Different Types of Environmental Ecosystems

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An ecosystem is a community of both living and non-living entities of a particular region, that is in constant interaction with each other, maintaining the ecological balance. The biotic or living entities are constituted by humans, plants, and animals while the abiotic or non-living entities are the rock, soil, water, air, and other related components of that region. In this article, newsciencez.com will help you list different types of environmental ecosystems.

An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in a desert, or as big as an ocean, spanning thousands of miles. There are two types of environmental ecosystems:

  • Terrestrial Ecosystem
  • Aquatic Ecosystem

1. Terrestrial Ecosystem

1.1. Forest Ecosystem

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Forest ecosystems are classified according to their climate type as tropical, temperate, or boreal.

In the tropics, rainforest ecosystems contain more diverse flora and fauna than ecosystems in any other region on earth.

In these warm, moisture-laden environments, trees grow tall and foliage is lush and dense, with species inhabiting the forest floor all the way up to the canopy.

In temperate zones, forest ecosystems may be deciduous, coniferous, or oftentimes a mixture of both, in which some trees shed their leaves each fall, while others remain evergreen year-round.

1.2. Grassland Ecosystem

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Different types of grassland ecosystems can be found in prairies, savannas, and steppes. Grassland ecosystems are typically found in tropical or temperate regions, although they can exist in colder areas as well, as is the case with the well-known Siberian steppe.

Grasslands share the common climactic characteristic of semi-aridity. Trees are sparse or nonexistent, but flowers may be interspersed with the grasses. Grasslands provide an ideal environment for grazing animals.

1.3. Desert Ecosystem

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The most defining feature of this ecosystem is the amount of precipitation it receives, which is the least as compared to any ecosystem. This ecosystem can exist from the Arctic to the tropics, not all deserts are hot, some are often windy. Some contain rocks while some have sand dunes. Flora is a very rare but highly adaptive animal species and insects are found here.

1.4. Tundra Ecosystem

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Tundra denotes polar regions at lower altitudes. It is characterized by harsh environmental conditions similar to deserts and is usually windswept, snow-covered, and treeless. The soil is frozen throughout the year and during the brief summers, snow melts to produce shallow ponds, thus giving rise to small flowers and lichens.

2. Aquatic Ecosystem

2.1. Freshwater Ecosystem

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The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem. These have no salt content in contrast with the marine ecosystem.

These can be broken up into smaller ecosystems. For instance, in the freshwater ecosystems, we find:

  • Pond Ecosystems – These are usually relatively small and contained. Most of the time, they include various types of plants, amphibians, and insects. Sometimes they include fish, but as these cannot move around as easily as amphibians and insects, it is less likely, and most of the time, fish are artificially introduced to these environments by humans.
  • River Ecosystems – Because rivers always link to the sea, they are more likely to contain fish alongside the usual plants, amphibians, and insects.

2.2. Marine Ecosystem

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The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial salt content and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.

Marine ecosystems are the most abundant types of ecosystems in the world. They encompass not only the ocean floor and surface but also tidal zones, estuaries, salt marshes, and saltwater swamps, mangroves, and coral reefs.

Structure of the Ecosystem

The structure of an ecosystem is characterized by the organization of both biotic and abiotic components. This includes the distribution of energy in our environment. It also includes the climatic conditions prevailing in that particular environment.

The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely:

  • Biotic Components
  • Abiotic Components

The biotic and abiotic components are interrelated in an ecosystem. It is an open system where the energy and components can flow throughout the boundaries.

Functions of Ecosystem

The functions of the ecosystem are as follows:

  1. It regulates the essential ecological processes, supports life systems and renders stability.
  2. It is also responsible for the cycling of nutrients between biotic and abiotic components
  3. It maintains a balance among the various trophic levels in the ecosystem.
  4. It cycles the minerals through the biosphere.
  5. The abiotic components help in the synthesis of organic components that involves the exchange of energy.READ MORE https://newsciencez.com/acid-rain-what-are-causes-and-effects-of-it-on-human-health.html

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