How Many Types of Ecosystems are There

Introduction

An ecosystem in ecology is a structural and functional unit where living organisms coexist and interact with one another. A sequence of interactions between animals and their environment make up an ecosystem. An English botanist named A.G. Tansley first used the word "Ecosystem" in 1935. Further in this article we will learn more about ecosystems and their classifications.

Organization of The Ecosystem

Ecosystem is made up of biotic and abiotic elements in an arranged manner. This section discusses the distribution of energy in our environment. It also considers the climate that exists in that particular environment.

An ecosystem's structure can be divided into two primary parts, namely:

• Biotic Elements

• Abiotic Substances

The biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem are interdependent. It is an open system in which elements and energy may pass across barriers without restriction.

Types of Ecosystems

An ecosystem can range in size from a little oasis in a desert to an ocean covering hundreds of kilometres. Types of ecosystems are as follows:

• Terrestrial Ecosystem

• Aquatic Ecosystem

Terrestrial Ecosystem

Ecosystems that are only found on land are called terrestrial ecosystems. Terrestrial ecosystems come in varieties and are found throughout different geological zones. These are as follows:

1. Forest Ecosystem

2. Grassland Ecosystem

3. Tundra Ecosystem

4. Desert Ecosystem

1. Forest Ecosystem

A forest ecosystem is made up of a variety of plants, especially trees, animals, and microbes that coexist with the environment's abiotic elements. Forests are the primary factor of carbon sink in regulating the earth's temperature.

2. Grassland Ecosystem

Grass and herbs make up the majority of the vegetation in a grassland habitat. Examples of grassland ecosystems include tropical grasslands, savanna grasslands, and temperate grasslands.

3. Tundra Ecosystem

There are no trees in tundra habitats, they are located in areas with frigid temperatures or areas with little rainfall. They spend most of the year buried in snow. Arctic regions or mountain summits have tundra-like ecosystems.

4. Desert Ecosystem

Deserts can be found in every continent. These are arid areas with scanty amounts of flora. The nights are chilly and the days are scorching.

Aquatic Ecosystem

The ecosystem which is present in water bodies is termed as aquatic ecosystem. These can further be separated into two categories:

• Freshwater ecosystem

• Marine ecosystem

Freshwater Ecosystem

An aquatic environment known as the freshwater ecosystem consists of wetlands, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. In contrast to marine ecosystems, they contain no salt.

Marine Ecosystem

The oceans and seas are part of the marine ecosystem. Compared to the freshwater habitat, they have a higher salinity and more biodiversity.

Functions of an Ecosystem

The ecosystem serves the following purposes:

• It upholds stability, sustains living things, and regulates essential ecological processes.

• It also controls the transport of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components.

• It maintains homeostasis among the different trophic levels of the environment.

• The minerals are circulated throughout the ecosystem.

• The abiotic elements help the synthesis of organic components, which includes the exchange of energy.

Consequently, the functional elements or ecosystem's functional units are as follows:

Productivity: It is the rate of biomass production.

Energy flow: It is the method through which energy moves systematically from one trophic level to another. The sun's energy passes from solar energy producers to solar energy consumers to decomposers and ultimately back to the environment.

Decomposition: It is the process through which dead organic matter is broken down. The topsoil is where most degradation occurs.

Nutrient cycling: In an ecosystem, nutrients are used by one creature and then recycled in a variety of ways by another.

Conclusion

In this article we have read about ecosystems, their types and their functions through which we can conclude that Ecosystems can be quite big with hundreds of creatures and plants living in harmony, or they can be very tiny. Ecosystems in severe environments, such as the North and South Poles, are simpler in structure and contain fewer inhabitants. The ecosystems consist of all the elements such as plants, animals, bacteria, and numerous other living things that coexist with non-living elements such as soil, land, water, air, and other natural elements. When studying ecology, we begin by learning about the ecosystem, which is concerned with the interactions between creatures and how energy is transferred between them. We also study food webs and food chains.

Depending on the biotic and abiotic elements present in the system, ecosystems can be tiny or huge. While tropical climate ecosystems will generally have a greater quantity of flora and fauna, severe climate ecosystems are often smaller since there are fewer species and abiotic components. We must keep in mind that the biosphere is made up of all kinds of ecosystems.