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b) Components of an ecosystem :-
An ecosystem consists of two main components. They are biotic and abiotic
components.
i) Biotic components :- are the living components like plants, animals and
microorganisms. They consist of producers, consumers and decomposers.
Producers :- are green plants which produce food by photosynthesis.
Consumers :- are herbivores which get their food directly from plants,
carnivores which get their food indirectly from plants and omnivores which
get their food directly or indirectly from plants.
Decomposers :- are microorganisms which decompose dead plants and
animals. They decompose complex organic substances into simple inorganic
substances in the soil which are again used by plants.
ii) Abiotic components :- are the non living components like air, water, soil,
minerals, sunlight , temperature, wind etc.
3A) FOOD CHAIN :-
Each step in a food chain where transfer of food energy takes place is called trophic
level.
The first trophic level consists of producers.
The second trophic level consists of primary consumers.
The third trophic level consists of secondary consumers.
The fourth trophic level consists of tertiary consumers.
Since the transfer of food energy decreases at every trophic level, the number of
trophic levels are limited and do not exceed four or five.
5) ENERGY FLOW IN TROPHIC LEVELS :-
Green plants (producers) absorb about 1% of solar energy falling on the leaves
and stores it as food energy during photosynthesis.
During the transfer of food energy from one trophic level to the next, 90% of
the energy is lost to the environment and only 10% is transferred to the next
trophic level. So there is a decrease in the amount of food energy transferred at
every trophic level by 10%. This is known as the 10% law.
6) BIOLOGICAL MAGNIFICATION
(BIOMAGNIFICATION) :-
O2 O + O
O2 + O O3
The ozone layer present in the higher layer of the atmosphere protects the
earth from the harmful UV radiation from the sun. UV radiation causes skin
cancer in humans.
The ozone layer is being damaged by the use of chemicals like chloro fluoro
carbons (CFCs) used in refrigerators and fire extinguishers. So the use of CFCs is
now being reduced to protect the ozone layer.
B) MANAGING THE GARBAGE WE PRODUCE :-