1. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Photosynthesis - A process in which energy from the sun is used to make sugar molecules (carbohydrates).
Producer (autotroph) – makes its own food, obtains energy directly from the sun. (self-feeder)
Consumer (heterotroph) – get their energy by eating other organisms. (other-feeder)

2. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
In deep-ocean ecosystems (no sunlight, no photosynthesis), hydrogen sulfide that escapes from the cracks in the ocean floor is used by bacteria to make their own food.
Herbivores, plant eaters (cows, rabbits, insects, etc.)
Carnivores, flesh eaters (lions, hawks, etc.)
Omnivores, eat plants & flesh (humans, bears, etc.)
Decomposers, breakdown dead organisms for food

3. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Cellular respiration – process within the cell of an organism that uses glucose and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy. (reverse photosynthesis!)
Consumers depend on producers
owls eat mice, mice eat grain both depend on
plants for their energy source

4. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Food chain – energy transferred from one organism to the next.
Food web – shows many feeding relationships
Trophic level – each step energy is transferred
Energy pyramid – perfect shape to represent energy levels. Base, largest, where most energy located. Narrows upward to show loss of energy at each succeeding level.

5. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Only 10% of the energy stored is available to the next trophic level. **
Carbon (C) cycle - short cycle
C found in atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2)
Plants convert CO2 to carbohydrates (photosyn.)
Consumers eat plants for energy and release CO2
CO2 released back to atmosphere
Next section short, so if not done, can do the notes at beginning of class next day!

6. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Long-term carbon cycle
C into carbohydrates into bones and shells
-over millions of years can form into limestone a
carbon sink or reservoir.
- C from bodies of plants and animals that died
million of years ago are converted into fats, oils,
& other molecules that store energy.
- overtime, these are converted into coal, oil,
and natural gas found underground.
Next section short, so if not done, can do the notes at beginning of class next day!

7. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Earth’s atmosphere
78% nitrogen (N)
21% oxygen (O)
1% misc. gases
Most organisms cannot use this nitrogen, need nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert to useable form.
Legumes – nitrogen-fixing bacteria live within the nodules on the roots of plants.

8. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Living things must make proteins (contain N)
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria capture N from air
Convert N to useable form for plants
Herbivores get N by eating plants
Organisms eat herbivores
Then
Decomposers break down dead organisms
Convert the N in dead organisms in to ammonia
Other bacteria convert ammonia to N gas
Release N back into atmosphere **

9. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Ecological succession – gradual species change
Primary succession – on surface where no ecosystem existed (new islands formed by volcanic activity)
Secondary succession – on surface where an ecosystem previously existed
Fire helps forest by allowing seed release and
by clearing away deadwood, encourage new trees
Recent – small woody plants, no big trees
Old – fewer weeds/seeds, large trees cut for firewood

10. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Pioneer species – first organism to colonize
Lichen – producer made of 2 different species
Alga – photosynthesis
Fungus – absorbs nutrients from rocks, hold H2O
Lichen slowly breaks down rock into soil and organic material when they die.

11. Environmental Science – Chapter 5
Algal bloom – excess nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers entering a water system cause rapid growth of algae.
Overabundance of algae use up the oxygen
and fish die due to suffocation.