DIGITAL ALBUM

TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS

Submitted by NAVYA S ROLL NO : 10

INTRODUCTION An ecosystem is a structural and functional unit of ecology where the living organisms interact with each other and the surrounding environment. The term “Ecosystem” was first coined by A.G.Tansley, an English botanist, in 1935. As per E P Odum, ecosystem is the basic functional unit of organisms and their environment interacting with each other. Mainly there are two types of ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystem and aquatic ecosystem. Terrestrial ecosystem is the ecosystem which exists on land. It is divided into Forest

ecosystem

Grassland

ecosystem,

Mountain

ecosystem and Desert ecosystem. Aquatic ecosystem is the ecosystem which exists in water. It can be divided into, Lotic ecosystem, Lentic ecosystem and Marine ecosystem (Ocean ecosystem)

ECOSYSTEMS An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. Ecosystems contain biotic or living, parts, as well as abiotic factors, or nonliving parts. Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms.

Tundra Ecosystem

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

A terrestrial ecosystem is a land-based community of organisms and the interactions of biotic and abiotic components in a given area. The biotic, or living things found in an ecosystem, include various life forms, such as plants and animals. The abiotic, or non-living things found in an ecosystem, include the various land-forms and the climate.

1.FOREST ECOSYSTEM

A forest ecosystem is an ecosystem of forests and resources. Forests are renewable natural resource. Forests are formed by a group of plants that are structurally defined by their trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, and ground cover

TEMPERATE EVERGREEN FORESTS Temperate evergreen forests can be found in both hot and cold climate zones. The trees reach great heights up to 60 metres or even above. Since the region is warm and wet throughout the year, it has a luxuriant vegetation of all kinds trees, shrubs, and creepers giving it a multilayered structure.

TEMPERATE RAINFOREST Temperate rain forests generally support an understory of mosses, ferns and some shrubs and berries. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world.

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

The tropical

rainforest is a hot, moist biome where

it rains all year long. It is known for its

dense canopies of

vegetation that form

three different

layers.

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST Temperate deciduous forests are located in the mid-latitude areas which means that they are found between the polar regions and the tropics. The deciduous forest regions are exposed to warm and cold air masses, which cause this area to have four seasons.

SUBTROPICAL RAINFORESTS Subtropical rainforests are rainforests that have traits of both tropical and temperate rainforests. Their feature is thick vegetation that reaches a couple of feet above the ground

TROPICAL SEASONAL FOREST

A tropical

seasonal forest is

found in areas

with a long dry

season. During the dry season, there is some defoliation, the extent of which is determined by the severity of the moisture shortage.

2.GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses. However, sedge and rush can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica and are found in most ecoregions of the Earth. Grasslands are of two types : tropical grasslands and temperate grassland

TROPICAL GRASSLANDS Tropical Grassland

is dominated by

grasses and

shrubs, with or

without scattered

trees. This vegetation grows in the areas of moderate to low amount of rainfall. eg : Savannah grassland

AFRICAN SAVANNAH The African savanna ecosystem is a tropical grassland with warm temperatures year round and seasonal rainfall. The savanna is characterized by grasses and small or dispersed trees, along with a diverse community of organisms that interact to form a complex food web.

TEMPERATE GRASSLAND

Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain. The grasses die back to their roots annually and the soil and the sod protect the roots and the new buds from the cold of winter or dry conditions. eg: Steppes, Prairies and Pampas

STEPPES GRASSLAND A steppe is a dry, grassy plain. Steppes occur in temperate climates, which lie between the tropics and polar regions. Temperate regions have distinct seasonal temperature changes, with cold winters and warm summers. Steppes are semi-arid, meaning they receive 25 to 50 centimeters

PRAIRIES GRASSLAND

Prairies are enormous stretches of flat grassland with moderate temperatures, moderate rainfall, and few trees. Even though the prairie may seem desolate, it is actually a fertile and diverse habitat

THE PAMPAS GRASSLAND The pampas has a 'high sun' or dry season in the summer, which in the Southern Hemisphere is in December. The wind blows most of the time. The climate in the pampas is humid and warm.

3.MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEM Mountain ecosystems are characterized by harsh environmental conditions. These include often long lasting snow cover, short growing seasons and topographically related disturbances such as avalanches, rockfall or landslides.

4.DESERT ECOSYSTEM

Deserts are barren areas of land characterised by extremely high or low temperatures, with low rainfall and scarce or no vegetation Desert ecosystem is the driest ecosystem of the earth and this is the reason it has less vegetation and less diversity of life.

DESERT ECOSYSTEM An extreme temperature difference is there in the day and night of a desert ecosystem. It is very hot during the day and very cold at night. Cactus are commonly found in this ecosystem as they can easily survive in this environment.

5.TUNDRA ECOSYSTEM

Tundra ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic and on the tops of mountains The tundra has few nutrients to support plant and animal life. Tundra wildlife includes small mammals such as Norway lemmings (Lemmus lemmus), arctic hares (Lepis arcticus), and arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) and large mammals, such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

ARCTIC TUNDRA Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga. There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate.

ALPINE TUNDRA

Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained



AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem formed by

surrounding a body of water, in contrast to land-

based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of

organisms that are dependent on each other and

on their environment.

1.LOTIC ECOSYSTEM

Lotic or flowing ecosystem is river channels and other related aquatic environments creek, brook, spring, or stream.

It includes small waterfalls to various big sized river water bodies.

RIVER ECOSYSTEM River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic interactions amongst plants, animals and microorganisms, as well as abiotic physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.

STREAM ECOSYSTEM

Stream ecology encompasses the study of these aquatic organisms, but also the study of the riparian zone, sediment transport, the movement of energy and nutrients within the stream, and a host of other aspects of stream ecosystems.

2.LENTIC ECOSYSTEM

These ecosystems range in size from very small ponds or pools that may be temporary, to large lakes.

Deeper waters, such as lakes, may have layers of ecosystems, influenced by light.

LAKE ECOSYSTEM A lake ecosystem or lacustrine ecosystem includes biotic plants, animals and microorganisms, as well as abiotic physical and chemical interactions. By storing water they help regulate stream flow, recharge ground water aquifers and moderate droughts.

3.WETLANDS ECOSYSTEM A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-free processes prevailing, especially in the soils.

SWAMP ECOSYSTEM Swamp, type of ecosystem characterized by mineral soils with poor drainage and by plant life dominated by trees.

BOG ECOSYSTEM A bog is a freshwater wetland of soft, spongy ground consisting mainly of partially decayed plant matter called peat. Bogs are generally found in cool, northern climates.

4.MARINE ECOSYSTEM Marine ecosystems are aquatic environments with high levels of dissolved salt. The marine ecosystem is a wonderful combination of biotic and abiotic components supporting each other for survival.

CONCLUSION An

ecosystem

or

biome

describes

a

single

environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between its different elements. Ecosystem types abound; however, the most basic categorization involves three habitats: terrestrial, marine, and aquatic. Naturally, these groups can be split into thousands of smaller systems, each one offering a different mix of climate, habitat and life forms.