The functions of an ecosystem are-
a) Regulating Function:
Maintenance of essential ecological process and life support system.
Explanation: Both biotic and abiotic components live in an ecosystem which interacts with each other forming a stable, self-supporting system.
b) Energy Flow:
The ecosystem act as a buffer through which the flow of energy takes place to all the organisms in the ecosystem.
Explanation: Energy flow in a unidirectional manner starting from sunlight to producers, herbivores, carnivores and finally decomposers thus utilising solar energy to produce chemical energy in the form of glucose by plants which are the main source of energy for all living organisms.
c) Recycling of nutrients
The ecosystem is responsible for the recycling of the minerals in the biodiversity.
Explanation:
The plants take inorganic material from the soil and convert it into food with help of sunlight. The food is used to produce chemical energy by the secondary level organism which breaks them into simple organic compound when the secondary level organism dies it gets decomposed by the action of decomposers which convert the complex substance to simple inorganic substance which are then mixed with soil. Thus, the ecosystem is designed to recycle nutrients.
