land
are trees and other green
plants
• In freshwater and ocean
ecosystems, algae and
aquatic plants growing
near shorelines are major
producers
• In open water, the
dominant producers are
phytoplankton- mostly
microscopic organisms
that float or drift in the
water.

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage Learning, Boston
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Consumers
• Heterotrophs
• Obtain energy and nutrients by feeding
on other organisms or their remains

• Herbivores (plant-eaters) or primary

consumers
• Are animals that feed directly on
producers
• Deer, goats, rabbits, caterpillars,
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition
zooplankton Cengage Learning, Boston
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Carnivores
• Carnivores (meat eater) or
secondary consumers
• Feed on the flesh of herbivores
• Spiders, lions, small fishes
• Other carnivores are tertiary
(higher-level) consumers that feed
on the flesh of herbivores and
other carnivores
• Tigers, hawk, killer whales
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition
Cengage Learning, Boston
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Omnivores
• Feed on plants and
animals
• Pigs, rats, dogs, humans

Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition

Cengage Learning, Boston
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Decomposers
• Consumers that release
nutrients from the wastes
or remains of plants and
animals, and return those
nutrients to the soil,
water, and air for reuse
by producers
• Bacteria and fungi Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage
Learning, Boston
https://microbenotes.com/bacteria-vs-fungi/
Detritivores

• Detritus feeders
• Feed on the wastes or
dead bodies of other
organisms
• Earthworm, hyenas,
vultures
Miller, G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2016) Environmental Science, Fifteenth Edition Cengage
Learning, Boston
https://ibiologia.com/detritivore/
Many of the world’s most
important organisms are
invisible to us.

Microorganism or
microbes (bacteria,
protozoa, fungi,
phytoplankton)

What are two advantages

that microbes have over
humans for thriving in the
world?