Q.Write a short note on: Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a natural unit in which living organisms (plants, animals, micro-organisms) interact with one another and with their non-living environment, with a continuous flow of energy and cycling of nutrients between them.

The ecosystem is a basic concept studied in the Environment and Sustainable Economic Development topic of the AP Intermediate 2nd-year Economics course (aligned with the NCERT/CBSE commerce curriculum).

Meaning. An ecosystem is made up of two main components. The first is the biotic (living) component — plants, animals and micro-organisms. The second is the abiotic (non-living) component — air, water, soil, sunlight and climate. Within an ecosystem these components constantly interact: green plants capture energy from the sun and make food, animals depend on plants and on one another, and micro-organisms break down dead matter and return nutrients to the soil. This gives rise to a continuous flow of energy and a cycling of nutrients. A forest, a pond, a grassland or even an agricultural field can each be regarded as an eco …