EXCEL ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(Autonomous)
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
II Year/1 Semester
20MC201-ENVORONMENTAL SCIENCE
Common to ECE, CSE, EEE, BME, Al&DS, IT, CSBS
Regulations 2020

Answer key
UNIT-1Ecosystem)

PART AA

1. Define an ecosystem.

An ecosystem is a functional unit of nature encompassing complex interaction between

its biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components. For example- a pond is a good

example of ecosystem.

2. Classify the ecosystem.

1. Terrestrial ecosystem 2. Aquatic ecosystem

3. Give any two examples for terrestrial ecosystem.

Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems.

Example: 1. Forest ecosystem 2. Desert ecosystem

4. Name any two types of aquatic ecosystem.

Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems present in a body of water

Example: 1. Freshwater ecosystem 2. Marine ecosystem

5. Point out various biotie and abiotic components.

within ecosystem; such as plants, animals, and

Biotic factors are living things an

such as water, soil and

bacteria, while abiotic arc non-living components;

atmosphere.
6. Enumerate autotrophs with two examples.
Autotrophs use inorganic material to produce food through either a process known
as photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Examples: algae, plankton and bacteria,

7. Classify heterotrophs into various types.

There are four different types of heterotrophs which include herbivores, carnivores,

omnivores and decomposers.

8. Mention any two functions of an

ecosystem.
It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders

stability. It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and
abiotic components.

9. Construct a
sequence for food chain in
a
pond ecosystem.
a

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy
pass as one organism eats another.

10. Distinguish between food chain and food web.

A food chain is basic network that shows the linear flow of nutrients and
a
energy
from one tropic level to another. A food web is a multitude of food chains that are

interconnected at many tropic levels.

11. Draw a neat sketch for ecological energy pyramid.
An ecological pyramid is a graphical
representation showing the relationship
between different organisms in an ecosystem.
12. Brief the types of ecological pyramids.
2. Pyramia
nree types ofecological pyramids include: 1. Pyramid of Number
of energy 3. Pyramid of Biomass.
13. State forest ecosystem.
of soil, trees,
functional unit or a system which comprises
A 1orest ecosystem is a

insects, animals, birds, and man as its interacting units.

14. Give a short note on marine ecosystem.

exist in waters
ecosystems and
Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic
contrast with freshwater ecosystems,
that have a high salt content. These systems
which have a lower salt content.

15. Define a pond ecosystem.

animals and micro-
lake ecosystem includes biotic (living) plants,
A pond or
chemical interactions.
organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and
characteristics of forest ecosystem.
16. List any two

The forest maintains climate

and rainfall.

and support biodiversity.

The forest support many wild animal

17. Categorize the ecosystems.

3.Grassland ecosystem 4. Pond ecosystem
1. Forest ecosystem 2.Desert ecosystem

18. Evaluate themeaning of producers and give examples.

food from simple inorganic substances such as
Organisms that produce their own
water and carbon dioxide are
called producers. Examples are green plants and

blue-green algae.
19. Interpret the term consumers and give examples.
called consumers.
Organisms that consume the food prepared by producers
are

Examples are cows and human bengs.

20. Construet a food web for forest ecosystem.
A food web consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem. Each living thing

in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains.

PART B

1. Describe the structure and

components of forest ecosystem.
A forest ecosystem is a functional unit or a system which comprises of soil, trees,

insects, animals, birds, and man as its interacting units.

Structural Features of the Forest Ecosystem

The two main structural features of a forest
ecosystem are:

.Species composition: It refers to the identification and enumeration of the

plant and animal species of a forest ecosystem.

2. Stratification: It refers to the vertical distribution of different species which

occupy diflerent levels in the forest ecosystem. Every organism occupies a

place in an ecosystem on the basis of source of nutrition. For example, in a
forest ecosystem, trees occupy the top level, shrubs occupy the second and
the herbs and grasses occupy the bottom level.

Components of a Forest Ecosystem

1. Productivity

The basic requirement for any ecosystem to function and sustain is the constant input
of solar energy. Plants are also the producers in a forest ecosystem
2. Decomposition

o S I u o n is an extremely oxygen-requiring process. In the process f

into
uccomposition, decomposers convert the complex organic compounds of detritus
inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and nutrients.

