Ecosystems And Energy Flow

Ecology The study of how organisms interact with one another and with their nonliving environment The study of how organisms interact with one another and with their nonliving environment

Organization of Life Cells --> --> Organisms --> populations --> communities --> ecosystems --> biosphere Cells --> --> Organisms --> populations --> communities --> ecosystems --> biosphere P. 66 Fig. 4-2 P. 66 Fig. 4-2

Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms -living part of Earth = community + environment -biotic & abiotic factors -Cycling of nutrients -pop. of different species -type of species -# of species -relationships b/n species - members of same species Species = similar organisms, produce offspring

Spheres of Earth Troposphere~ 0-11 miles above earth Contains the majority of Earth ’ s air, contains bad ozone O 3 Stratosphere~ miles above earth The ozone layer, good ozone O 3 (sunscreen) Lithosphere~ Crust and Mantle Important for nonrenewable resources Soil nutrients for plants Ecosphere~aka Biosphere; 12 miles beneath sea level to the highest mountain Life is only found in this layer Hydrosphere~ Water, ice, & water vapor

Atmosphere Vegetation and animals Soil Rock Biosphere Crust core MantleLithosphere Crust Lithosphere (crust, top of upper mantle) Hydrosphere (water) Atmosphere (air) Biosphere (Living and dead organisms) Crust (soil and rock) p. 68 Fig. 4-6

Biosphere Carbon cycle Phosphorus cycle Nitrogen cycle Water cycle Oxygen cycle Heat in the environment Heat Life on Earth depends on: Energy flow Element cycling Gravity p. 69 Fig. 4-7

PHOTOSYNTHESIS light + 6CO H > C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 + 6H 2 0 RESPIRATION C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 --> 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + energy

Components of Ecosystems Abiotic (nonliving) - water, air, nutrients, solar energy Abiotic (nonliving) - water, air, nutrients, solar energy Biotic (living) - plants, animals, microorganisms Biotic (living) - plants, animals, microorganisms

Species in land zone Species in aquatic zone Species in transition zone only Land zoneTransition zoneAquatic zone Number of species Adjacent Ecosystems Ecotone Notice the lack of sharp Boundaries Great Diversity

Sun Producers (rooted plants) Producers (phytoplankton) Primary consumers (zooplankton) Secondary consumer (fish) Dissolved chemicals Tertiary consumer (turtle) Sediment Decomposers (bacteria and fungi)

Sun Producer Precipitation Falling leaves and twigs Producers Primary consumer (rabbit) Secondary consumer (fox) Carbon dioxide (rabbit) Oxygen (O 2 ) Water Soil decomposers Soluble mineral nutrients

Abiotic Factors NONLIVING physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce NONLIVING physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce Different species thrive under different conditions Different species thrive under different conditions Temperature, weather, water availability Temperature, weather, water availability Sunlight Sunlight pH pH

Terrestrial EcosystemsAquatic Life Zones Sunlight Temperature Precipitation Wind Latitude (distance from equator) Altitude (distance above sea level) Fire frequency Soil Light penetration Water currents Dissolved nutrient concentrations (especially N and P) Suspended solids p. 73 Fig Abiotic Factors

Biotic Factors LIVING components of ecosystem LIVING components of ecosystem Producers (autotrophs) Producers (autotrophs) Primary consumers (heterotrophs) Primary consumers (heterotrophs) Secondary & tertiary consumers Secondary & tertiary consumers Carnivores, Herbivores, Omnivores Carnivores, Herbivores, Omnivores Decomposers (recyclers) - Detritus Feeders Decomposers (recyclers) - Detritus Feeders

Fig. 4.15, p. 75 BIOTIC ROLES in environment Mushroom Wood reduced to powder Long-horned beetle holes Bark beetle engraving Carpenter ant galleries Termite and carpenter ant work Dry rot fungus Detritus feedersDecomposers Time progression Powder broken down by decomposers into plant nutrients in soil

Heat Abiotic chemicals (carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, minerals) Producers (plants) Decomposers (bacteria, fungus) Consumers (herbivores, carnivores) Solar energy HEAT = low quality energy

Food Webs and Energy Flow Food chain Food chain Linear sequence depicting the flow of energy between organisms Linear sequence depicting the flow of energy between organisms Trophic levels = feeding levels Trophic levels = feeding levels Producers --> primary consumers --> secondary consumers --> tertiary consumers Producers --> primary consumers --> secondary consumers --> tertiary consumers Food web Food web Interconnected, complex food chain Interconnected, complex food chain Arrows drawn in direction of energy flow Arrows drawn in direction of energy flow FROM PREY --> TO PREDATOR

