Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, and Matter

CyclingChapter 4

Objective 4.1-4.3Describe the major

components of an ecosystem

What is Ecology? How organisms interact with one another and with

their nonliving environment Study of CONNECTIONS

What are Organisms?Eukaryotes Prokaryotes

Ecological Organization•Individual

•Species are groups of organisms that resemble one another

•Populations•Group of interacting individuals of the same species

•Communities•Populations of different species occupying the same place

•Ecosystems•Community interacting with one another and nonliving environment

•Biomes•Regions made up of ecosystems

•Biosphere•Zone of earth where life is found

Fig. 4-2 p. 66

Earth’s Life-Support Systems Atmosphere

Troposphere11 miles above sea level

Stratosphere11-30 miles

Hydrosphere Lithosphere Biosphere

Sustaining Life on Earth

THE Source of Energy

Greenhouse Effect Not the same

thing as global warming!

Unreflected solar radiation degraded to infrared radiation

Greenhouse gases reduce heat flow back to space

What are some greenhouse gases?

Abiotic ComponentsTerrestrial Ecosystem

Aquatic Life Zone

Nonliving, physical and chemical factors that influence organisms in land ecosystems and aquatic life zones

Law of Tolerance Presence of a species determined by abiotic factors

falling within the range of tolerance Individuals in a population may have slightly

different tolerance ranges because of genetic differences, health, age

Tolerance Limits

Limiting FactorsTerrestrial Ecosystem

Aquatic Life Zone

Limiting Factor Principle: Too much OR too little of any abiotic factor can limit/prevent growth, even if all other factors are at or near optimum range

Biotic Components Producers (autotrophs)

Living organisms in land ecosystems and aquatic life zones,producers or consumers

chemosynthesis

photosynthesis

Biotic ComponentsConsumer Examples

Herbivore

Carnivore

Omnivore

Scavenger

Biotic Components Detritivores: feed on parts of dead organisms, cast-

off fragments, and wastes of living organisms

Using EnergyAerobic Respiration

Use oxygen to convert organic nutrients back into carbon dioxide and water

Anaerobic Respiration Break down glucose

without oxygen End products vary

Biodiversity

Genetic Diversity

Species DiversityFunctional

Diversity

Biodiversity

Ecological Diversity

Ecotone

Objective 4.4-4.5Describe energy flow in

ecosystems

Trophic Levels

Food Webs

Human

Blue whale Sperm whale

Crabeater seal

Killerwhale Elephant

seal

Leopardseal

Adéliepenguins Petrel

Fish

Squid

Carnivorous plankton

Krill

Phytoplankton

Herbivorouszooplankton

Emperorpenguin

Biomass Each trophic level contains a certain amount of

organic matter which is transferred from one trophic level to another

Second Law of ThermodynamicsFirst Law of Thermodynamics

Ecological Efficiency

EnergyInput:

20,810 + 1,679,190

1,700,000 (100%)

Energy OutputTotal Annual Energy Flow

Metabolic heat,export

Waste,remains

1,700,000kilocalories

Producers

Herbivores

Carnivores

Topcarnivores

Decomposers,detritivores

EnergyTransfers

20,810(1.2%)

Incoming solar energynot harnessed

1,679,190(98.8%)

4,245 3,368 13,197

720 383 2,265

90 21 272

5 16

Top carnivores

Carnivores

Herbivores

Producers

5,060

Decomposers/detritivores

20,8103,368383

21

Abandoned Field Ocean

Tertiary consumers

Secondary consumers

Primary consumers

Producers

Pyramid of Biomass

Pyramid of Numbers

Grassland(summer)

Temperate Forest(summer)

Producers

Primary consumers

Secondary consumers

Tertiary consumers

Primary ProductivityGross Primary Productivity

(GPP)

Primary ProductivityNet Primary Productivity (NPP)

1. Explain why food chains are typically short

2. Make an argument for vegetarianism based on the second law of thermodynamics