Major types of ecosystem

MAJOR TYPES OF

ECOSYSTEM

Terrestrial EcosystemsFreshwater EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems

DesertGrasslandForests

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

LakeReservoirPondStreamRiverInland Wetland

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

Estuary and Coastal Wet Lands

MARINE ECOSYSTEM

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM

3 MAJOR TYPES OF TERRESTRIAL

ECOSYSTEM OR BIOME

- More than one-third of the earth’s land surface is covered with deserts where average precipitation is low (250mm or 10 inches per year) and evaporation rates are high.

DESERT

Tropical DesertTemperate (Mid-latitude) Desert

Cold (High-latitude) Desert

THREE TYPES:

These are found in southern Sahara and the Namib in Africa , where day time temperatures are hot year-round and nights are cold because of lack of sufficient vegetation to regulate extreme temperature. Dunes and consist These are among the driest places on earth.It make up about one-fifth of the world’s total desert area and consist primarily of barren sand dunes underlain by rocks.The vegetation includes the widely scattered thorny bushes and shrubs and succulents such as cacti and small fast growing wild flowers that bloom in spring or after a rare, brief drenching rain.

TROPICAL DESERTS (SAHARA)

TROPICAL DESERT

TEMPERATE(MID-LATITUDE) DESERTS

These deserts, like the Sechura desert in South America and the Mojave in Southern California, experience daily temperatures that are hot in summer and cold in winter.

TEMPERATE (MID-LATITUDE) DESERT

Example is the Gobi in Mongolia, which has cold winters and hot summer.

COLD (HIGH-LATITUDE) DESERTS

COLD (HIGH-LATITUDE) DESERT

These can be found in flat or slightly rolling terrains that cannot support large stand of trees.

They abound in regions where average precipitation is average that ranges from 250 to 750 mm (10-30 inches) a year

This amount of precipitation is sufficient to grow grass yet rainfall occurrences are so erratic that periodic droughts and grassfires prevent the growth of large stands of trees.

The grassland soils are thin and cannot store enough water because of intense sunlight, high temperature and evaporation rate.

The main plants species found in the grasslands belongs to family Gramineae or Poaceae

GRASSLANDS

These are found in areas with high average temperatures, very long dry seasons (about half of the year) and abundant rains the rest of the year.

They are located in a wide belt on either side of the equator between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Some of this biomes such as Africa’s Serengeti Plain, consist of open plains covered with low or high grasses; others contain grasses in varying number of widely spaced, small, mostly deciduous trees and shrubs.

TROPICAL GRASSLANDS (SAVANNA)

Recent estimate show that there is an approximate area of more than 6.5 Million hectares of grasslands. In the Philippines, grassland areas are very extensive and expansive.

In this Philippines Grassland areas are very extensive and expensive.

TROPICAL GRASSLANDS (SAVANNA)

TROPICAL GRASSLANDS (SAVANNA)

Are mostly dominated by cogon especially in newly opened areas due to logging, kaingin and mining.

This grass are very prolific because its seeds are carried by the wind.

It persist in an area because of its network of underground rhizomes.

Samsong grass (Themeda Triandra)

Talahib (Saccharum spontaneum)

Rund (Miscanthus sinensis)

EXTENSIVE GRASSLAND

These are located in areas just below the arctic region of perpetual ice and snow.

These areas are cold and they experience icy gale-like winds, fairly low average annual precipitation during brief summer periods and long winter darkness.

The wet Arctic tundra is covered with a thick spongy mat of low-growing plants such lichens , sedges (grass-like plants often growing in dense tufts in marshy places)mosses and low woody shrubs.

PERMAFROST- water that is permanently frozen year- round in thick layers of soil.

During the brief summer when sunlight persists almost round – the –clock ,the surface layer of soil thaws and the biome is turned into soggy landscape

• C.POLAR (HIGH LATITUDE)GRASSLANDS OR ARCTIC TUNDRAS

Dotted with shallow lakes , marshes , bogs and ponds. The permafrost below prevents this surface water

from seeping into the lower soil. The slow rate of decomposition , shallow soil and slow

growth rate of plants make the arctic tundra perhaps the earth’s most fragile biome.

