1. Chapter 3

2. Ecology= study of living organisms and how they interact with one another as well as with the non-living world
Abiotic= Non-living factors that support an ecosystem (air, water, soil)
Biotic = living factor that support an ecosystem (anything that contains cells)\

3. Earth’s Life Support Systems
There are 3 basic processes that make it possible for life not only to exist, but to flourish
One way flow of energy from the sun
Cycling of nutrients
A consistent force of gravity

4. One Way Flow of Energy from the Sun
Energy from sun arrives at the earth in the form of solar radiation
Half of solar radiation is in the form visible light
40 % arrives as infrared radiation that is largely responsible for planetary heating
The rest of the energy helps to keep the earth warm

5. Solar energy flowing through the biosphere warms the atmosphere, evaporates and recycles water, generates winds and supports plant growth.

6. Cycling of Nutrients
The Earth acts as a closed system for matter. There is a fixed supply of nutrients on the planet that must be continually recycled to support life

7. Falling leaves and twigs Soluble mineral nutrients
Oxygen (O2)
Sun
Producer
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Secondary consumer
(fox)
Primary
consumer
(rabbit)
Precipitation
Producers
Falling leaves and twigs
Figure 3.10
Natural capital: major components of an ecosystem in a field.
Soil decomposers
Water
Soluble mineral nutrients
Fig. 3-10, p. 57

8. 4 major systems that regulate and support life in biosphere
Atmosphere= Most of its mass exists within the first two layers
Troposphere= layer where weather occurs
78 % nitrogen, 21 % oxygen
Also includes our greenhouse gases that are responsible for warming the surface of the earth

9. Greenhouse gases
Gases include= water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane
Gases absorb radiation emitted by earth’s surface
Molecules gain kinetic energy and vibrate they release even longer wavelength infrared radiation which warms the earth’s surface

10. Stratosphere= contains our ozone layer
Responsible for filtering out 95 % of the harmful ultraviolet light.

11. Hydrosphere Consists of all the water available on the planet.
Water is found in many various forms on the planet
Liquid= surface and underground
Ice= polar ice, permafrost, and icebergs
Water vapor

12. Geosphere Consists of earth’s crust, mantle, and core
Crust and mantle contain the soil and rock system that house nonrenewable fossil fuels and minerals

13. Ecosystem Structure
Each organism can only live within a specific range of tolerance
Physical & Chemical variations that exist within their environment
Range of tolerance may vary
Optimum Range= range in which growth of a population is maximized
Certain abiotic factors like water, temperature, dissolved oxygen, or salinity will influence what the optimum range will be for a species.

14. Optimum Range

15. Energy flow in ecosystems
Organisms in the ecosystems are organized into a hierarchy of feeding orders or (trophic levels)
Trophic levels are assigned based on the organisms method for acquiring energy and nutrients from the ecosystem
Energy passes from one trophic level to the next and organisms are either producing energy for the ecosystem or consuming energy from it.

17. Producers
These organisms are self feeders, or often referred to as primary producers (autotrophs)
Acquire nutrients by converting compounds or energy from their environment
They represent the first trophic level in the ecosystem
Most of producers acquire nutrients by photosynthesis

18. On land dominant producers are = green plants
Ocean= phytoplankton (single celled algae)
There are communities that thrive without the sun for energy
Hydrothermal vent communities

19. Bacteria are the producers
Convert sulfur compounds escaping from vents into organic compounds for consumers
Chemosynthesis

20. Consumers: Eating and Recycling to Survive
Consumers (heterotrophs) get their food by eating or breaking down all or parts of other organisms or their remains.
Herbivores
Primary consumers that eat producers
Carnivores
Primary consumers eat primary consumers
Third and higher level consumers: carnivores that eat carnivores.
Omnivores
Feed on both plant and animals.
All use the process of cellular respiration

21. Types of Consumers

22. Decomposers & Detrivores
Bacteria & Fungi
Breakdown organic compounds without the use of oxygen known as anaerobic respiration or fermentation

23. Decomposers recycle organic material that support the growth and development of primary producers
Detritivores= Insects or other scavengers that feed on wastes or dead bodies