Ecosystem Ecology emphasizes the movement of energy and nutrients among the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems. It examines physical and biological structures and how these characteristics interact with each other. A major focus of ecosystem ecology is on functional processes, ecological mechanisms that maintain the structure and services produced by ecosystems. These include production of biomass, decomposition and tropic interactions. In short ecosystem ecology studies the interdependent functional processes behind food chain and food web and how all the applied to cases such as increased effects of atmospheric co₂ on coral reefs and fishes or to understand the effects of increased pesticides application on the pests and birds preying on them.
Ecosystems
Having done with basic concepts we will return to the ecosystems. As said earlier, ecosystem is a fundamental functional unit characterized by total assemblage of biotic community and abiotic components and their mutual interactions in a given space time unit.
Ecosystems can be classified as following:
(i) On the basis of habitats:
(a) Terrestrial – Upland or mountain; Lowland; Warm Desert and Cold Desert.
(b) Aquatic – Fresh Water; Marine.
(ii) On the basis of human intervention:
(a) Natural ecosystems e.g. tall grass or Amazon rainforest ecosystem.
(b) Artificial or cultivated ecosystems e.g. rice field ecosystem.
Components of the Ecosystem