Vegetation destroyed by human activities can take decades to grow back.

3.FORESTS Undisturbed areas with an average precipitation of

750 millimeters(30 inches) or more a year tend to be covered with forests, con

These are located in the large interior areas of the continents.They have moderate average temperature and a more even distribution of precipitation throughout the year than tropical grasslands.These areas have cold and winters with occasional snow covering the ground, hot and dry summers and winds blowing almost throughout the year.

EXAMPLE:The tall-grass and low grass prairies of the Midwestern and Western Unite States and Canada.The pampas of South AmericaThe veld of the Southern AfricaThe steppes that stretch from Central Europe into Siberia.

TEMPERATURE(MID-LATITUDE)

GRASSLANDS

TEMPERATE (MID-LATITUDE) GRASSLANDS

These are located in areas just below the arctic region of perpetual ice and snow.These areas are cold and they experience icy gale-like winds, fairly low average annual precipitation during brief summer periods and long winter darknessThe wet Arctic tundra is covered with a thick spongy mat of low-growing plants such lichens, sedges (grass like plants often growing in dense tufts in marshy places) mosses and low woody shrubs.

POLAR (HIGH LATITUDE)GRASSLANDS OR ARCTIC TUNDRAS

ARCTIC TUNDRA

POLAR (HIGH LATITUDE GRASSLAND

Water that is permanently frozen year – round in thick layers of soil.During the brief summer when sunlight persists almost round the clock, the surface layer of soil thaws and the biome is turned into soggy landscape dotted with shallow lakes, marshes, bogs and ponds.The permafrost below prevents this surface water from seeping into the lower soil.The slow rate of decomposition, shallow soil and slow growth rate of plants make the arctic tundra perhaps the earth’s most fragile biome.Vegetation destroyed by human activities can take decades to grow back.

PERMAFROST

Undisturbed areas with an average precipitation of 750 millimeters (30 inches) or more a year tend to be covered with forests, consisting of various species of trees and smaller woody forms of vegetation.

FOREST

These are found in areas with moderate average temperatures that change significantly during four distinct seasons.They have long summer, mild winters and abundant precipitation spread fairly and evenly throughout the year.They dominated by a few species of broad-leafed deciduous trees The most dominant herbivore of most deciduous forest in the Eastern United States is the most of white tail deer, primarily because most of its natural predators have been eliminated.

TEMPERATE (MID-LATITUDE)

DECIDUOUS FORESTS

TEMPERATE (MID-LATITUDE) DECIDUOUS

FOREST

Also called boreal forests or taigaThese are found in regions with a subarctic climate where winter are long and dry with only light snowfall.Temperatures range from cool to extremely cold and summers are very brief with mild to warm temperature.These forests, which from an almost unbroken belt across North America and Northern Eurasia.Plants species diversity is low in the northern forests because few species can survive the long. Cold winters, when soil moisture freezes.Animals found in the taiga include :

a. Large herbivores

b. Small herbivores

c. Medium to large herbivores

COLD ( HIGH LATITUDE) NORTHERN CONIFEROUS FORESTS

COLD (HIGH LATITUDE) NORTHERN CONIFEROUS FOREST

THREE MAJOR RAINFOREST

REGION

These are found near the equator in Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and some islands in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.They are characterized by the presence of high amounts of rainfall (200-500 centimeter per year) normally warm and relatively constant temperature.Often with low nutrients in the soil and mainly deciduous woody vegetation.The deciduous trees from a thick canopy, so dense that it is impossible to see the ground from above the trees.The main canopy level is usually 30 to 50 meters from the ground.There are trees 45 to 70 meters high and the forest stand is rather isolated.Trunks of the mature trees have a diameter of over 3 meters.Most trees are slender in proportion to their heights, they bear comparatively small crowns.

TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

The American Rain Forest region

The Malaysian Rain Forest Region

The African Rain Forest Region

3 MAJOR RAINFORESTS REGION

Situated on the South American ContinentIt is subdivided into three rainforest subregions

a. Amazonia – the biggest rainforest subregion, because it is so vast and must be considered as still largely intact

b. A smaller region that lies west of the Andes and North of the equator

c. Extending intermittently to Mexico – the smallest region is a narrow street along the Atlantic Coast of Brazil between 14˚ and 21˚S wherein only a few remnants of it are still in existence.

THE AMERICAN RAIN FOREST REGION

THE AMERICAN RAINFOREST REGION

The region is often called the South East Asian forest RegionCoincides almost entirely with the former Malaysian archipelago to which the Malay Peninsula belongs botanicallyThe true rainforest is almost absent from continental Asia, except in Malaya, Southern most Thailand and South West Cambodia.

THE MALESIAN RAINFOREST REGION

THE MALESIAN RAINFOREST REGION

This consist of four regions, all partly destroyed, along the Atlantic coast between approximately 10˚ N and 5˚ S, and the Congo basin stretching East to the mountains.Outlier pockets in East Africa maybe regarded as more or less true rainforest, but not the forest of Madagascar.The soil lying below this diverse masses of vegetation are generally thin and deficient in nutrients despite abundant rainfall because surface run off tends to carry the nutrients that are not immediately taken up by the plants.

THE AFRICAN RAINFOREST REGION

THE AFRICAN RAINFOREST REGION

The tropical rainforest is considered as the most diverse ecosystemIn the Philippines, forest are classified according to specific areas where they occur in the accompanying species they support.

PHILIPPINE FOREST

Mangrove ForestsBeach ForestsMolave ForestsDipterocarp ForestPine ForestsMossy Forests

MAJOR PHILIPPINE FOREST

Literally a “Forest of the sea’It is strikingly well developed in mudflats near river deltas from tributaries that empty into the sea or in tidal zones near protective baysIn certain places, this overlaps or merges with the beach forest type or when conditions are favorable, over runs beaches washed by the tides.The principal species of the Mangrove forests in the Philippines and elsewhere in the tropics are the species belonging to the genera Brugeria (Bakawan) and Ceriops (Tangal) of the Rhizophoraceae.Typical tree components of Mangrove forests have fruits and seeds that are easily disperse by water.

MANGROVE FORESTS

MANGROVE FORESTS

Beach forests occupy sandy shores or flat sandy gravely coastal areas above high tide limits.This type of forest is nearly reduced to nothing principally due to the massive influx of human settlementsMost trees present in beach forest are the following:

o Bitaogo Putato Dapdapo Talisayo Banilado Ipil

BEACH FORESTS

On sandy flood plains near riverbeds, pure stands of Casuarina equisetifolia (agoho) may develop.In the vicinity of rich-bottoms patches, or nearly pure stands of Terminalia catappa are observed.

BEACH FORESTS

The molave forests is named because of the free dominance of molave (vitex parviflora) in the area

It is also sometimes called the Limestone Forest because of the underlying rock and limestone

The soil that develops harbors a plant formation characteristics to limestone region

Alternately this forest type is known t some local botanist as the leguminous species type

Trees found in this forest type are also commercially important and are more accessible to exploitation together with small erect or climbing bamboos.

Many of the tree species are short boled with irregular spreading crowns

The molave forest has deciduous foliage, especially when it is found in areas with pronounce dry season

MOLAVE FORESTS

MOLAVE FORESTS

In the Philippines the dipterocarp forest is by far the most important type for timber production both for local and export usesThe dipterocarp forests is roughly 75% of the primary forest and harbors between 85% and 95% of the standing timber in the countryAll taxa of the Diptocarpaceae are giant trees reaching towering heights of 40-50 m and dm of 100-150 cmIn 1978, the remaining forests cover in the country is between 74% and 77% represents dipterocarp forest typeFrom 1934-1982, the total area of dipterocarp forest was reduce by 38%The present distribution dipterocarp forest shows:

a. 32.6% - Luzonb. 46.5% - Mindanaoc. 20.9% - Visayas

most of the dipterocarp in the Philippines are practically evergreen species.

