Anecosystemis acommunityof living organisms in conjunction with thenonliving componentsof their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.[2]These biotic andabiotic componentsare regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.[3]As ecosystems are defined by the network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment,[4]they can be of any size but usually encompass specific, limited spaces[5](although some scientists say that the entire planet is an ecosystem).1. Abiotic Substances:These include basic inorganic and organic compounds of the environment or habitat of the organism. The inorganic components of an ecosystem are carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, calcium, phosphate, all of which are involved in matter cycles (biogeochemical cycles).The organic components of an ecosystem are proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids, all of which are synthesized by the biota (flora and fauna) of an ecosystem and are reached to ecosystem as their wastes, dead remains, etc, The climate, temperature, light, soil, etc., are other abiotic components of the ecosystem.Ex.Wind Soil Water Sunlight Nitrogen2. Producers:Producers are autotrophic organisms like chemosynthetic and photosynthetic bacteria, blue green algae, algae and all other green plants. They are called ecosystem producers because they capture energy from non-organic sources, especially light, and store some of the energy the form of chemical bonds, for the later use.Algae of various types are the most important producers of aquatic ecosystems, although in estuaries and marshes, grasses may be important as producers. Terrestrial ecosystems have trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, and mosses that contribute with varying importance to the production of the ecosystem.Since heterotrophic organisms depend on plants and other autotrophic Organisms like bacteria and algae for their nutrition, the amount of energy that the producers capture, sets the limit on the availability of energy for the ecosystem. Thus, when a green plant captures a certain amount of energy from sunlight, it is said to produce the energy for the ecosystem.Producers are any kind of green plant. Green plants make their food by taking sunlight and using the energy to make sugar. The plant uses this sugar, also called glucose to make many things, such as wood, leaves, roots, and bark. Trees, such as they mighty Oak, and the grand American Beech, are examples of producers.3. Consumers:They are heterotrophic organisms in the ecosystem which eat other living creatures. There are herbivores, which eat plants, and carnivores, which eat other animals. They are also called phagotrophs or macroconsumers. Sometimes herbivores are called primary macroconsumers and carnivores are called secondary Macroconsumers.Consumers: any organism that cant make its own food

Consumers have to feed on producers or other consumers to survive. Deer are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants (Producers). Bears are another example of consumers. Black bears are omnivores and scavengers, like skunks and raccoons, which means that they will eat just about anything. In a forest community, Black Bears will eat blueberries, bugs, acorns, and many kinds of nuts.4. Reducers or Decomposers:Reducers, decomposers, saprotrophs or Macroconsumers are heterotrophic organisms that breakdown dead and waste matter. Fungi and certain bacteria are the prime representatives of this category. Enzymes are secreted by their cells into or onto dead plant and animal debris. These chemicals digest the dead organism into smaller bits or molecules, which can be absorbed by the fungi or bacteria (saprotrophs).Decomposers - are living organisms that feed off of the rotting and dead corpses of other dead organisms to clean the Earth (like beetles, worms and ants because they feed off of dead beings like animals and humans.)

Different Types of EcosystemTerrestrial ecosystemsTerrestrial ecosystems can be found anywhere apart from heavily saturated places. They are broadly classed into:

The Forest EcosystemsThey are the ecosystems in which an abundance of flora, or plants, is seen so they have a big number of organisms which live in relatively small space. Therefore, in forest ecosystems the density of living organisms is quite high. A small change in this ecosystem could affect the whole balance, effectively bringing down the whole ecosystem. You could see a fantastic diversity in the fauna of the ecosystems, too. They are further divided into: Tropical evergreen forest:These are tropical forests that receive a mean rainfall of 80 for every 400 inches annually. The forests are characterised by dense vegetation which comprises tall trees at different heights. Each level is shelter to different types of animals. Tropical deciduous forest:There, shrubs and dense bushes rule along with a broad selection of trees. The type of forest is found in quite a few parts of the world while a large variety of fauna and flora are found there. Temperate evergreen forest:Those have quite a few number of trees as mosses and ferns make up for them. Trees have developed spiked leaves in order to minimize transpiration. Temperate deciduous forest:The forest is located in the moist temperate places that have sufficient rainfall. Summers and winters are clearly defined and the trees shed the leaves during the winter months. Taiga:Situated just before the arctic regions, the taiga is defined by evergreen conifers. As the temperature is below zero for almost half a year, the remainder of the months, it buzzes with migratory birds and insects.The Desert EcosystemDesert ecosystems are located in regions that receive an annual rainfall less than 25. They occupy about 17 percent of all the land on our planet. Due to the extremely high temperature, low water availability and intense sunlight, fauna and flora are scarce and poorly developed. The vegetation is mainly shrubs, bushes, few grasses and rare trees. The stems and leaves of the plants are modified in order to conserve water as much as possible. The best known desert ones are the succulents such as the spiny leaved cacti. The animal organisms include insects, birds, camels, reptiles all of which are adapted to the desert (xeric) conditions.

