Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Chapter 4 Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, & Matter Cycling © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Chapter Outline 1. Ecosystem Concepts • Components and organization of Ecology 2. Food Webs & Energy Flow • autotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiency 3. Nutrient Cycles • water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus 4. Ecosystem Services • importance of ecosystems © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Ecosystem Concepts Ecology: study of relationships between organisms & their environment biosphere ecosystem community Realm of ecology population organism © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Organism • organism: any form of life •classified into species •species: groups of organisms that resemble each other and can potentially interbreed •There are estimated to be 3.6 - 100 million species •Only about 1.8 million species named © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Fun Species Names Aha ha – an Australian wasp Fun Species Names GoldenPalace.com monkey Fun Species Names Pieza kake fly Population • Population: a group of interacting individuals of the same species Examples: • school of fish • white oak trees in a forest • people in a city © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Communities • Communities: populations of all species living together in a given area • Example: • Redwood forest community: •populations of redwood •populations of other trees •populations of animals •populations of microorganisms © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Ecosystem •Ecosystem: a community of different species interacting with one another & with their non–living environment • Examples: • a patch of woods • a lake or pond • a farm field • your mouth © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Biome • Biomes: large land area characterized by a distinct climate & specific populations • Major biomes: • temperate grassland • temperate deciduous forest • desert • tropical rain forest • tropical deciduous forest • tropical savannah • coniferous forest • tundra © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Aquatic Life Zone Aquatic Life Zone: major marine or freshwater portion of the ecosphere, containing numerous ecosystems • Major aquatic life zones: •lakes •streams •estuaries •coastlines •coral reefs •deep ocean © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Major Components of Ecosystems abiotic: non-living components – e.g., water, air, nutrients, & solar energy biotic: living components – e.g., plants, animals, & microorganisms © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Biotic Components • producers (autotrophs "self–feeders"): make their own food from abiotic compounds. • most by photosynthesis, e.g., green plants • a few by chemosynthesis, e.g., some bacteria © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Biotic Components • consumers (heterotrophs "other–feeders"): get their energy & nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains. • omnivores • carnivores • herbivores • decomposers © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Consumers (heterotrophs) • omnivores: consumers that feed on both plants & animals 15 pound “belly buster” cheeseburger Consumers (heterotrophs) carnivores: consumers that only feed on animals + = Consumers (heterotrophs) • scavengers: feed on dead organisms Consumers (heterotrophs) herbivore: consumers that only feed on plants Consumers (heterotrophs) • decomposers: consumers that breakdown organic materials from other organisms Consumers (heterotrophs) • detritivores: feed on detritus (partially decomposed organic matter, such as leaf litter & animal dung) Decomposers Consumers (heterotrophs) • primary consumers: (herbivores) feed directly on producers • secondary consumers: (carnivores) feed on primary consumers • tertiary consumers: feed on carnivores © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Aquatic Ecosystems Terrestrial Ecosystems Limiting Factor Limiting Factor: an environmental factor that is more important than other factors in regulating survival, growth, or reproduction • too much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent growth • tolerance: distribution & abundance of a species determined by range of physical or chemical factors © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Range of Tolerance