1. BioEd Online Ecosystems By Deanne Erdmann, M.S.

2. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Ecological Terminology Environment Ecology Biotic vs. Abiotic Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere

3. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Ecosystems All members of a community, along with their physical and chemical environments Vary greatly in size Diversity promotes stability and productivity Dynamic energy flow chemical cycling Change over time (succession) Coral Reefs are a rich, diverse and productive ecosystems A coastal wetland on Lake Superior, Wisconsin. Photo by K. Rodriquez

4. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Biomes Tropical Rainforests Savannas Deserts Temperate Grasslands Temperate Deciduous Forests Coniferous Forests Arctic Tundra Grasslands in the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve, NPS Photo Tundra Plants, NPS Photo Prairie Creek Redwoods Sate Park, NPS Photo

5. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Aquatic Ecosystems Freshwater Flowing Water Lakes Wetlands Estuaries Oceans Intertidal or littoral Coastal or neritic Coral Reefs Open Ocean Benthic Snake River with Grand Tetons in background NPS Photo Mountain Lake in Grand Teton National Park NPS Photo

6. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Zonation in Lakes

7. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Thermal Stratification in Lakes

8. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Zonation in a Marine Environment

9. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Primary Production The conversion of light energy to chemical energy is called “gross primary production.” Plants use the energy captured in photosynthesis for maintenance and growth. The energy that is accumulated in plant biomass is called “net primary production.”

10. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Energy Flow in Ecosystems Producers and Consumers Trophic Levels Ecological Pyramids of Energy Ecological Pyramids of Biomass Ecological Pyramids of Numbers

11. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Ecological Pyramids of Energy

12. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Ecological Pyramids of Biomass

13. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Biogeochemical Cycles Cycling of materials between the environment and organisms Chemical and biological processes Examples Water cycle Nitrogen cycle Phosphorus cycle Carbon cycle Plants obtain nitrogen from nitrogen-fixing bacteria and pass it to other organisms through the food chain

14. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Water Cycle

15. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Nitrogen Cycle

16. www.BioEdOnline.org BioEd Online Carbon Cycle