(i) Diatom ~ Guppies ~ Large fishes ~ Crane
(ii) Grass ~ Rabbit ~ Snake ~ Hawk

The development of plant community in a barren area where no community existed before is called primary succession. The plants which colonize first in a barren area is called pioneer species or primary community or primary colonies. Generally, Primary succession takes a very long time for the occurrence in any region.
Example: Microbes, Lichen and Mosses.

Phosphorus cycle is a type of sedimentary cycle in which phosphorus is found in the biomolecules like DNA, RNA, ATP, NADP and phospholipid molecules of living organisms. Phosphorus is not abundant in the biosphere, whereas a bulk quantity of phosphorus is present in rock deposits, marine sediments and guano. It is released from these deposits by weathering process. After that, it circulates in lithosphere as well as hydrosphere. The producers absorb phosphorus in the form of phosphate ions, and then it is transferred to each trophic level of food chain through food. Again death of the organisms and degradation by the action of decomposers, the phosphorus is released back into the lithosphere and hydrosphere to maintain phosphorus cycle.

A graphical representation of energy flow at each successive trophic level in an ecosystem is called pyramids of energy. The bottom of the pyramid of energy is occupied by the producers. There is a gradual decrease in energy transfer at successive tropic levels from producers to the upper levels. Therefore, the pyramid of energy is always upright.

(1) pyramid of number
(2) pyramid of biomass
(3) pyramid of energy.

Main source of energy for the grazing food chain is the Sun. It begins with the first link, producers (plants). The second link in the food chain is primary consumers (mouse) which get their food from producers. The third link in the food chain is secondary consumers (snake) which get their food from primary consumers. Fourth link in the food chain is tertiary consumers (eagle) which get their food from secondary consumers.
Grass       ➝             Mouse        ➝              Snake         ➝                Eagle
Producers       Primary consumers    Secondary Consumers    Tertiary consumers

Second law of thermodynamics states that energy transformation results in the reduction of the free energy of the system. Usually energy transformation cannot be 100% efficient. As energy is transferred from one organism to another in the form of food, a portion of it is stored as energy in living tissue, whereas a large part of energy is dissipated as heat through respiration. The transfer of energy is irreversible natural process.

(I) Buying and use only ecofriendly products and recycle them.
(II) Growing more trees.
(III) Choosing sustained farm products (vegetables, fruits and greens, etc.)
(IV) Reduce the use of natural resources.
(V) Recycle the waste and reduce the amount of waste you produce.
(VI) Reduce consumption of water and electricity.
(VII) Reduce or eliminate the use of house-hold chemicals and pesticides.
(VIII) Maintain your cars and vehicles properly. (In order to reduce carbon emission).
(IX) Create awareness and educate about ecosystem protection among your friends and family members and ask them to find out solution to minimise this problem.

Pyramid of number
(i) In a forest ecosystem the pyramid of number is different in shape, it is because the base (T ₁) of the pyramid occupies large sized trees (producer) which are lesser in number.
(ii) Herbivores (T₂) occupying second trophic level, are more in number than the producers (T₁).
(iii) In final trophic level (T₄) tertiary consumers (lion) are lesser in number than the secondary consumers (T₃).
(iv) Therefore, the pyramid of numbers in forest ecosystem looks spindle-shaped.
Pyramid of biomass
(i) In forest ecosystem, there is a gradual decrease in biomass of organisms at successive trophic levels from producers to top carnivores (Tertiary consumer). Therefore, the pyramid of biomass looks upright.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) is the total amount of food energy or biomass produced in an ecosystem by autotrophs through the process of photosynthesis whereas Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is the proportion of energy which remains after respiration loss in the plant. When we compare GPP with NPP more energy is present in former than in latter.

Hydrosere: Succession of plants in a freshwater ecosystem.
Xerosere: Succession of plants in areas with minimal amount of water.

(a) Pond ecosystem
(b) Forest ecosystem.

The pyramid of number in a parasite ecosystem is always inverted, because it starts with a single tree. Therefore there is gradual increase in the number of organisms in successive tropic levels from producer to tertiary consumers.