3. Energy flow

solar energy and then,

Energy lows in a single direction. Firstly, plants capture
connected
transfer the food to decomposers. Organisms
of different trophic levels are
a food chain.
to each other for food or energy relationship and thus form

4. Nutrient Cycling
of nutrient elements through the
Nutrient cycling refers to the storage and movement

There are two types of Nutrient cycling,

various components of the ecosystem.

gaseous and sedimentary.

consumers and decomposers in an ecosystem.

2. Discuss the roll of producers,

Biotic Components

living components in an ecosystem. Based on

Biotic components refer to all

nutrition, biotic components can be categorised into autotrophs, heterotrophs

and saprotrophs (or decomposers).

are called autotrophs

Producers include all autotrophs such plants. They
as

the process of photosynthesis.

as they can produce food through
on the food chain rely on
Consequently, all other organisms higher up
producers for food.
 ConsumcTs or
heterotrophsorganismns that depend on other organisms
are
for food.
Consunmers are further classified into
primary consumers,
secondary consunmers and tertiary consumers.
Pmmary consumers are
always herbivores as they rely on
producers
for food.

Secondarn consumers
depend on primary consumers for energy. They
can either be carnivores or omnivores.
Tertiary consumers are
organisms that depend on secondary
consumers for food.
Tertiary consumers can also be carnivores or
omnivores.

Quaternary consumers are present in some

food chains. These
organisms prey on tertiary consumers for
energy. Furthermore, they
are
usually at the top of a food chain as
they have no natural
predators.
Decomposers include saprophytes such as
fungi and bacteria.
thrive on the dead and They directly
decaying organic matter.
for the ecosystem as Decomposers are essential
they help in recycling nutrients to be
reused by plants.
3.
Categorize the types of
ecological pyramids and explain the
An concepts.
ecological pyramid is the graphical
representation of the number, energy, and
biomass of the successive
trophic levels of an
ecosystem. Charles Elton
first was the
ecologist to describe the ecological pyramid and its
principals in 1927.
The biomass, number, and
energy of organisms ranging from the
the consumer level are producer level to
represented in the form of a pyramid; hence, it
is known
the ecological pyramid. as
 Types of pyramids:
The
ecological pyramids are of three
1. categories
Pyramid of numbers.
2.
Pyramid of biomass.
3.
Pyramid of energy or
1.
Pyramid of numbers: productivity.

Pyramid of numbers
represents the
total number of
population of trophic level as the
individuals of different species present at each trophic
level.

Pyramid of numbers may be upright and or

completely inverted
depending upon count of individual present and so.
The pyramid of number does not
completely define the trophic
structure for an
ecosystem as it is very tough to count all the
organisms present there.
2. Pyramid of biomass

Pyramidof biomass represents the total dry weight of organisms.

I t is usually determined by collecting all organisms inavding each
trophic level separately and measuring their dry weight.
This will serve to solve the size difference problem because all kinds
of organisms at a trophic level are weighed.
The biomass of a species is expressed in terms of fresh or dry weight.
3. Pyramid of energy:
The primary producers like the autotrophs contain more amount of
 energy available.
The least
energy is available in the tertiary consumers.
Thus, shorter food chain has more anmount of energy available even at

the highest trophic level.

An energy pyramid is regarded most suitable to compare the
functional roles of the trophic levels in an
ecosystem.

4. Explain the concepts of Pond

ecosystem with neat sketch.
A pond or lake ecosystem includes
biotic
(living) plants, animals and micro-
organisms, as well as
abiotic
(nonliving) physical and chemical interactions. A
pond is a type of aquatic ecosystem.

ksapiankitns
Phytopianktons 4lerbiveres
(Producefs) Prinary cinsamcrs
Ruoied vezetaton
Producers)
Muskera arm:varesi Secundary consurtes
Secondary carmiveres}
Tertiary consurrers

Basic inorganic and

Sedrenl

Bacteria and fungi

(Herbivores}
priTary ensLtiers
 Following components are found in pond ecosystem.
a

Abiotic Components of the Pond Ecosystem

ADIotiC components are the non-living components of an ecosystem that matter

TOr the aquatic species' survival. There are the following main abiotic

Components of a pond ecosystem:

.Light: Light serves as a main abiotic component required for the photosynthetic
activities of the phytoplankton. The littoral zone has the maximum light
penetration, whereas the profound zone has the least light penctration.
2. Temperature: As the depth of the pond increases, the temperature of the water

gradually decreases due to the gradual decrease in the light penetration.

