Take a look around! What do you notice? Plants? Flowers? Butterflies? Bees? Insects? Water? Have you ever wondered why they’re here? Do you believe they live in another universe, one that is different from ours? They are, after all, a part of our world.
The organism is the biosphere’s basic unit. Populations are formed by organisms, while communities are formed by several populations. The ecosystem is the next higher level after the community. Ecology is the study of the interactions between living and nonliving entities.
Furthermore, the term “environment” is derived from the French word “environ,” which means “surrounding.” As a result, the environment can be described as all of the living and nonliving entities that surround us and are responsible for sustaining the life that exists on Earth. All species, plants, humans, and natural resources such as water, soil, and physical interactions contribute to our environment.
What is the Environment?
The external circumstances, resources, stimuli, and so on with which an organism interacts are referred to as the environment. It may also refer to all of the biotic and abiotic factors that surround and impact the survival and development of an organism or population. It can also be described as the entirety of the surrounding conditions and elements in an individual. However, a basic ecological definition would be that an environment is a place where organisms reside or that is inhabited by a living thing throughout a specific period. It comprises all of the ecosystem’s physicochemical and biological components.
What is an Ecosystem?
“An ecosystem is described as a structural and functional unit of the biosphere in which biotic and abiotic components interact with themselves and with each other via the food chain, food web, or chemical cycles, among other things.”
Tansley invented the word ecosystem in 1935. To live, organisms must rely on one another. Living creatures are extremely dependent on their surroundings. All living creatures, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, rely on non-living components to exist and preserve natural equilibrium. This relationship between live species and nonliving components is dealt with by the ecosystem. As a result, we may say that the ecosystem is nature’s structural and functional unit.
Types of Ecosystem
Ecosystems are classified into numerous types based on a variety of factors.
Region-based Ecosystem Classification
- Terrestrial Ecosystem– A terrestrial ecosystem is an ecosystem that exists on land. Ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundras are examples.
- Aquatic Ecosystem– An aquatic ecology is an ecosystem that thrives in water. Freshwater and marine water ecosystems are two examples.
Classification of ecosystems based on the formation
- Natural Ecosystem – It refers to an ecosystem that arises naturally and can sustain its life without the involvement of humans. Pond ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, and so forth.
- Artificial Environment – It refers to an ecosystem created by people that mimics the natural one. An aquarium is a good example of a man-made ecosystem. Others include gardens, orchards, and so forth.
Ecosystem classification based on size
- Micro Ecosystem – This term refers to very tiny ecosystems, such as pond ecosystems or communities living under a rock.
- Meso Ecosystem — This term refers to medium-sized ecosystems such as huge lakes.
- Macro Ecosystem – This term refers to an ecosystem that is as huge as the whole rainforest.
Ecosystem and Environment Components
The various components of the Ecosystem and Environment are listed below.
a) Biotic Components:
Biotic components contain all living organisms on Earth and support the environment in balancing the life cycle. The following are the major biotic components that balance the Earth’s life cycle and food chain:
- Producers: Producers are all plants and sources that create food through the photosynthesis process.
- Consumers: There are two types of consumers: herbivorous and carnivorous. Herbivores are directly dependent on producers, whereas carnivores rely on herbivores.
- Decomposers: As they synthesis dead animals, decomposers play an important part in the whole life cycle and food chain on Earth.
b) Abiotic Components:
Abiotic Components are non-living aspects of an environment that affect the connected living entities. The phrase ‘Abiotic’ is made up of two words: ‘A’ for ‘without’ and ‘bio’ for ‘life.’ These are the non-living ecological factors that have a significant influence on the diversity and richness of life in an ecosystem. Some of the most important abiotic components include soil, water, air, sunlight, and temperature.
How to maintain environment and ecosystem balance
- Carefully manage natural resources: As society expands, the ecology bears an increasing load. Minerals, fossil fuels, and other natural resources are rapidly depleting. A concentrated effort to utilise natural resources sustainably will aid in the protection and preservation of ecological equilibrium.
- Control the Population: Predators in nature keep species from overpopulating. Unfortunately, humans lack natural predators to keep the population under check. Controlling the birth rate through contraception and family planning would ease the burden on the ecosystem by slowing the rate at which humans utilise natural resources.
- Protect the Water: Water pollution from sewage, as well as pollution from industry and agricultural runoff, endangers the equilibrium of marine ecosystems. Taking actions to decrease or remove pollution from nonpoint sources, such as streets and farms, will aid in the preservation of the ecological balance.
Conclusion
The external circumstances, resources, stimuli, and so on with which an organism interacts are referred to as the environment. It may also refer to all of the biotic and abiotic factors that surround and impact the survival and development of an organism or population. “An ecosystem is described as a structural and functional unit of the biosphere in which biotic and abiotic components interact with themselves and with each other via the food chain, food web, or chemical cycles, among other things”. Biotic components contain all living organisms on Earth and support the environment in balancing the life cycle. The phrase ‘Abiotic’ is made up of two words: ‘A’ for ‘without’ and ‘bio’ for ‘life.’ These are the non-living ecological factors that have a significant influence on the diversity and richness of life in an ecosystem.