Kingdom of life

Ecosystem - Basic functional unit of ecosystem

- 6 components -6 process
- Inorganic substance - Energy circuit
- Organic substance - Food Chain
- Climate regime - Diversity Pattern in Space
- Producers - Nutrient Cycle
- Macroconsumers (Phagotrophs) - Development and evolution
- Microconsumers (Saprotrophs) - Control (Cybernatics)

Characterized as structure Characterized as Function

The ultimate goal of study at any level of biological organization is to introduce

the interrelationship between structure and function of ecosystem

- At operational level abiotic components limits and control the biotic components
- High availability of food attracts more birds
- Animal diversity is more in nutrient rich layer of any
ecosystem

- In natural fabric it is hard to delineate abiotic and biotic components. Hence

classification of ecosystem on functional basis do not make sharp distinction
between abiotic and biotic components.

- Most of the vital elements such as C, H, N, O, P, S etc. and organic material such
as charbohydrate, protein, lipids, humic substances are present in both living and
nonliving.
- They are in constant state of flux
- However some substances are unique to one state or other
 Eg. ATP (Adinosine triphosphate) is found only inside living cell. (present
outside only in transitory phase)
Humic substances a product of decomposition and resistant in nature -
never found inside living cell but are important for survival of the
ecosystem.

DNA Genetic material and Chlorophyll both are present in both inside
living cell and outside living cell. But they are nonfunctional outside living cell.

The quantitative measurement of ATP, HUMUS and Chlorophyll on an area or

volume basis provides indices of biomass, decomposition and production,
respectively.

The 3 living / biotic component of ecosystem leads to the formation of 3

functional kingdom of nature.
This classification is on the basis of types of nutrition and energy sources used.
Producers(autotrophs), macroconsumers (phagotrophs) and Microconsumers
(saprotrophs/ osmotrophs).

Whittaker (1969) proposed to join the ecological evolution into the natural
clasification

In
Monera prokaryote (False nucleus)
Protista Eukaryote (True Nucleus)

All three types of nutrition is found.

Small in size
High rate of metabolism
They were studied biochemically than direct method
Plantae
Fungi
Animalia

Specialized as producers, Decomposers and digester, respectively.

But classification is not absolute. Some organism take intermediate positions

These three are

Large living beings

Morphologically adapt to
Food seeking
Well developed neuro-sensory motors
Digestive respiration
Circulatory system

Monera bacteria, blue green algae or cynobacteria

Protista protozoa, amoeba, sporozoa, ciliophora, sarcodina
Plantae thallophyta (algae),
Bryophyta (fungi),
pteridophyta, (circulatory system develops here)
gymnosperm, (non flwering plant)
Angiosperm (flowering plant)
Animalia Sponges
Cnideria tissue grade
Platyhelminthis
Ashelmenthis
Anelida
Arthropoda
Mollusca
Echinodermata
Pices
Amphibia
Reptilia Birds mammals
Ecological pyramids

Trophic structure is one of producer consumer arrangement develop due to space

and time variations in production and consumption

Trophic level means food levels. The amount of food / living material available
in any trophic level is called as crop.

Pyramids is the representation of trophic levels in any ecosystem

Pyramids of number -
Pyramid of biomass-
Pyramids of energy-