DIPTEROCARP FORESTS

DIPTEROCARP FOREST

A. Lauan or Philippine Mahogany Subtypes The most succesful commercial forest in the

Philippines It is confined to regions with short or no dry

season It is best developed on the gentle slopes near bases

of mountain ranges and extends up to 300-400m elevation

At this point, it merge with tangile-oak of subtype. When topography is rough, this subtypes rarely

reaches a dense stand composition At a lower elevation and when near the sea, this

subtype overlaps with yakal-lauan subtype or the molave forest type.

DIPTEROCARP SUBTYPES

LAUAN OR PHILIPPINE MAHOGANY SUBTYPES

In terms of altitude and topographic conditions, the lauan-apitong subtype is nearly similar to the lauan subtype differing only in terms of regional climate pattern.

This subtype occurs in regions with a pronounced dry season.

Many of the species present in this subtype exhibit regular loss of foliage is relatively open and an undergrowth of climbing bamboos, woody lianas and other minor plants are typical.

LAUAN-APITONG SUBTYPE

LAUAN-APITONG SUBTYPE

Is restricted to regions where there is short or no dry season just like the lauan subtype.

It only differs from the lauan by being specifically found only in areas where the water table is high or near the surface.

HAGAKHAK-LAUAN SUBTYPE

HAGAKHAK-LAUAN SUBTYPE

The most extensively development on low coastal hills whwre the underlying rock is volcanic and where the dry season is relatively short.

It is sometime present in hills bordering large inner valleys or in headlands projecting into the sea.

During the driest period of the year, this subtype exhibits slight deciduousness.

On the ridges and exposed slopes, the most abundant species are yakal and hopea spp.

In protected ravines and along banks of streams, the following species are numerous

a. Shorea contorta

b. S. guiso

c. S.palosapis

d. Vatica manggachapoi

e. Parashorea malanonan.

YAKAL-LAUAN SUBTYPE

YAKAL-LAUAN SUBTYPE

The tangile-oak subtype extends from the upper (400 elevation) of the luan and lauan-apitong subtypes to the the lower limits (1,000 meters altitude) of he mossy forest type.

I practically encompasses all the high slopes of mountain.

As the name implies, the principal components species are tangile (Shorea polysperma) and oaks (Lithocarpus spp.)

This forest formation an be found in certain mountains like Mt. Halcon in Mindanao and Mt. Giting-giting in Sibuyan Island.

TANGILE-OAK SUBTYPE

TANGILE-OAK SUBTYPE

Considered as a dis climax or anthropogenic subclimax formation.

It is believed that areas now extensively occupied by pine trees were once a bastion of broad-leaved species.

Anthropogenic activities, such as collecting timber for house, cleaning lands for shifting cultivation, accidental or international setting of fires transformed these forest into open and drier sites.

In the Philippines this vegetation type is at its peak development in high plateaus and mountain range of Northern Luzon particularly in the Mountain Province.

The greatest segment of this vegetation cover lies between 900 and 1, 500 meters I region where a distinct dry season occurs.

The undergrowth vegetation of pine forest cannot fully development or advance ecologically

The two principal pine species found in the Philippines.

a. Pinus kesiya (Pinus insularis)b. P. merkusii

PINE FOREST

PINE FOREST

Derives its name from the abundant growth of mosses and liverworts on trunks of trees present in these areas.

In the , about 8% of the total land area is covered by the forest.

In many places, the topography of this forest type is rather rough and steep (over 1,200 meters)

The combination of steep slopes and heavy rains result in frequent landslide.

Generally, it is the type of forest where climatic conditions are very moist due to low clouds.

Temperature is much lower than in coastal areas Only in a few species belongs to the genera are found

at lower elevation.

