1. Chapter 4 Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, & Matter Cycling © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

2. Chapter Outline 1. Ecosystem Concepts Components and organization of EcologyComponents and organization of Ecology 2. Food Webs & Energy Flow autotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiencyautotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiency 3. Nutrient Cycles water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphoruswater, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus 4. Ecosystem Services importance of ecosystemsimportance of ecosystems © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

3. Ecosystem Concepts Ecology: study of relationships between organisms & their environment biosphere ecosystem community population organism © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Realm of ecology

6. Organism organism: any form of life classified into species species: groups of organisms that resemble each other and can potentially interbreed There are estimated to be 3.6 - 100 million species Only about 1.8 million species named © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

7. Population Population: a group of interacting individuals of the same species Examples: sunfish in a pond white oak trees in a forest people in a city habitat: the place where a population usually lives © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

8. Communities Communities: populations of all species living together in a given area Example: Redwood forest community - consisting of populations of redwood trees, other trees, shrubs, animals, and microorganisms © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

9. Ecosystem Ecosystem: a community of different species interacting with one another & with their non–living environment of matter & energy Examples: a patch of woods a lake or pond a farm field an entire watershed in a tropical rain forest © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

10. Biome Biomes: large land area characterized by a distinct climate & specific populations Major biomes: temperate grassland temperate deciduous forest desert tropical rain forest tropical deciduous forest tropical savannah coniferous forest tundra © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

12. Aquatic Life Zone Aquatic Life Zone: major marine or freshwater portion of the ecosphere, containing numerous ecosystems Major aquatic life zones: lakes streams estuaries coastlines coral reefs deep ocean © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

13. Major Components of Ecosystems abiotic: non-living components e.g., water, air, nutrients, & solar energy biotic: living components e.g, plants, animals, & microorganisms © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

14. Biotic Components producers (autotrophs "self–feeders"): make their own food from abiotic compounds. most by photosynthesis, e.g., green plants a few by chemosynthesis, e.g., some bacteria consumers (heterotrophs "other–feeders"): get their energy & nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains. herbivores carnivores decomposers © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

15. Consumers (heterotrophs) primary consumers: (herbivores) feed directly on producers secondary consumers: (carnivores) feed on primary consumers tertiary consumers: feed on carnivores © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

16. Consumers (heterotrophs) omnivores: consumers that feed on both plants & animals

17. Consumers (heterotrophs) scavengers: feed on dead organisms

18. Consumers (heterotrophs) decomposers: consumers that complete the breakdown & recycling of organic materials from the remains & wastes of other organisms

19. Consumers (heterotrophs) detritivores: feed on detritus (partially decomposed organic matter, such as leaf litter & animal dung)

20. Decomposers

21. Aquatic Ecosystems

22. Terrestrial Ecosystems

23. Limiting Factor Limiting Factor: an environmental factor that is more important than other factors in regulating survival, growth, or reproduction too much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent growth tolerance: distribution & abundance of a species determined by range of physical or chemical factors © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

24. Range of Tolerance

25. Photosynthesis 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + solar energy C 6 H 12 O 6 + O 2 complex chemical reaction in plants, in which solar radiation is captured by chlorophyll (& other pigments) & used to combine carbon dioxide & water to produce carbohydrates (e.g., glucose), other organic compounds, & oxygen © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

26. Respiration C 6 H 12 O 6 + O 2 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + energy complex process that occurs in the cells of organisms, in which organic molecules (e.g., glucose) are combined with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide & water, & release energy © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

27. Summary of Ecosystem Structure Fig. 4–13 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

28. 2. Food Webs & Energy Flow Fig. 4–14 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

29. A Food Web in Antarctica Fig. 4–15 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

30. A Grazing Food Web Fig. 4–18a © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

31. Energy Pyramid Fig. 4–16 ecological efficiency 5% to 20% 10% efficiency general rule © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

32. Generalized Energy Pyramid Fig. 4–17 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

33. Biomass Pyramids Fig. 4–18 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

34. Pyramids of Numbers Fig. 4–19 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

35. Primary Productivity gross primary productivity (GPP): the rate at which an ecosystem's producers convert solar energy into chemical energy as biomass net primary productivity (NPP): the rate at which energy for use by consumers is stored in new biomass NPP = GPP – [rate producers use biomass] © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

36. Primary Productivity (per area) Fig. 4–21 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

37. Primary Productivity (total) Fig. 4–22 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

38. Nutrient Cycling & Sustainability ecosystems tend toward equilibrium with respect to energy flow & nutrient cycling; may appear self–contained; “immature” natural ecosytems -- major shifts in energy flow & nutrient cycling; ecosystems not self-contained -- considerable exchange of water & nutrients of ecosystems with adjacent ecosystems; human modification of nutrient cycles can lead to major shifts in ecosystem function. © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

39. 4. Ecosystem Services natural benefits that support life on the earth & are essential to the quality of human life & the functioning of the world's economies © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

40. Examples of Ecosystem Services control & moderate climate recycle vital nutrients provide energy & mineral resources furnish food, fiber, medicine, timber, & paper pollinate crops & useful native plants absorb, dilute, or detoxify pollutants control populations of pests & disease organisms slow soil erosion & prevent flooding provide biodiversity of genes & species © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

41. Why is biodiversity important? material benefits ecosystem services aesthetic benefits Two principles of sustainability? use renewable solar energy recycle nutrients needed for survival, growth, & reproduction © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

42. Why is an understanding of ecology essential for environmental science? understanding the scientific basis for interdependence & connectedness solving environmental problems ensuring sustainability high–quality life for humans high–quality life for other organisms. © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

43. The problems of the human future range far beyond ecology, yet ecology is an essential part of them. – Robert H. Whittaker All things come from earth, and to earth they all return. – Menander (342–290 B.C.) © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP