The term structure refers to various components. So, the structure of an ecosystem explains the relationship between the abiotic (non-living) and the biotic (living) components.
Each and every ecosystem has two major components are:
1.Biotic (living) components.
2. Abiotic (Non-living) components
Biotic Components: The living component of an ecosystem is called “Biotic component”. Examples: Plants (Producers) ,Animals (Consumers) and Micro Organisms (Decomposers) The biotic components of an ecosystem are classified into three types based on how they get their food.
A. Producers (Autotrophs) : Plants
B. Consumers (Heterotrophs) : Animals
C. Decomposers (Saprotrophs) : Micro organisms
A. Producers (or) Autotrophs (Auto=self, troph=feeder) The sun which is the primary source of energy, gives energy to the plants to produce food through photosynthesis. Plants use the light, carbon dioxide, water and the green pigment chlorophyll in their leaves to produce sugars and oxygen. These plants that produce food through photosynthesis are called producers. They are autotrophic organisms because they manufacture their own food. Producers are called energy transducers.
B. Consumers (or) Heterotrophs (Hetero = other, troph = feeder: Consumers are organisms, which cannot prepare their own food and depend directly (or) indirectly on the producers.
Examples: Plant Eating Species: Insects, rabbit, goat, deer, cow, etc. Animals Eating Species: Fish, lions, tigers, etc.
Depending upon the food habits the consumers are divided into four types.
i. Herbivores (or) Primary Consumers (Plant Eaters)
ii. Carnivores (or) Secondary Consumers (Meat Eaters)
iii. Omnivores (or) Tertiary Consumers (With plant & meat eaters)
iv. Detritivores (dead organism eaters)
Herbivores: Animals that eat only plants are called Herbivores. They directly depend on the plants for their food. So they are called Plant eaters.
Examples: Insects, goat, deer, cow, horse, etc.
Carnivores: Animals that eat other animals are called carnivores. They directly depend on the herbivores for their food.
Examples: Frog, cat, snake & foxes, etc.
Omnivores: Animals that eat both plants and animals are called omnivores. They depend on both herbivores and carnivores for their food.
Examples: humans, tigers, lions, rats and fox etc.
Detritivores: Animals that eat dead organisms and waste of living are called detritivores.
Examples: beetles, termites, ants, crabs, earthworms, etc.
C. Decomposers (or) Saptrotrophs: (Sapros = Rotten, trophos = feeder) Decomposers attack the dead bodies of producers and consumers and decompose them into simple compounds. During the decomposition inorganic nutrients are released. The organisms which break down the complex compounds into simple products are called decomposers (or) reducers.
Examples: micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi, etc.
2. Abiotic Components: The non-living component of an ecosystem is called “abiotic component” .
These non-living components enter the body of living organism, take part in metabolic activities and then return to the environment. The abiotic component of the ecosystems divided into three portions.
1. Climate factors : Solar radiation, temperature, wind, water current, rainfall, etc.
2. Physical factors : light, fire, soil, air, etc.
3. Chemical factors : Organic and Inorganic substances.
