What is Environment?
Environment is formed by all the living and non-living things around an organism.
Living and non-living things interact with each other. There is a particular environment for every living thing. Human beings live in villages and cities, tiger lives in a forest, fish lives in water, birds live in their nests build on trees, and the ants live underground.
What is an Ecosystem?
Ecosystem is formed by the living and non-living components of environment. On the Earth, the types of ecosystem differ from cold to hot, wet to dry. Examples: Snowy areas, deserts, ponds, rivers, oceans, grassland and forest.
Basic difference between Environment and Ecosystem
The environment refers to the surroundings, whereas, the ecosystem refers to the interaction between the environment and the living organisms.
Components of Ecosystem
There are following two (02) components of an ecosystem:
- Abiotic Components
- Biotic Components
Abiotic Components
Abiotic components include non-living components of an ecosystem. For Example: Soil, light, water, air and temperature.
Biotic Components
Biotic components include living components of an ecosystem. The biotic components are divided into following three (03) groups:
- Producers
- Consumers
- De-composers
Producers
Plants are called producers because they produce food for themselves and for animals by a process called photosynthesis. For Example: trees, herbs, shrubs and climbers are producers. Also, Aquatic plants are major source of food for aquatic animals. For Example: Lotus and algae are also producers.
Consumers
Consumers cannot make food on their own. Rather they depend on other plants and animals for food. All the animals are consumers.
De-composers
De-composers are the living things which decompose dead bodies of plants and animals into simple components for their food. Some bacteria and many fungi are the main de-composers.
Balanced Ecosystem
All the living things are essential for one another. They may affect the lives of one another. Some animals benefit or harm one another.
The main source of energy in an ecosystem is the Sun. With the help of water, carbon dioxide and sunlight, the plants make their food by producing oxygen as a byproduct. This oxygen is then used by animals for respiration. During this respiration, animals exhale/ produce carbon dioxide which is then used by plants to make food. Such a self-sustaining and durable ecosystem is called Balanced Ecosystem.
Food Chain
Living things depend on one another for food. Plants make food by photosynthesis using sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. Animals produce carbon dioxide during respiration which is then used by plants to make food.
Producers make food used by herbivores. The herbivores are eaten by carnivores. The carnivores are eaten by other carnivores. This series of eating and being eaten in an ecosystem is called the Food Chain. Grasshopper eats a plants, the grasshopper is eaten by rat, the rat is eaten by owl. This is an example of food chain.
Herbivores
Animals which eat plants are called herbivores. Examples: Cows, deers and goats etc.
Carnivores
Animals which eat other animals are called carnivores. Examples: Sharks, crocodiles, tigers and lions etc.
Omnivores
Animals which eat both plants and animals are called omnivores. Examples: Crows, Bears and Human etc.
Links of Food Chain
There are following three (03) links for food chain:
- First (1st) link is a producer, for example plant, algae etc.
- Second (2nd) link is herbivores, for example rat, goat, zebra etc.
- Third (3rd) link is carnivores, for example snake, lion, fox etc.
Predation: Predator to Prey relationship
Predation
The interaction between predator and prey is called predation.
Predator
An animal eating another animal by hunting and killing is called predator. For example; lizards, sharks, tigers and lions.
Prey
The animal eaten/ killed/ hunted by a predator is called prey. For example; fish, deer, rats etc.
Competition among Organism
Every area in an ecosystem has limited resources that compel living things to compete for food and place. For example, all the herbivores compete for grass.
Impacts of Human Actions on Food Chain in an Ecosystem
Human beings did serious damage to the ecosystem of the land oceans. With the increase in the population, humans established cities, and for that, they cut forests build roads and factories. Also, human beings started unnecessary hunting of animals.
Role of Human to Save the Ecosystem
Now, human beings are trying to save the ecosystem by applying following steps:
- Environmental awareness programs have been organized to save the environment and habitats of living things.
- Tree plantation is being done and artificial forests are being created in order to provide the natural habitat to living things.
- Wildlife parks have been made to save the habitats of living things.