Eltonian pyramid or Ecological pyramid is a graphic representation of the trophic structure and function at successive trophic levels of an ecosystem.

The transfer of energy in an ecosystem between trophic levels can be termed as energy flow. It is the key function in an ecosystem. Energy flow is always unidirectional in an ecosystem.

Grey carbon - carbon stored in fossil fuel (coal, oil and biogas deposits in the lithosphere).
Black carbon - carbon emitted from gas, diesel engine and coal fired power plants.

Biotic (living) components includes all living organisms like plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. They form the trophic structures of any ecosystem.

A.G. Tansley (1935), who defined ecosystem as 'the system resulting from the integration of all the living and non-living factors Of the environment'.

There is a gradual decrease in energy transfer at successive tropic levels from producers to higher levels, hence the pyramid of energy is always upright.

Significance of Plant Succession
(I) Succession is a dynamic process. Hence an ecologist can access and study the seral stages of a plant community found in a particular area.
(II) The knowledge of ecological succession helps to understand the controlled growth of one or more species in a forest.
(III) Utilizing the knowledge of succession, even dams can be protected by preventing siltation.
(IV) It gives information about the techniques to be used during reforestation and afforestation.
(V) It helps in the maintenance of pastures.
(VI) Plant succession helps to maintain species diversity in an ecosystem.
(VII) Patterns of diversity during succession are influenced by resource availability and disturbance by various factors.
(VIII) Primary succession involves the colonization of habitat of an area devoid of life.
(IX) Secondary succession involves the re-establishment of a plant community in disturbed area or habitat.
(X) Forests and vegetation that we come across all over the world are the result of plant succession.

Strategy of ecosystem management
(I) It is used to maintain biodiversity of ecosystems.
(II) It helps in indicating the damaged ecosystem (Some species indicate the health of the ecosystem: such species are called a flagship species).
(III) It is used to recognize the inevitability of ecosystem change and plan accordingly.
(IV) It is one of the tools used for achieving sustainability of ecosystem through sustainable development programme (or projects).
(V) It is also helpful in identifying ecosystems which are in need of rehabilitation.
(VI) It involves collaborative management with government agencies, local population, communities and NGO's.
(VII) It is used to build the capacity of local institutions and community groups to assume  responsibility for long term implementation of ecosystem management activities even after the completion of the project.

Abiotic components
A pond ecosystem consists of dissolved inorganic (CO₂, O₂, Ca, N and Phosphate) and organic substances (amino acids and humic acid) formed from the dead organic matter. The function of pond ecosystem is regulated by few factors like the amount of light, temperature, pH value of water and other climatic conditions.

Biotic components
They constitute the producers, variety of consumers and decomposers (microorganisms).
(a) Producers
A variety of phytoplanktons like Oscillatoria, Anabaena, Eudorina, Volvox and Diatoms. Filamentous algae such as Ulothrix, Spirogyra, Cladophora and Oedogonium; floating plants Azolla, Salvia, Pistia, Wolffia and Eichhonia. Sub-merged plants Potamogeton and Phragmitis; Rooted floating plants Nymphaea and Nelumbo; Macrophytes like Typha and Ipomoea, constitute the major producers of a pond ecosystem.
(b) Consumers
The animals represent the consumers of a pond ecosystem include zooplanktons like Paramoecium and Daphnia (primary consumers); Benthos (bottom living animals) like mollusces and annelids; secondary consumers like water beetles and frogs; and tertiary consumers (carnivores) like duck, crane and some top carnivores which include large fish, hawk and man, etc.
(c) Decomposers
They are also called as microconsumers. They help to recycle the nutrients in the ecosystem. These are present in mud water and bottom of the ponds. Example: Bacteria and Fungi. Decomposers perform the process of decomposition in order to enrich the nutrients in the pond ecosystem.
The cycling of nutrients between abiotic and biotic components is evident in the pond ecosystem, making itself self sufficient and self regulating.

