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The physical constituents of the Earth are the Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and the
Atmosphere.
The Biosphere is the life-zone of the Earth and includes all living organisms, including
man, and parts of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere in contact with living beings.
Natural Resources required for sustenance of living organisms in ecosystems, and hence the
biosphere as a whole, is derived from the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
Since these resources are finite, they must be recycled for sustenance of ecosystems.
Sustenance of ecosystems requires that this recycling system is comprehensive and robust.
It is thought that this need for efficient and continuous recycling of natural resources to
sustain the biosphere results in the large diversity of microbial, plant and animal species.
The Energy required for recycling the natural resources is obtained in the relatively low
entropy form (mostly visible radiation) from the sun.
After use for natural resource recycling (which involves sustenance of life), energy is released
to the space in a relatively high entropy form (as heat).
Energy is thus constantly degraded, and cannot be recycled, but must be supplied from and
external source.
Ecosystem Components..Continued
The Living Component of ecosystems consist of large number of species, arranged in a
complex interconnected pyramidal structure, also known as the food web, with the species
at the top gaining sustenance from those at the bottom.
Ecosystem Components..Continued
In addition all species gain sustenance from the non-living components (i.e., natural
resources) of the ecosystem.
This arrangement involving resource consumption and recycling ensures that the net
utilization of natural resources in the ecosystem is zero, which results in its perpetuation.
Of course, energy is required for this process, which, as mentioned before, is received from
the sun.
Changes in Ecosystem
Due to various earth processes, the physical conditions in ecosystems are always undergoing
slow change.
This results in the change of the Environment of living species inhabiting the ecosystem.
Hence ecosystems of millions of years ago are very different from ecosystems of today.
Changes in Ecosystem..Vulnerabilities
Ecosystems are generally very vulnerable to the following three types of changes, which
tend to threaten their sustainability,
When net resource utilization is greater than zero, i.e., resources are being consumed
faster than they are recycled. This leads to resource scarcity and accumulation of non-
recycled wastes, i.e., pollutants. Accumulation of pollutants threatens the survival of
ecosystems.
Rapid change, e.g., rapid accumulation of pollutants results in extinction of species that
are unable to survive in the changed environment. This results in the reduction of
biodiversity, and creation of a changed and less robust ecosystem, less able to withstand
further change.