3. Dissolved oxygen: The amount of dissolved oxygen is maximum in the shallow
water and gradually decreases while moving from the surface to the depth of the

pond.

Biotic Components of the Pond Ecosystem

Biotic components are living components. A wide variety of living components

are found in the pond ecosystem can be discussed as follows:

1. Producers: These include species of rooted, submerged, emerged, floating plants

and algae.
2. Primary consumers: A large population of zooplanktons is the main primary
consumers. Besides these, small herbivores such as snails, insects, small fishes,

and larvae of aquatic animals are the primary consumers often found in
tadpoles,
the pond.
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iale k, ba, ete he cones of the ighest under tnight
ee
as lih wate ahtewu, waler volCN, heroms, ducks,
kingishers, clC.
DecooneTs Thua i ule
diflerel tvpes of bacteia ind fung thal feel upoi
lend and
derayin a ol he nquntie
peCie
S.amine the strwte and funetioN of
Web. ecowystem ol Fond chain aned Fo040

Tanster ol food enwigy

lhonmgreen plants (producern)
epeatedealmg and
1hrough a series of orgatnstns willh
being eaten is calleda fond chain,
e.g.
GNNeN
iusloppor Frog Snake ->
ach step
Ilawk/lagle
m tlhe looud ehain is called tropic level. In the
and eagle ieprenentn lhe 5 above eXample gras8Cs are
Iopie lovel.
During thus process l transfer
of energy sonie energy is lost into the
nd is not available system as heat energy
to the next tropic level.
chan to 4or 5.
1lherefore, the number of steps is linited in a
Following tropie levels can be identilied in a
food chain
1.1Ierbivores: The ammale wlich eat the
plants directly are called primary consumers
herbivores eg. insectN, birds, rolents or
and ruminants.
2 Camivores: They are
necondary consumers if they fccd on herbivorcs and tertiary
consumers il they use Canivorcs as their food. c.g. frog, dog, cat and
3
Omnivores: Aninals that eat both tiger.
plant and animals c.g. pig, bear and man
4
Decomposers: They tuke eme of the dead remains
of organisms at cach trophic level and
help in recyeling of the nutricnts c.g. bacteria and
fungi.
Food Web:

Several interconnected food chains form a food web. A food web is similar to a

food chain but the food web is comparatively larger than a food chaim.

it consumes
Occasionally, a single organism is consumed by many predators or

several other organisms. Due to this, many trophic levels get interconnected.

food
The food chain fails to showcase the flow of energy in the right way. But, the

it displays the
web is able to show the proper representation of energy flow, as

interactions between different organisms.

When there are more cross interactions between different food chains, the food
food web leads to a more sustainable
web gets more complex. This complexity in a
ecosystem
6. Describe the structure and functions of aquatic ecosystem.

Structure of the aquatic ecosystem

The aquatic ecosystem definition states it is a water-based environment,
features
wherein, living organisms interact with both physical and chemical
of the environment.

An aquatic ecosystem includes freshwater habitats like lakes, ponds, rivers,

oceans and streams, wetlands, swamp, etc. and marine habitats include

oceans, intertidal zone, reefs, and seabed and so on.

.The aquatic ecosystem is the habitat for water-dependent living species

including animals, plants, and microbes.

These living creatures whose food, shelter, reproduction, and other essential
activities depend on a water-based environment are known as aquatic

organisms.
Marine Water Ecosystem
T h i s particular ecosystem is the largest aquatic ecosystem and covers over

70% of the earth's total surface.

This ecosystem is relatively more concentrated in terms ofsalinity.

Nonetheless, the body of aquatic organisms is well-adjusted to salin

and they may find it challenging to survive in freshwater.

Freshwater Ecosystem
h i s aquatic ecosystem covers less than 1% of the earth's surface and is

broadly divided into wetlands,

-

lentic and lotic ecosystems.

Functions of Aquatic
Ecosystemn
These pointers highlight the importance of aquatic ecosystem

Facilitates recycling of nutrients

Helps to purify water

Recharges groundwater
I s a habitat for aquatic flora and flora

Mitigates flood.

abjet mcharge 1al

Course Coordindtor
HOD I n 1 n

IQAC

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