Structure of Ecosystem

It includes the substances or things that make the ecosystem. It consists of two types of components:

1. Biotic Components

These are the living elements of the ecosystem. They can be subdivided into three main types.

Autotrophs (auto=self; troph=nutrition/nourishment)

They are the organisms that prepare their own food. They can also be called producers. They are the first line in the food chain.

a. Photoautotrophs (Photo=light): The autotrophs that prepare their food by using sunlight are called photoautotrophs. They do so via photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. For eg, Green plants, Bacteria (Cyanobacteria), algae, etc.

Note: Photoautotrophs are often confused with photoheterotrophs which, although use light, but instead Carbon dioxide, they use other organic materials as sources of carbon and cannot prepare their own food.

b. Chemoautotrophs (Chemo=chemicals): They are generally bacteria that synthesize some chemical components to produce their own food. For eg., nitrogen-fixing bacteria, iron-oxidizing bacteria, etc.

Consumers

They are those organisms that cannot synthesize food on their own and just use the producers or other organisms as food. They can be primary (feeding on producers directly), secondary (feeding on primary consumers), and so on.

a. Herbivore (Herb=plants; vore=kind of diet): They only consume grass or plants as a food source. For e.g. Cows, Buffalo, deer, goats, etc.

b. Carnivore (Carni=meat): They solely depend on other animals’ flesh for their food. For e.g., Lion, Tiger, etc.

c. Omnivore (Omni=everything): As the name suggests, they can consume anything no matter it is plant or animal meat. For e.g. Cats, Dogs, Humans, etc.

Decomposers

These include those organisms that feed on dead and decayed organic matter. For e.g. microbes such as bacteria and fungi.

2. Abiotic Components

These are the non-living components of the ecosystem.

Physical factors: These comprise the sunlight, temperature, humidity, etc.

Chemical factors: These comprise the chemicals such as air and water components.