Ecosystem(environmental studies, forests, desert, grasslands, aquatic)

ecosystems, forests, desert, grasslands, aquatic ecosystem, types, importance, significance, environment, environmental studies, examples

1. Environmental studies ForestS , aquatic ecosystemS , grasslandS , desertS ,

2. What is a forest ? THE FOREST IS A COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM CONSISTING MAINLY OF TREES THAT BUFFER THE EARTH AND SUPPORT A MYRIAD OF LIFE FORMS.

3. Types of forest TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS MANGROOVE FORESTS MONTANE FORESTS THORN FORESTS

4. TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS THESE FORESTS ARE RESTRICTED TO HEAVY RAINFALL AREAS OF THE WESTERN GHATS AND THE ISLAND GROUPS OF LAKSHWADEEP, ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR, UPPER PARTS OF ASSAM AND TAMIL NADU COASTS. THEY ARE HAVING RAINFALL MORE THAN 200 CM WITH A SHORT DRY SEASON. THE TREES REACH A HEIGHT UPTO 60 METRES OR EVEN ABOVE. IT HAS LUXURIANT VEGETATION OF ALL KINDS- TREES, SHRUBS AND CREEPERS GIVING A MULTILAYERED STRUCTURE. SOME OF THE COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT TREES ARE- EBONY, MAHOGANY, ROSEWOOD, RUBBER AND CINCHONA.

5. TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS

6. Tropical deciduous Forests TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS ARE THE MOST WIDESPREAD FOREST OF INDIA. THEY ARE ALSO CALLED THE MONSOON FORESTS . TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS THRIVE WHERE THE RAINFALL IS BETWEEN 70CM AND 200CM. TREES SHED THEIR LEAVES FOR ABOUT 6-8 WEEKS IN SUMMER. THE DECIDUOUS FORESTS ARE DIVIDED INTO: MOIST DECIDUOUS FORESTS (RAINFALL BETWEEN 100-200CM) DRY DECIDUOUS FORESTS (RAINFALL BETWEEN 70-100CM) BAMBOOS, SAL, SHISHAM, SANDALWOOD, KHAIR, MULBERRY ARE SOME COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT SPECIES FOUND HERE. A VARIETY OF BIRDS, LIZARDS, SNAKES AND TORTOISES ARE ALSO FOUND HERE.

7. TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS

8. MANGROOVE FORESTS MANGROVE FORESTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VEGETATION FOUND IN THE AREAS OF TIDE INFLUENCED COATS HAVING ACCUMULATED MUD AND SILT. DENSE MANGROVE IS THE COMMON VARIETIES WITH ROOTS OF THE PLANTS SUBMERGED UNDER WATER. ROYAL BENGAL TIGER IS THE FAMOUS ANIMAL IN THESE FORESTS. IN THE GANGA-BRAHMAPUTRA DELTA SUNDEW TREES ARE FOUND WHICH PROVIDE DURABLE LIGHT BUT HARD TIMBER.  IN SOME PARTS OF DELTA, PALM, COCONUT, KEORA, AGAR, SCREW, PINE, AMOR ARE FOUND.

9. MANGROOVE FORESTS

10. MONTANE FORESTS MONTANE FORESTS CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO: WET TEMPERATE FORESTS: CHARACTERISED BY OAK TREES AND CHESTNUT TREES . THE MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL HERE IS 150 TO 300CM . TEMPERATE FORESTS: COVER THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF HIMALAYAS CHARACTERISED BY PINE, DEODAR, SILVER FIR, SPRUCE AND CEDAR TREES . THE ANNUAL RAINFALL VARIES FROM 150 TO 250CM . ALPINE FORESTS: CHARACTERISED BY SILVER FIR, JUNIPERS, PINES AND BIRCHES TREES . THE SOUTH-WEST MONSOON HERE IS VERY FEEBLE . THE RAINFALL IS BELOW 100 CM, MOSTLY SNOW .

11. MONTANE FORESTS

12. THORN FORESTS THE THORN FORESTS ARE FOUND IN THE REGION WHERE THE RAINFALL IS LESS THAN 70CM . THE VEGETATION IN THESE FORESTS ARE THORNY TREES AND BUSHES . THE THORN FORESTS ARE FOUND IN SEMI ARID AREAS OF GUJARAT, RAJASTHAN, MADHYA PRADESH, CHHATTISGARH, UTTAR PRADESH AND HARYANA . ACACIAS, PALMS, EUPHORBIAS AND CACTI ARE THE MAIN PLANTS FOUND IN THESE FORESTS. THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND HERE ARE RATS, MICE, RABBITS, FOX, WOLF, TIGER, LION, HORSES AND CAMELS .

