Tag: ecology and ecosystem

Interaction of biotic and abiotic components result in a physical structure, that is characteristic of each type of ecosystem. Components of ecosystem function as one single unit. Four important functional aspects of the ecosystem are (i) Productivity, (ii) Decomposition, (iii) Energy flow and (iv) Nutrient cycling. Ecological pyramids are a graphical representation of a number, biomass, and energy flow in an ecosystem.

An ecosystem can be natural (like a forest or pond) or man-made (like an aquarium or crop field). They can also vary in duration, from temporary to permanent.

Environment is living things and what is around them. It includes physical, chemical and other natural forces. Living things do not simply exist in their environment. They constantly interact with it. Organisms change in response to conditions in their environment. In the environment, there are interactions between plants, animals, soil, water, temperature, light and other living and non-living things. 

An ecosystem is made up of two components-  biotic and abiotic. It includes the interaction of the living things which are the biotic components in a given area with the non-living environment which are the abiotic factors such as weather, earth, sun, soil, climate and atmosphere. Thus the correct answer is option B.

The word ecosystem was coined by Tansley a British botanist in 1935. Tansley defined ecosystem as a system resulting from the interaction between biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Biotic components include all living components and abiotic components include all physical factors such as weather, atmosphere, soil, etc. present in the surrounding. Hence the prefix 'eco' means environment.

Biosphere is biologically inhabited part of earth along with its physical environment consisting of lower atmosphere, land and water bodies.

Rice-field (an agricultural field) is considered to be an artificial ecosystem. It is because of the following: It is man-made ecosystem and has all the components of the ecosystem. Abiotic factors which include air, water, soil etc. Biotic factors which include all the living organisms like plants, animals and microbes. It also comprises phenomena such as the flow of energy,  food chains, food webs etc. Hence, option A is correct.

An ecosystem is a segment of biosphere consisting of a community of living beings and the abiotic or physical environment interacting and exchanging materials between them. The interactions ultimately result in trapping of energy and production of biomass in an ecosystem. Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

As per thermodynamics, a system can be open or closed. An ecosystem is an open system because an open system is a system in which energy and nutrients are exchanged between the physical environment and living organisms. In a closed ecosystem, the waste product of an organism is used by the other organism, like decomposers. Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

An ecosystem is a community of  organisms living and interacting with the non-living components of the environment within a system. It is made up of 2 types of components viz., biotic and abiotic. Ecosystem represents the relation between  biotic and physical componenets.