Heat First Trophic Level Second Trophic Level Third Trophic Level Fourth Trophic Level Solar energy Producers (plants) Primary consumers (herbivores) Tertiary consumers (top carnivores) Secondary consumers (carnivores) Detritivores (NUTRIENT RECYCLERS) (decomposers and detritus feeders) FOOD CHAIN - linear flow of energy p. 77 Fig. 4-18

Humans Blue whaleSperm whale Crabeater seal Killer whale Elephant seal Leopard seal Adélie penguins Petrel Fish Squid Carnivorous plankton Krill Phytoplankton Herbivorous zooplankton Emperor penguin FOOD WEB p. 78 Fig locate producers -locate consumers -trophic levels - top consumers

Pyramid of Energy Flow Loss in energy b/n successive trophic levels Loss in energy b/n successive trophic levels 10% gets transferred 10% gets transferred Explains… Explains… Why there are few top carnivores (eagles, hawks, tigers, white sharks) Why there are few top carnivores (eagles, hawks, tigers, white sharks) Why such species are first to suffer when the ecosystems that support them are disrupted Why such species are first to suffer when the ecosystems that support them are disrupted Why these species are so vulnerable to extinction Why these species are so vulnerable to extinction

Heat ,000 10,000 Usable energy Available at Each tropic level (in kilocalories) Producers (phytoplankton) Primary consumers (zooplankton) Secondary consumers (perch) Tertiary consumers (human) Decomposers

Energy Input: 20, ,679,190 1,700,000 (100%) Energy Output Total Annual Energy Flow Metabolic heat, export Waste, remains 1,700,000 kilocalories Producers Herbivores Carnivores Top carnivores Decomposers, detritivores Energy Transfers 20,810 (1.2%) Incoming solar energy not harnessed 1,679,190 (98.8%) 4,2453,36813, , Top carnivores Carnivores Herbivores Producers 5,060 Decomposers/detritivores 20,810 3,

Abandoned FieldOcean Tertiary consumers Secondary consumers Primary consumers Producers Graphs of biomass of organisms in the various trophic levels for two ecosystems. The size of each square represents dry weight per square meter of all organisms at that trophic level.

Fig. 4.23, p. 86 Grassland (summer) Temperate Forest (summer) Producers Primary consumers Secondary consumers Tertiary consumers Generalized graphs of numbers of organisms in the various trophic levels for two ecosystems.

Primary Productivity An ecosystem ’ s gross primary productivity (GPP) = Rate at which an ecosystem ’ s producers convert solar energy into chemical energy as biomass An ecosystem ’ s gross primary productivity (GPP) = Rate at which an ecosystem ’ s producers convert solar energy into chemical energy as biomass Net primary productivity (NPP) = Net primary productivity (NPP) = {Rate at which producers store chemical energy as biomass } - {Rate at which producers use chemical energy stored as biomass }

Fig. 4.24, p. 87 Variation in productivity on Earth High productivity -- green Low productivity -- yellow

Estuaries Swamps and marshes Tropical rain forest Temperate forest Northern coniferous forest (taiga) Savanna Agricultural land Woodland and shrubland Temperate grassland Lakes and streams Continental shelf Open ocean Tundra (arctic and alpine) Desert scrub Extreme desert 8001,6002,4003,2004,0004,8005,6006,4007,2008,0008,8009,600 Average net primary productivity (kcal/m 2 /yr) Fig. 4.25, p. 88 Estimated annual average of NPP per unit area in major life zones and ecosystems

Fig % Not used by Humans 8% Lost or Degrades Land 16% Altered by Human Activity 3% Used Directly Human use of the biomass produced by photosynthesis

Ecologists Field research Field research GIS (geographic information systems) GIS (geographic information systems) Lab research Lab research Systems analysis Systems analysis

Fig. 4.35, p. 98 Systems Measurement Data Analysis System Modeling System Simulation System Optimization Define objectives Identify and inventory variables Obtain baseline data on variables Make statistical analysis of relationships among variables Determine significant interactions Construct mathematical model describing interactions among variables Run the model on a computer, with values entered for different variables Evaluate best ways to achieve objectives Systems Analysis

Fig. 4.36, p. 99 Solar Capital Air resources and purification Climate control Recycling vital chemicals Renewable energy resources Nonrenewable energy resources Nonrenewable mineral resources Potentially renewable matter resources Biodiversity and gene pool Natural pest and disease control Waste removal and detoxification Soil formation and renewal Water resources and purification Natural Capital Ecosystem services