1 Summary New Environment Class 03 ## BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (5:12 P.M.) ## FUNCTIONS IN ECOSYSTEM (5:24 P.M.) - **Biotic interaction** - ==Types of Organisms in Ecosystem== - (a) ==Producers== - These are capable of photosynthesis. - For example, plants and phytoplankton. - (b) ==Herbivores== - These are plant-eating organisms. - For example, Cow, goat, etc. - (c) ==Carnivores== - They feed on herbivores. - For example, lion, wolf, etc. - (d) ==Detrivores/Scavengers== - They feed on dead matter. - For example, Hyena, Vultures, etc. - (e) ==Nectarivores== - They feed on nectar. - For example, Hummingbird, Sunbird, etc. - (f) ==Frugivores== - They eat fruits. - For example, Parrots, Parakeets, Great Hornbill, Monkeys, etc. - (g) ==Gramivores== - They feed mainly on grass. - For example, Sparrow, Munia, Bluethroat birds, Deers, Horses, Cows, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Indian Bison, etc. - ==Types of Organisms Based on Roles== - (a) ==Flagship species== - Species selected to act as an ambassador, icon, or symbol for the defined habitat, issue, or campaign. - They are relatively large and charismatic. - For example, the Tiger, the Great Indian Bustard (Heaviest Flying Bird), etc. - (\*Note: Sarus Crane is the tallest flying bird.) - (b) ==Keystone Species== - It is a species that plays an essential role in the functioning or structure of the ecosystem. Its disappearance may cause significant change. - They have a disproportionately large impact on the ecosystem, compared to their abundance. - For example, Wolves in Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone National Park is the first national park in the world.), Honey Bees, Top Predators, Elephants, etc. - Elephants are called ecosystem engineers. - (c) ==Indicator Species== - They indicate certain processes in the ecosystem. - They are used to assess the environmental condition or the quality of an ecosystem. - For example, Lichens indicate air pollution, River Dolphins indicate water pollution, Corals indicate sedimentation, Blackbucks indicate the health of grassland, Himalayan Monal indicates the health of the Himalayan ecosystem, etc. - (d) ==Umbrella Species== - These are the dominant species in the ecosystem and are representatives of that ecosystem. - By protecting the umbrella species, all other species can be easily protected. - For example, Corals, Kelps, and top predators. - **Ecosystem Services (6:05 P.M.)** - four types of services are provided by the ecosystem: - (a) ==Provisioning Services== - The "products" are obtained from the ecosystem. - For example, Foods, Fibers, Ornamentals, Minerals, etc. - (b) ==Regulating Services== - The benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes. - For example, Climate Regulation, Flood Prevention, etc. - (c) ==Cultural Services== - These refer to the non-material services obtained from the ecosystem. - For example, Educational, recreational, etc. - (d) ==Supporting Services== - These services are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services. - For example, Biodiversity, Nutrient Cycle, etc. ## BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES (6:11 P.M.) - The flow of different chemical elements and compounds between different organisms and the physical environment is called as Biogeochemical Cycle. - These are classified into the gaseous cycles and sedimentary cycles. - (a) ==Gaseous Cycle== - In this, the reservoir pool is the atmosphere. - For example, Carbon Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle, Water Cycle, and Oxygen Cycle. - (b) ==Sedimentary Cycle== - The reservoir pool is in the Earth's crust or lithosphere. - For example, the Sulphur Cycle and Phosphorous Cycle. ## WATER CYCLE (6:21 P.M.) - The water vapour converts into water through the process of condensation. - This water accumulates around the hygroscopic particles, leading to cloud formation. - The precipitation would lead to the falling of the water on the surface. - When water vapour condenses on the ground, it may result in different condensation forms like fog, mist, dew, and frost. - The water converts into water vapour by absorbing the heat. This process is called evaporation. - ![](https://teachengineering.org/content/images/SquareImages/cub_water_cycle_unit_image.jpg) ## CARBON CYCLE (6:30 P.M.) - The carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere enters the plants through the process of **photosynthesis**. - The equation of photosynthesis is 6CO2+ 6H2O+ Sunlight -> C6H12O6+ 6O2. - The plants store it in the form of carbohydrates. - The consumers consume the plants, there