R Environment Chapter Revision

1. Ecosystem

• Definition: An ecosystem is the interaction between biotic (plants, animals) and abiotic (soil, light, water, air) factors.
• Biotic Factors: Living factors, like fungi, plants, animals, archaebacteria.
• Abiotic Factors: Non-living factors, like soil, light, water, air, humidity.
• Both factors are dependent on each other.

2. Types of Ecosystems

• Natural Ecosystems: Like forests, oceans.
• Artificial Ecosystems: Like parks, aquariums, agriculture.

3. Producers, Consumers and Decomposers

• Producers: Plants, which make their own food through photosynthesis.
• Consumers: Those who eat from producers; directly (humans) or indirectly.
• Decomposers: Break down dead and decayed matter to return nutrients to the soil.

4. Trophic Levels

• Food Chain: A sequence of biotic factors in which energy is obtained by eating each other.
  • First Trophic Level: Producers
  • Second Trophic Level: Primary consumers (herbivores)
  • Third Trophic Level: Secondary consumers
  • Fourth Trophic Level: Tertiary consumers (carnivores)

5. Food Web

• Food Web: Interconnected food chains, which are more stable.

6. 10% Energy Law

• During energy transfer, only 10% of the energy goes to the next trophic level.
• This law was given by Raymond Lindeman in 1942.

7. Biomagnification

• The process of increasing levels of chemicals, which are non-biodegradable.
• It affects organisms at the higher trophic levels the most.

8. Ozone Layer

• The ozone layer protects the Earth from UV radiation.
• It is damaged by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

9. Garbage

• Biodegradable Waste: Which can be decomposed (like kitchen waste).
• Non-biodegradable Waste: Which can't be easily decomposed (like plastic).
  • Solution: Reuse, reduce, recycle.

End

• Session Summary: Ecosystem, Producers, Consumers, Decomposers, Trophic Levels, 10% Energy Law, Biomagnification, Ozone Layer, Garbage Waste.
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