MOSSY FOREST

MOSSY FOREST

A freshwater ecosystem whose physical nature is dominated by the presence of water and supports a distinct set of producers (plants) and consumers (animals)

The following are examples of freshwater ecosystem

a. Water system that is inland from the coast

b. Surface water (streams and rivers)

c. Standing water (lakes, reservoir. Ponds or wetland) Factors affecting the type and numbers of organisms

found in fresh water are:

a. The amount or concentration of nutrients

b. The depth through which sunlight can penetrate

c. The amount of dissolved oxygen and water temp.

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

MAJOR FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

The lake is a standing freshwater ecosystem.

It is formed when water is collected from direct precipitation, surface runoff, or ground water flow.

Water fills the basin-like depression formed fro volcanic activity, glaciation and impact features of meteorites.

LAKES

LAKES

FOUR DISTINCT ZONES OF LAKES

Is found in the shallow, nutrients rich water near the shore.

It contains rooted aquatic plants and abundant aquatic life dependent on plants.

LITTORAL ZONE

LITTORAL ZONE

Is the open water surface layer that receives sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis and contain floating phytoplankton's, plant-eating zooplanktons and fish that depend on such as kind of environment.

LIMNETIC ZONE

LIMNETIC ZONE

Zone of deep water , which is not penetrated by sunlight.

Inhabited most by fish that are adapted to its cooler, darker water and lower levels of dissolved oxygen.

PROFUNDAL ZONE

PROFUNDAL ZONE

Supports the bloodworms and other decomposers which live on dead plants debris, animal remains and animal wastes that float.

BENTHIC ZONE

BENTHIC ZONE

DISTINCT LAYERS OF LAKES

The upper with warm water exposed to the atmosphere with high levels of dissolved oxygen.

THE EPILIMNION

THE EPILIMNION

Is the lower layer of colder, denser water usually with a lower concentration of dissolved oxygen.

THERMOCLINE The main transition zone separating

these two layers.(epilimnion and hypolimnion)

The temperature drops shraply

THE HYPOLIMNION

THE HYPOLIMNION

THE MAJOR TYPES OF LAKES

A lake with a low supply of plant nutrients

Usually deep and has crystal clear water, cool to cold temperatures and relatively small populations of phytoplankton and fishes.

OLIGOTROPHIC LAKE

OLIGOTROPHIC LAKE

A lake with a large or excessive supply of plant nutrients.

Usually shallow and has cloudy, warm water, large populations of phytoplankton (especially algae) and zooplankton and diverse populations of fishes.

EUTROPHIC LAKE

EUTROPHIC LAKE

Which lakes receive inputs of plant nutrients (mostly nitrates and phosphates) from the surrounding land basin as a result of natural erosion and runoff.The input of nutrients near urban or agricultural centers can be greatly accelerated as a result of human activities.

EUTROPHICATION

EUTROPHICATION

the lakes that fall somewhere between these two extremes of nutrient enrichment

MESOTHROPIC LAKES

Are fairly large and deep, human-created bodies of standing fresh water.Often build behind damsThey are build primarily for water storageUnlike in lakes, the volume of water is contained in reservoirs is determined by what is required for hydroelectric power production, irrigation or domestic consumptions.

RESERVOIR

RESERVOIR

Are small, shallow, usually human-created impoundments of fresh watering Used primarily for watering livestock, raising freshwater fish or recreation especially fishingMost ponds consist entirely of a littoral zone covered with rooted plants from shore to shore and do not have distinct temperature zones like reservoirs or lakes.

POND

POND

Stream – are relatively small and flowing bodies of fresh water that empty into rivers.

STREAM AND RIVERS

Rivers – are wider and deeper than streams and empty into oceans.

STEAM AND RIVERS

The entire land area that delivers the water, sediment and dissolved substances via streams to a major river and ultimately to the sea.