by it goes into the consumers. - The consumers give out carbon dioxide by the process of respiration. - The plants also perform the respiration to release the carbon dioxide. - Plants and consumers after their death convert into the soil organic matter. - This soil organic matter decomposes to release the carbon into the atmosphere. - Some soil organic matter will convert into fossil fuel. - This fossil fuel on combustion will release the carbon into the atmosphere. - The oceans are capable of absorbing the carbon dioxide. They release it back, once they get saturated. - ![](https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/gallery/metofficegovuk/images/weather/learn-about/climate/carbon-cycle-diagram-v2-02.png) ## OXYGEN CYCLE - Plants convert the atmospheric carbon dioxide into the atmospheric oxygen. - This is taken by the plants and animals which convert it into carbon dioxide (Respiration Process). - Also, the oxides release the oxygen into the atmosphere. ## NITROGEN CYCLE (7:06 P.M.) - Nitrogen is present abundantly in the atmosphere. - The conversion of nitrogen into ammonia is called **Nitrogen Fixation**. - Nitrogen Fixation is carried out by free-living bacteria in the soil. For example, Azatobacter and Clostridium. - Nitrogen Fixation is carried out by the symbiotic microbes as well. For example, Rhizobium and Blue Green Algae (Anabena and Spirulena). - Nitrogen Fixation happens naturally during the lightening as well. - It can be carried out by industrial processes as well. - Ammonia is converted into Nitrite and Nitrate through the process of **Nitrification**. - Nitrosomonas converts the ammonia into nitrites. - Nitrobacter converts the nitrite into nitrates. - The nitrate is converted into ammonia through the process of **Ammonification**. - Nitrate is converted into nitrogen through the process of **Denitrification**. - Pseudomonas converts the nitrites and nitrates into the nitrogen. - ![](https://www.onlinebiologynotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/nitrogen-cycle.jpg) - Fossil fuels also contain some nitrogen compounds. On combustion, the oxides of the nitrogen reach the atmosphere. - This further comes down with rain in the form of nitric acid. ## PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE (7:28 P.M.) - The phosphorous is stored in the rocks. - The phosphorous is released into the soil through the processes of weathering, erosion, etc. - In the soil, the phosphorous is present in the form of phosphates. - The plants take this phosphate through the process of assimilation. - Through consumption, it travels higher in the food cycle. - From the consumers, it reaches the soil through the process of excretion and decomposition. - Rain, rivers, and other such agents take away the phosphorous from the soil and deposit it into the basin. - Through the process of lithification, it again gets stored in the rocks. ## SULPHUR CYCLE - There is an interaction with the atmosphere, but the reservoir is in the lithosphere. - It is stored in the form of organic and inorganic forms. - In the organic form,  it is stored in the form of coal, petroleum, and peat. - In the inorganic form, it is stored in the form of sulfates and sulfides. - ![](https://microbenotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Sulfur-Cycle.jpg) ## TIGERS (7:40 P.M.) - The various statuses are Not Evaluated, Data Insufficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in Wild, and Extinct. - Big cats in India are Lion, Tiger, Cheetah, Snow Leopard, and Leopard. - Jaguar and Puma are not present in India. - The IUCN status of the tiger is endangered. - Tiger is in Appendix 1 of the CITES. - There are several subspecies of tiger, - It is present in 13 countries, where it is found in the wild. These countries are called Tiger-Range countries. - India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and Russia are such countries. - India hosts 70% of the world's tigers. - The various subspecies of tigers can be classified into continental tigers and Island tigers. - The Royal Bengal Tiger is a continental tiger. - The Indo-China Tiger is also a continental tiger. - The Malayan Tiger is a continental tiger. - Sumatran and Javan tigers are island tigers. - The Bali Tiger is extinct. - China has a South-China tiger, which is a continental tiger. - The Amur/Siberian tiger is found in Siberia. It is the biggest species of tiger. - The tiger is the largest of all the big cats. - The tiger is very important as it is a keystone, flagship, and umbrella species. ## THE TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS, BIOMES, AND WETLANDS.