Unit II:Ecosystem
Sanjivani College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kopargaon
2.9 TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS
2.9.1 Forest Ecosystem
What Is a Forest Ecosystem?
A forest ecosystem is an ecosystem of forests and resources. Forests are renewable
natural resources. Forests are formed by a group of plants that are structurally defined by
their trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, and ground cover. Soil, animals, insects,
microorganisms, and birds are the most important interacting units of a forest ecosystem.
In India, the forests occupy about 18-20% of the total land area.
Component:
1. Abiotic Components of the forest include inorganic and organic components present in
the soil along with temperature, rainfall, light, etc.
2. Biotic Components are represented by producers, consumers, and decomposers.
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Characteristic Features of Forest Ecosystems Forest ecosystems are rich and diverse,
and they have many exciting and fascinating features.
1.\ Seasonality: In countries that have seasonal climate, forest ecosystems will change
with the seasons. 2.\ Deciduous or evergreen: A forest may be deciduous (i.e. it sheds its
leaves in winter) or evergreen (i.e. its leaves stay green and intact all the time), or it may
be a mix of both deciduous and evergreen trees.
3.\ Different levels: Some forest ecosystems such as rain forests, features several levels–
such as the forest floor, the lower canopy, the upper canopy and the tree tops.
4.\ Attractive to birds: Many bird species nest in tree tops and this makes forest ecosys-
tems attractive to birds.
5.\ Attractive to insects: Many insects live in tree barks, leaf mulch or flowers and as such
they find forest ecosystems very attractive places to make their homes.
1. Producers: Producers can synthesise their own food by the photosynthesis process. All
green plants are considered producers of the ecosystem as they convert sunlight into the
chemical energy of food.
2. Primary Consumers: Since the consumers can not prepare their own food, they
depend on producers. Herbivorous animals get their food by eating the producers (plants)
directly. Examples of primary consumers are grasshoppers, deer, etc.
3. Secondary Consumers: Secondary consumers draw their food from primary
consumers.
4. Decomposers: The decomposers of the forest ecosystem break down dead plants and
animals, returning the nutrients to the soil so that they can be used by the producers.
Apart from bacteria, ants and termites are important decomposers in the Amazon
rainforest. Millipedes and earthworms also help to break down dead matter.
Food Chain
The nutrient cycle is cyclic. For the proper functioning of ecosystems, nutrients are
required. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen constitute about 95% of the mass of