Components (factors) of ecosystem:-

An ecosystem has two basic components:

(i) Abiotic (non-living)

(ii) Biotic (living)

(i) Abiotic components:- Comprise inorganic materials (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, CO2, water, etc.) and dead organic matter, containing proteins carbohydrates, lipids, minerals etc.

Abiotic substances are present in soil, water and air. The solar radiation and temperature determine the abiotic conditions within which the organisms carry out life functions.

(ii) Biotic components:- Biotic components include producers, consumers and decomposers.

(a) Producers are the autotrophic generally chlorophyll bearing organism which produce their own food by fixing light energy in the presence of simple inorganic abiotic substances.

(b) Consumers or phagotrophs:- Consumers are hetrophic organisms mostly animals which generally ingest of swallow their food. The food of consumers consists of organic compounds produced by other living organisms. A consumer which derives nutrition by eating plants is called primary consumer or herbivore. The secondary nutrition by eating plants is called primary consumer or herbivore. The secondary consumer or carnivore is an animal that devours the flesh of herbivore or other animals.

(c) Decomposer or saprotrophs:- The heterotrophic organisms, consisting mostly of bacteria and fungi which live on a dead organic matter of detritus.