Structure or Components of an Ecosystem

Introduction− What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem consists of both living or biotic and non−living or abiotic beings. The biotic and abiotic factors remain in constant communication with and are dependent upon each other for survival. It has been observed that living beings interact with the environment in which they exist. The living beings and their environment create an ecosystem. It contains both biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors are the living beings while the nonliving beings are called abiotic factors.

Image 1: Types of Ecosystem

There are various types of ecosystems in the world in terms of size. The pond, for example, is a small ecosystem while the biosphere of earth can be considered the biggest ecosystem. Living and non−living beings influence the ecosystem in which they exist. Therefore, both living and non−living beings are important components of the ecosystem.

Ecology or environmental biology studies the complex relationship between living beings and their environment. It has a wide−ranging scope and covers topics like climate change, global warming, pollution, and plant and animal extinction. It must be noted that the study of components of an ecosystem is also a part of environmental biology.

Components of an Ecosystem

Image 2: Detailed analysis of the components of an ecosystem

There are two main components of an ecosystem. These are the biotic component and the abiotic component. These are further divided into various categories. Let us discuss these two components of an ecosystem in detail. The notable point here is that the biotic and abiotic components communicate constantly in the ecosystem of their existence.

Biotic components

The biotic component consists of the living beings in an ecosystem. Biotic components, therefore, include the microorganisms like bacteria to big plants and animals like the giant blue whale.

The biotic factors can be divided into three categories depending on their nature and function in an ecosystem.

These three categories are producers, consumers, and decomposers.

• Producers − are living beings that can produce their own food. These producers do not need to depend on other living beings for food to exist in an ecosystem. Most of the producers are plants but the small form of green organisms such as algae are also part of the producer category. Producers have a unique organ in their body known as chlorophyll that helps them to produce food with the help of oxygen, water, and sunlight. The other biotic components do not contain this special organ called chlorophyll which is why they cannot produce their own food. Producers are very important biotic components because they are the ones that not only produce food for themselves but also provide it to consumers, and to some decomposers.

• Consumers − are living beings that consume the producers or other living beings. Consumers are of three types: herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Herbivores eat green plants, carnivores eat living animals and omnivores eat both plants and animals. Examples of herbivores include goats, carnivores including tigers and omnivores include human beings who eat both plants and meat of other animals as well as fish. As mentioned above consumers depend directly or indirectly on producers for their food. Herbivores directly consume producers like plants while carnivores depend on producers indirectly because they eat herbivores that depend on producers like green plants.

• Decomposers − as the name suggests, decompose the dead animals and return the nutrients of the dead bodies to the soil. Decomposers include fungi and bacteria which are also known as saprophytes. Decomposers are also very important biotic components because they not only complete the food cycle but also return the nutrients to the soil that can be again used by producers to prepare the food for the entire cycle. Decomposers usually convert dead animals into nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is a nutrient for producers while carbon dioxide is used by plants to produce their own food.

As it has been observed, producers, consumers, and decomposers form a cycle of movement of nutrients. The producers produce it and it passes on to consumers when the latter eat the producers. The nutrients are then passed on to decomposers when they eat the dead bodies and then pass the nutrients into the soil again.

Abiotic components

Abiotic components include non−living things, such as chemicals and natural resources that help loving organisms by providing nutrients and energy. The Sun is a major source of energy and sunlight is one of the major abiotic components of the biosphere. As mentioned previously, biotic components use sunlight to produce their food which is the source of nutrition for many other biotic components (consumers).

Abiotic factors, unlike biotic ones, may vary from one ecosystem to another. For example, in the aquatic environment, the abiotic factors may include water pH, water depth, sunlight, turbidity, salinity, available nutrients, and dissolved oxygen. In a terrestrial ecosystem, abiotic factors may include soil, temperature, soil types, rain, altitude, wind, nutrients, sunlight, etc.

Abiotic components of the environment remain in constant interaction with the biotic components. For example, green plants use abiotic components like nitrogen to sustain while sunlight and carbon dioxide is used to produce food by plants. Therefore, the biotic and abiotic components remain in constant communication to keep the balance in an ecosystem. The absence of one component may lead to an imbalance and may lead to the eradication of another component.

As the biotic and abiotic factors remain in perfect balance, when one component or part of one component is removed, the entire ecosystem is affected. For example, the extinction of species has a negative impact on the ecosystem in which they used to exist. Therefore, it is a necessity for nature to have both biotic and abiotic factors in a perfectly balanced status.

The balance is important for another reason. The reason is the food chain that consists of a cycle that is dependent on both biotic and abiotic factors. The removal of one component affects the entire food chain. For example, if producers’ amount is decreased, it affects the consumers who depend on producers for their food and nutrients to live a healthy life. The number of consumers will therefore decrease if the number of producers goes down. This is the ultimate truth about nutrient cycles that impacts both living and non−living components of an ecosystem.

Conclusion

It is important to learn about the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem to properly understand the world of living beings. This is important because human beings are also part of the ecosystems in which they exist. As human beings are at the helm of affairs it is their duty to maintain a balance in the ecosystem. Otherwise, their own existence may be threatened.

Frequently Asked Questions

Qns 1. What is an ecosystem? What is meant by the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem?

Ans. It has been observed that living beings interact with the environment in which they exist. The living beings and their environment create an ecosystem. It contains both biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors are the living beings while the nonliving beings are called abiotic factors.

Qns 2. What are the different types of consumers?

Ans. Consumers are living beings that consume the producers or other living beings. Consumers are of three types − herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Herbivores eat green plants, carnivores eat living animals and omnivores eat both plants and animals. Examples of herbivores include goats, carnivores including tigers and omnivores include human beings who eat both plants and meat of other animals as well as fish.

Qns 3. Which type of component is Nitrogen that is produced by decomposers?

Ans. The nitrogen produced by decomposers is an abiotic component.