2.  2.5.1 Explain the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in the ecosystem.  2.5.2 Describe photosynthesis and respiration in terms of inputs, outputs, and energy transformations.  2.5.3 Describe and explain the transfer and transformation of energy as it flows through an ecosystem.

3.  2.5.4 Describe and explain the transfer and transformation of materials as they cycle within an ecosystem.  2.5.5 Define the terms gross productivity, net productivity, primary productivity, and secondary productivity.  2.5.6 Define the terms and calculate values of both gross primary productivity (GPP), and net primary productivity (NPP).

4.  2.5.7 Define the terms and calculate values of both gross secondary productivity (GSP), and net secondary productivity (NSP).

5.  Producers – basis of ecosystem, supporting them through constant input of energy and biomass.  Consumers – Obtain energy, minerals, and nutrients by eating other organisms.

6.  Decomposers – Break down dead organic matter for food, thereby releasing nutrients ready for reabsorption by producers. Also build up hummus and improve nutrient retention capacity of soil.

7.  Photosynthesis › Inputs: Sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water › Outputs: Glucose, and oxygen › Transformation: Light energy into stored chemical energy

8.  Respiration › Inputs: Glucose, and oxygen › Outputs: Carbon dioxide, water, and release of energy for work and heat › Transformation: Stored chemical energy to kinetic energy and heat

9.  Not all solar radiation ends up as biomass. Losses include: › Reflection from leaves › Not hitting chloroplasts › Wrong wavelength › Transmission of light through the leaf › Inefficiency of photosynthesis

10.  Energy comes into the ecosystem as light energy, which is converted into chemical energy by producers. That chemical energy is transferred as organisms are eaten, with energy being lost as heat and respiration.

11.  Carbon cycle – Carbon is fixed by producers. They respire returning some to the atmosphere, with the rest going to biomass. When they die they are eaten by decomposers, returning CO 2 to air.

12.  Carbon cycle – Producers that died a long time ago are turned into fossil fuels and release CO2 when burned. Shellfish fix CO2 in their shells and release it after a long time thru weathering volcanism.

13.  Nitrogen cycle – Nitrogen is fixed by bacteria and absorbed by plants. Plants are eaten by consumers and decomposers, with decomposers and lightning changing it to ammonia and nitrifying bacteria oxidizing it to nitrates for plants to absorb. It is also denitrified by bacteria to return to the atmosphere.

14.  Nutrient cycle – Nutrients are dissolved in rain going to litter with some run off. This mineralizes into soil and some lost thru leeching and gained via weathering of rock. Plants absorb the nutrients and return it to litter through decay.

15.  Water cycle – Rain falls as precipitation, it is absorbed into vegetation, surface water, soil, ground water, and water channels with some leakage to deep basins. It goes to the ocean via runoff, and returns to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration.

16.  Gross Productivity – total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time  Net Productivity – Gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time after allowing for respiration losses

17.  Primary Productivity – gain by autotrophs in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time  Secondary Productivity – biomass gained by heterotrophs thru feeding and absorption, measured in units of mass or energy per unit area per unit time

18.  Gross Primary Productivity – Gain in energy or biomass thru photosynthesis per unit area per unit time.  Net Primary Productivity – The gain by producers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time remaining after respiration losses.

19.  Gross Secondary Productivity (Gross Assimilation) – Gain in energy or biomass thru absorption per unit area per unit time.  Net Secondary Productivity (Net Assimilation) – The gain by consumers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time remaining after respiration losses.