13. THORN FORESTS

14. Aquatic ecosystem AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM IS AN ECOSYSTEM THAT EXISTS IN WATER. AN ECOSYSTEM IS DEFINED AS A DISTINCT COMMUNITY OF ORGANISMS (INCLUDING PLANTS, ANIMALS) THAT EXISTS IN A PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT.

15. WITH AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM, THE ENVIRONMENT IS A WATERY ONE. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS FEATURE VARIOUS TYPES OF ORGANISMS, INCLUDING: PLANT LIFE SUCH AS SEAWEEDS. FISH, WHALES AND OTHER AQUATIC VERTEBRATES. TINY BACTERIA AND OTHER VERY SMALL ORGANISMS. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SUCH AS SAND AND SILT. AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES CAN ALSO BE KEY PLAYERS IN AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM. 

16. Types of AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS POND ECOSYSTEM RIVER ECOSYSTEM LAKE ECOSYSTEM MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

17. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS POND ECOSYSTEM A POND ECOSYSTEM USUALLY FEATURES FRESH, STAGNANT (I.E. NOT FLOWING) WATER. HOWEVER, BRINE PONDS DO EXIST AND THESE CAN FORM THEIR OWN ECOSYSTEMS. POND ECOSYSTEMS USUALLY INCLUDE WATER WEEDS AND WATER PLANTS (SUCH AS LILY PADS) AND ANIMALS SUCH AS FROGS AND NEWTS . FISH AND WATER FLIES (SUCH AS DRAGON FLIES) WILL ALSO OFTEN MAKE A HOME HERE.

18. freshwater ECOSYSTEM RIVER ECOSYSTEM A RIVER CAN FORM A DISTINCT ECOSYSTEM, AS MANY ANIMALS AND PLANTS WILL LIKE TO MAKE A RIVER THEIR HOME. FISH SUCH AS SALMON, WATER WEEDS, CRUSTACEANS SUCH AS SHRIMP AND MANY OTHER FRESHWATER ORGANISMS CAN EXIST IN THIS ECOSYSTEM.

19. freshwater ECOSYSTEM LAKE ECOSYSTEM IT CAN BE EITHER A FRESHWATER OR A SALTWATER LAKE. SOME LAKES ARE STAGNANT, WHILE OTHERS ARE TIDAL, AND THESE QUALITIES DETERMINE THE PRECISE TYPES OF ANIMALS, FISH, CRUSTACEANS AND PLANTS THAT MAKE THE LAKE THEIR HOME.

20. MARINE ECOSYSTEMS THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM IS THE NAME FOR THE COMMUNITY OF ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN THE SEA. AT THE VERY DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN FLOOR, THERE LIVE COMMUNITIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT NEVER SEE THE LIGHT AND THAT DERIVE ENERGY FROM GEYSERS OF SULPHUR SPRINGING FROM THE EARTH’S CORE. CLOSER TO THE SURFACE, WHERE SUNLIGHT PENETRATES, CONSISTING OF WHALES, SEALS, FISH AND SEAWEEDS. ON THE SURFACE OF THE SEA ITSELF AND IN THE AIR AROUND IT, WE CAN FIND MANY DIFFERENT SEA BIRDS (INCLUDING GANNETS, ALBATROSSES AND SEAGULLS).

21. MARINE ECOSYSTEM

22. gRASSLANDS A GRASSLAND IS A TYPE OF HABITAT OR BIOME WHICH IS DOMINATED BY GRASSES AND OTHER HERBACEOUS FLOWERING PLANTS AND A VARIETY OF SCATTERED TREES AND BUSHES. GRASSLAND OCCUR IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH REGULAR RAINFALL TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF A FOREST, BUT NOT SO LITTLE AS TO FORM A DESERT. ABOUT ONE QUARTER EARTH’S LAND IS COVERED WITH GRASSLANDS. GRASSLANDS MAY OCCUR NATURALLY OR AS THE RESULT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY . GRASSLAND CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY ARE CALLED ‘ ANTHROPOGENIC GRASSLANDS’ .

