Download Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, and Matter - RHS-APES

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
environment
interacting with one another and nonliving
•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


Troposphere
11 miles above sea level
Stratosphere
11-30 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 Components
Nonliving, physical and chemical factors that influence
organisms in land ecosystems and aquatic life zones
Terrestrial Ecosystem
Aquatic Life Zone
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 Factors
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
Terrestrial Ecosystem
Aquatic Life Zone
Biotic Components
Living organisms in land ecosystems and aquatic life zones,
producers or consumers

Producers (autotrophs)
chemosynthesis
photosynthesis
Biotic Components
Consumer
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore
Scavenger
Examples
Biotic Components

Detritivores: feed on parts of dead organisms, cast-off
fragments, and wastes of living organisms
Using Energy
Aerobic 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
Functional
Diversity
Species
Diversity
Biodiversity
Ecological Diversity
Ecotone
Trophic Levels
Human
Blue whale
Sperm whale
Killer
whale
Crabeater seal
Leopard
seal
Emperor
penguin
Adélie
penguins
Petrel
Squid
Fish
Carnivorous plankton
Herbivorous
zooplankton
Krill
Phytoplankton
Food Webs
Elephant
seal
Biomass

Each trophic level contains a certain amount of organic
matter which is transferred from one trophic level to another
First Law of
Thermodynamics
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Ecological Efficiency
Energy
Input:
1,700,000
kilocalories
Incoming solar energy
not harnessed
1,679,190
(98.8%)
Energy
Transfers
20,810
(1.2%)
Top carnivores
21
Waste,
remains
Producers
4,245
Metabolic heat,
export
3,368 13,197
Herbivores
720
383
2,265
Carnivores
90
21
Top
carnivores
5
272
16
Decomposers,
detritivores
Energy Output
Total Annual Energy Flow
20,810 + 1,679,190
1,700,000 (100%)
Decomposers/detritivores
Carnivores
Herbivores
383
3,368
Producers
20,810
5,060
Pyramid of Biomass
Abandoned Field
Ocean
Tertiary consumers
Secondary consumers
Primary consumers
Producers
Pyramid of Numbers
Grassland
(summer)
Temperate Forest
(summer)
Tertiary consumers
Secondary consumers
Primary consumers
Producers
Primary Productivity
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
Primary Productivity
Net Primary Productivity (NPP)
1. Explain why food chains are
typically short
2. Make an argument for
vegetarianism based on the
second law of
thermodynamics