Mechanism of decomposition
Decomposition is a step wise process of degradation mediated by enzymatic reactions.
Detritus acts as a raw material for decomposition.
It occurs in the following steps.
(a) Fragmentation - The breaking down of detritus into smaller particles by detritivores like bacteria, fungi and earth worm is known as fragmentation. These detritivores secrete certain substances to enhance the fragmentation process and increase the surface area of detritus particles.
(b) Catabolism - The decomposers produce some extracellular enzymes in their surroundings to break down complex organic and inorganic compounds in to simpler ones. This is called catabolism.
(c) Leaching or Eluviation - The movement of decomposed, water soluble organic and inorganic compounds from the surface to the lower layer of soil or the carrying away of the same by water is called leaching or eluviation.
(d) Humification - It is a process by which simplified detritus is changed into dark coloured amorphous substance called humus. It is highly resistant to microbial action, therefore decomposition is very slow. It is the reservoir of nutrients.
(e) Mineralisation - Some microbes are involved in the release of inorganic nutrients from the humus of the soil, such process is called mineralisation.

Type of succession
Hydrosere
(i) The succession in a freshwater ecosystem is also referred to as hydrosere
(ii) Succession in a pond, begins with colonization of the pioneer's like phytoplankton and finally ends with the formation of climax community like forest stage. It includes the following stages
(a) Phytoplankton stage
It is the first stage of succession consisting of the pioneer Community like blue green algae, green algae, diatoms, bacteria, etc.,
The colonization of these organisms enrich the amount of organic matter and nutrients of pond due to their life activities and death.
This favors the development of the next several stages
(b) Submerged plant stage
As the result of death and decomposition of planktons, silt brought from land by rain water, lead to a loose mud formation at the bottom of the pond. Hence, the rooted submerged hydrophytes begin to appear on the new substratum.
Example: Chara, Utricularia, Vallisneria and Hydrilla etc.
The death and decay of these plants will build up the substratum of pond to become shallow. Therefore, this habitat now replaces another group of plants which are of floating type.
(c) Submerged free floating stage
During this stage, the depth of the pond will become almost 2-5 feet
Hence, the rooted hydrophytic plants and with floating large leaves start colonising the pond.
Example: Rooted floating plants like Nelumbo, Nymphaea and Trapa. Some free floating species like Azolla, Lemna, Wolffia and Pistia are also present in this stage.
By death and decomposition of these plants, further the pond becomes more shallow.
Due to this reason, floating plant species is gradually replaced by another species which makes new several stage.
(d) Reed-swamp stage
It is also called an amphibious stage.
During this stage, rooted floating plants are replaced by plants which can live successfully in aquatic as well as aerial environment.
Example: Typha, Phragmites, Sagittaria and Scirpus etc. At the end of this stage, water level is very much reduced, making it unsuitable for the continuous growth of amphibious Plants.
(e) Marsh meadow stage
When the pond becomes swallowed due to decreasing water level
Species of Cyperaceae and Poaceae such as Carex, Iuncus, Cyperus and Eleocharis colonise the area
They form a mat-like vegetation with the help of their much branched root system.
This leads to an absorption and loss of large quantity of water
At the end of this stage, the soil becomes dry and the marshy vegetation disappears gradually and leads to shurb stage
(d) Shrub stage
As the disappearance of marshy vegetation continues, soil becomes dry.
Hence, these areas are now invaded by terrestrial plants like shrubs (Salix and Cornus) and trees (Populus and Alnus).
These plants absorb large quantity of water and make the habitat dry.
Further, the accumulation of humus with a rich flora of microorganisms produce minerals in the soil, ultimately favouring the arrival of new tree species in the area
(e) Forest stage
It is the climax community of hydrosere.
A variety of trees invade the area and develop any one of the diverse type of vegetation.
Example: Temperate mixed forest (Ulmus, Acer and Quercus), Tropical rain forest (Artocarpus and Cinnamomum) and Tropical deciduous forest (Bamboo and Tectona).
In the 7 stages of hydrosere succession, stage 1 is occupied by pioneer community, while the stage 7 is occupied by the climax community. The stages 2 to 6 are occupied by several communities,

Grassland ecosystem : There is a gradual decrease in the number of organisms in each trophic level from producers to primary consumers and then to secondary consumers, and finally to tertiary consumers. Therefore pyramids of number in grassland ecosystem are always upright.