23. Types of grasslands TROPICAL GRASSLANDS TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS FLOODED GRASSLANDS MONTANE GRASSLANDS

24. TROPICAL GRASSLAND TROPICAL GRASSLANDS ARE LOCATED NEAR THE EQUATOR , BETWEEN THE TROPIC OF CANCER AND THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN. MOST OF THE TROPICAL GRASSLANDS ARE FOUND IN THE INTERIOR PART OF CONTINENTS BETWEEN THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST AND TROPICAL DESERTS . TROPICAL GRASSLANDS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS ‘SAVANNAHS’ . TROPICAL GRASSLANDS HAVE A TROPICAL CONTINENTAL CLIMATE WHEREIN WET AND DRY SEASONS COMES ALTERNATELY .

25. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS LOCATED IN THE MID-LATITUDES, NORTH OF THE TROPIC OF CANCER AND SOUTH OF THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN. HAVE A TEMPERATURE CONTINENTAL CLIMATE, WHICH IS COOLER THAN SAVANNAHS . HAVE WARM, HUMID SUMMERS WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 18 DEGREE C AND COOL, DRY WINTERS WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 10 DEGREE C. THESE TYPICALLY RECEIVE BETWEEN 10-20 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION A YEAR.

26. FLOODED GRASSLAND GENERALLY LOCATED AT SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL LATITUDES , WHICH ARE FLOODED SEASONALLY OR YEAR-ROUND. EVERGLADES, PANTANAL, SAHELIAN FLOODED SAVANNAHS, ZAMBEZIAN FLOODED SAVANNAHS AND THE SUDD ARE THE MAJOR REGIONS OF THE WORLD. THESE AREAS SUPPORT NUMEROUS PLANTS AND ANIMALS WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO THE UNIQUE HYDROLOGIC REGIMES AND SOIL CONDITION .

27. Montane Grasslands MONTANE GRASSLANDS AND SHRUB LANDS ARE A BIOME WHICH ARE LOCATED ABOVE THE TREE LINE AND ARE COMMONLY KNOWN AS ALPINE TUNDRA , WHICH INCLUDES MOUNTAIN REGIONS. IT INCLUDES HIGH ELEVATION GRASSLANDS AND SCRUBLANDS, A UNIQUE FEATURE OF MANY WET TROPICAL MONTANE REGIONS IS THE PRESENCE OF GIANT ROSETTE PLANTS FROM A VARIETY OF PLANT FAMILIES.

28. WHAT IS GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM? A GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM IS A COMMUNITY OF CREATURES LIVING TOGETHER WITHIN A GRASSY SPACE. THESE CREATURES CAN INCLUDE VARIOUS TYPES OF GRASSES, INSECTS, AND ANIMALS, ETC. THE PRESENCE OF GRASS- IT ALMOST GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE COMPOSED LARGELY OF WIDE SWATHES OF GRASS RATHER THAN TREES OR SHRUBS – OR, ON THE OTHER HAND, RATHER THAN BARE DESERT SOIL. BIODIVERSITY-  GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE EXTREMELY BIO-DIVERSE AND ARE HOME TO THRIVING COMMUNITIES OF PLANTS, ANIMALS, INSECTS AND MAMMALS. UBIQUITY-  GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE PRESENT IN EVERY SINGLE CONTINENT ON THIS PLANET WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTION OF ANTARCTICA, WHICH IS TOO COLD TO SUSTAIN A GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM. FOUND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD- IN THE TROPICS, NEAR TO THE EQUATOR, IN THE TEMPERATE ZONES OF THE EARTH, BETWEEN THE EQUATOR AND THE POLAR REGIONS.

29. Importance of grassland ecosystem GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS- HABITAT-  GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE KEY HABITATS FOR HUGE NUMBERS OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS INCLUDING ZEBRAS, BISON, LIONS AND ELEPHANTS. SOIL QUALITY-  THE DELICATE BALANCE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS MAINTAINS A HIGH SOIL QUALITY. WHEN HUMANS INTERVENE IN GRASSLANDS AND USE THEM FOR CROP BASED AGRICULTURE THEY ALTER THE MINERAL COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL AND ITS QUALITY AND HENCE FERTILITY DECLINES. BEAUTY- BECAUSE THEY ARE QUITE SIMPLY VERY BEAUTIFUL OPEN SPACES. LARGE AREA- AROUND A QUARTER OF THE EARTH’S TOTAL LANDMASS IS TAKEN UP BY GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS. THAT MAKES IT LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM IN THE WORLD. USEFUL TO HUMANS- PARTICULARLY AS PASTURE FOR CATTLE. THE PRAIRIES OF NORTH AMERICA HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN USED AS PASTURE GROUNDS FOR MANY CENTURIES.

30. DESERT ‘A DESERT IS ANY PLACE THAT IS LARGELY DESERTED BY PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE. USUALLY, DESERTS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY AN ABUNDANCE OF SAND AND A LACK OF WATER.’