The Grassland EcosystemGrasslands are located in both the tropical and temperate regions of the world though the ecosystems vary slightly. The area mainly comprises grasses with a little number of trees and shrubs. The main vegetation includes grasses, plants and legumes that belong to the composite family. A lot of grazing animals, insectivores and herbivores inhabit the grasslands. The two main kinds of grasslands ecosystems are:1. Savanna:The tropical grasslands are dry seasonally and have few individual trees. They support a large number of predators and grazers.2. Prairies:It is temperate grassland, completely devoid of large shrubs and trees. Prairies could be categorized as mixed grass, tall grass and short grass prairies.The Mountain EcosystemMountain land provides a scattered and diverse array of habitats where a large number of animals and plants can be found. At the higher altitudes, the harsh environmental conditions normally prevail, and only the treeless alpine vegetation can survive. The animals that live there have thick fur coats for prevention from cold and hibernation in the winter months. Lower slopes are commonly covered with coniferous forests.

Aquatic EcosystemsThe aquatic ecosystem is the ecosystem found in a body of water. It encompasses aquatic flora, fauna and water properties, as well. There are two main types of aquatic ecosystem - Marine and Freshwater.

The Marine EcosystemMarine ecosystems are the biggest ecosystems, which cover around 71% of Earth's surface and contain 97% of out planet's water. Water in Marine ecosystems features in high amounts minerals and salts dissolved in them. The different divisions of the marine ecosystem are: Oceanic: A relatively shallow part of oceans which lies on the continental shelf. Profundal: deep or Bottom water. Benthic Bottom substrates. Inter-tidal: The place between low and high tides. Estuaries Coral reefs Salt marshes Hydrothermal vents where chemosynthetic bacteria make up the food base.Many kinds of organisms live in marine ecosystems: the brown algae, corals, cephalopods, echinoderms, dinoflagellates and sharks.

The Freshwater EcosystemContrary to the Marine ecosystems, the freshwater ecosystem covers only 0.8% of Earth's surface and contains 0.009% of the total water. Three basic kinds of freshwater ecosystems exist: Lentic: Slow-moving or till water like pools, lakes or ponds. Lotic: Fast-moving water such as streams and rivers. Wetlands: Places in which the soil is inundated or saturated for some lenghty period of time.Kinds of Relationships between OrganismsWhat is Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism, Predation, Competition, Cooperation or symbiotic relationship?Mutualism Mutualism is a biological interaction between two organisms. Most mutualisms are facultative, meaning the partners can successfully live apart. However, some mutualisms are so intimate that the interacting species can no longer live without each other; they have a mutually obligate interdependence. Examples: As the bee or butterfly sips nectar from the flower, pollen gains sticks to their hairy legs and other parts of their body. When the insects goes to another flower to get nectar, it drops some of the pollen gains into the flower. The heron at the back of the carabao feeds on the ticks that suck the blood of the carabao.The heron gets food by eating the ticks.At the same time, the carabao gets cleaning of its parasites.Both heron and the carabao benefit from this kind of relationship.

Commensalism Commensalism is a relationship wherein one participating organisms is benifited while the other is neigther helped nor harmed. The term derives from the English word commensal, meaning "sharing of food" in human social interaction, which in turn derives from the Latin com mensa, meaning "sharing a table". Examples: Orchids and some kinds of fern are aerial plants.They usually grow on trunks or branches of trees.These plants get moisture and nutrients from the bark of the tree.They also use the tree for support because they do not have stems.The orchids or ferns do not seem to harm or help the tree. The barnacles are shelled animals that cannot move on their own.They attached themselves to other animals like crabs or whales.The barnacles get transportation and a steady supply of food as the whale moves through the ocean.The whale on the other hand, is generally not affected by this kind of interaction.Parasitism Parasitism is a relationship wherein an organism gets the benefit and the other is harmed. In this relationship, the host may become weak but does not usually die.If the host dies, the parasites may also die. Parasites are organisms that live inside or outside the body of another organisms and feed on it. Host is the provider of food and shelter for the parasite. Ectoparasites are parasites that live outside the body of the host. Endoparasites are parasites that live inside the body of the host. Example: Fleas and dog fleas are insects that suck blood from the body of the dog.They also live on the body of the dog. Mosquito bites human to suck blood. Hook worms or round worms on human digestive tract.Predation Predation is a relationship wherein a smaller animal is killed and eaten by a bigger animal. Predator the animal that feeds on another animal. Prey the animal that is eaten. Example: The hawk catches the fish for food. Frogs feed on insects. Lion hunt deer for food.Competition Competition is a relationship wherein two or more organisms need the same thing in order to survive.It may exist among organisms of the same kind or of different kinds. In this kind of interaction, the organisms fight for a common resources in order to survive. The common resources could be food, water, sunlight, shelter or space, and other things. Example: In a rice field, rice plants compete with each other for water, minerals, space, and sunlight.At the same time, the rice plants compete for the same resources with the weeds that grow among them. Both vegetable plants and the weeds need sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. Dogs and cats need same kind of food and may fight over it.Cooperation Cooperation/Symbiotic relationships are relationships where two organisms of different species live and work together, each one of them benefiting from mutual cooperation. The relationship between two entities that need each other to survive and prosper. Example: Both the human as well as the animal kingdom is dependent on the oxygen produced by the plant kingdom. Conversely, plants depend on animals and humans for carbon dioxide to prepare their food. The bee and the flower. Bees get nectar from flowers. Pollination also takes place when the bee flies from one flower to another.