WATERSHED OR DRAINAGE BASIN

A. The Shallow Water Zone or Rapid Zone

- characterized by shallow water where the velocity of current is enough to keep the bottom clean of silt and other loose materials providing a firm substrate.

TWO MAJOR ZONES IN STREAMS

B. Deeper Water or Pool Zone

- has a reduced velocity of current silt and other loose materials tend to settle in the bottom providing favorable condition to the burrowing forms of animals.

TWO MAJOR ZONES IN STREAMS

Land that remains flooded with fresh water all or part of the year and located away from coastal areas.It include bogs, marshes, swamps and river-overflow lands that are covered with fresh water and found inlands.

INLAND WETLAND

Examples of inland wetlands in the Philippines are:

a. Liguasan Marsh (Cotabato)

INLAND WETLAND

b. Agusan Marsh (Agusan del Sur)

INLAND WETLAND

c. Candaba Swamps (Pampanga)

INLAND WETLAND

MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Distinguished from the freshwater ecosystem because of its higher level of salinity usually at 35 parts per thousandExamples of marine ecosystems are oceans, coastal wetlands, estuaries and coral reefs.

MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Refers to the concentration of dissolved salts like sodium chloride in waterIt is a limiting factor that affects the distribution and growth of various aquatic plants and animals.

SALINITY

The relatively warm, nutrients – rich, shallow water zone that extends from the high tide mark on land to the edge of a shelflike extension of continental landmasses known as the continental shelf.It includes a number of different habitatsIt represents less than 10% of the total ocean area it contains 90% of all ocean plant and animal lifeIt is the site of most of the major commercial marine fisheriesThe sharp increases in the depth of the water at the edge of the continental shelf marks the separation of the neritic zone from the open sea

COASTAL OR NERITIC ZONE

Marine zone contains about 90% of the total surface area of the ocean but only about 10% contains plant and animal lifeThe huge open sea has a relatively low average net primary productivity of plant life because light is available only at its surface layer and most nutrients are found on the bottom far below.

COASTAL OR NERITIC ZONE

1. EUPHOTIC ZONE

- the surface layer through which enough sunlight can penetrate for photosynthesis.

- it supports scattered populations of phytoplankton, which in turn support commercially important herrings, sardines, anchovies and other small fishes that feed at the surface and their large predators such as tunas, mackerels and swordfishes.

OPEN SEA IS DIVIDED INTO THREE VERTICAL ZONES OR STRATA

2. BATHYAL ZONE

- a colder, darker layer where there is some penetration by sunlight but not enough to support photosynthesis.

OPEN SEA IS DIVIDED INTO THREE VERTICAL ZONES OR STRATA

3. ABYSSAL ZONE

- a layer of deep, pitch-dark, usually near freezing water and the ocean bottom.

- about 9 % of the ocean’s different species are decomposer bacteria. Most survive by feeding on dead plants and animals (scavengers) and their waste products which sink down from the surface waters and by making daily migrations, usually near dusk, to surface waters to feed.

OPEN SEA IS DIVIDED INTO THREE VERTICAL ZONES OR STRATA

OPEN SEA IS DIVIDED INTO THREE VERTICAL ZONES OR

STRATA

ESTUARY AND COASTAL WETLAND

are found along coastlines where fresh water from rivers mixes with salty oceanic waters.The saltiness of water changes with the tides ad flow of water from the rivers.Estuaries are productive ecosystems because of the large amount of nutrients from the riverThey serve as nursery sites for fish (Chanos-chanos) and crustaceansThey also serve as barriers to pollution as they trap sediments that prevents pollutants from reaching the ocean.

ESTUARIES

ESTUARIES

Usually consist of a mix of bays, lagoons, salt marshes where grasses are dominant vegetationIn tropical areas, we find mangrove swamps dominated by mangrove treesCoastal zones of warm tropical and subtropical oceans often contain coral reefsIn many populated coastal areas, human activities are increasingly threatening the abundance of plant and animal life in estuaries and coastal wetlands.

COASTAL WETLANDS

COASTAL WETLANDS

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