31. Formation of deserts DESERTS ARE FORMED BY THE EFFECT OF WIND ON MOUNTAINS . FIRSTLY, THE MOUNTAINS WILL ACT AS A BARRIER , PREVENTING THE WIND FROM CARRYING RAIN OVER THE DESERT. THIS MAKES DESERTS VERY DRY. SECONDLY, AS THE WIND HITS THE ROCKS OF MOUNTAINS , THEY WILL CRUMBLE AND BECOME SAND . THIS MAKES DESERTS SANDY. USUALLY, DESERTS ARE SITUATED FAR FROM WATER. DESERTS CAN FORM AROUND WATER , HOWEVER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS BECAUSE THE WIND BLOWS HOT AND DRY SAND FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER, TURNING THE SECOND LOCATION INTO A DESERT. ALTITUDE IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS THAT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS DESERT FORMATION.

32. Climatic conditions DESERT CLIMATES TYPICALLY FEATURE LOW HUMIDITY, VERY LITTLE RAIN AND SCORCHING HEAT DURING THE DAY. THE ARID CLIMATE IN DESERTS CANNOT SUSTAIN MANY VEGETATION AND CAN ONLY GROW SCANTY SHRUBS. AT NIGHT, DESERTS CAN BECOME FREEZING COLD , HOWEVER. WINDS ARE ALSO NOT UNCOMMON IN DESERTS , AND THE ACTIVITY OF DESERT WINDS CAN HELP DESERTS TO SPREAD FAR AND WIDE BY PICKING UP THE SAND OF THE DESERT AND CARRYING IT ELSEWHERE.

33. Flora and fauna FLORA- PLANTS THAT ADAPT TO THE DRY CONDITIONS BY ACCUMULATING MOISTURE IN THEIR FLESHY PLANT TISSUES. EXAMPLE: CACTUS, ROCK PLANTS, AGAVE, ETC. FAUNA- ANIMALS MAY HAVE LONG EYELASHES TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE SUN, WHILST INSECTS COLD BLOODED ANIMALS SUCH AS REPTILES, WHICH LOVE TO BASK IN THE SUN, ARE ALSO COMMON INHABITANTS OF DESERTS. OTHER EXAMPLES INCLUDES CAMEL, LIZARDS, AND EAGLES.

34. What is a Desert Ecosystem? A DESERT ECOSYSTEM IS A COMMUNITY OF ORGANISMS THAT LIVE TOGETHER IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SEEMS TO BE DESERTED WASTELAND . DESERT ECOSYSTEMS CAN BE HOT (AS IN THE SANDY SAHARA) OR COLD (AS ON THE PEAKS OF MOUNTAINS). BUT BOTH HOT AND COLD DESERTS HAVE IN COMMON THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DIFFICULT FOR ORGANISMS TO INHABIT . THE PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE THAT LIVES THERE WILL HAVE EVOLVED SO THAT THEY CAN COMBAT THE HARSH CONDITIONS .

35. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM HOT DESERTS HOT DESERTS CAN BE FOUND CLOSE TO THE EQUATOR. THE SAHARA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A HOT DESERT. HOT DESERTS TEND TO FEATURE SCORCHING HOT GROUND WHICH MANY PLANTS MAY STRUGGLE TO GROW ON , LITTLE SHADE, AND A SHORTAGE OF WATER. CACTI HAVE GROWN A TOUGH OUTER SKIN AND INTERIORS WHICH CAN STORE UP ANY FLUID THAT THEY ABSORB SO THAT THEY CAN STAY HYDRATED DURING DROUGHTS.

36. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM COLD DESERTS DESERTIFICATION CAN EXIST AT HIGH ALTITUDES TOO, HOWEVER – AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DESERT WILL BE COLD. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE DESERTED ROCKY PEAKS OF A MOUNTAIN . A COLD DESERT MAY BE SANDY OR ROCKY , BUT IT WILL BE A HARSH ENVIRONMENT WHERE ORGANISMS HAVE ADAPTED IN WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WAYS SO THAT THEY CAN SURVIVE.

37. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM ICE DESERTS HERE, INSTEAD OF A SANDY OR ROCKY WASTELAND, WE HAVE A SEEMINGLY UNINHABITED REGION THAT IS COMPOSED OF ICE . ICE DESERTS CAN BE FOUND TOWARDS THE NORTH AND SOUTH POLES OF THE PLANET, ALSO BE LOCATED HIGH UP ON MOUNTAIN PEAKS .

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