Download The Biosphere - Matter and Energy, Interdependence in Nature

The Biosphere Matter and Energy,
Interdependence in Nature
Chapter 3
Studying our Living Planet
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Life on a global scale – biosphere
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Includes land, water, atmosphere and LIVING
THINGS
Extends 8 km above the land surface and 11 km
below the ocean surface
Ecology – study of the interactions between
organisms and their surroundings
Studying Our Living Planet
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Levels of organization
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Species
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
biosphere
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
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Biotic – any part of the
living environment
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Animals
Plants
Mushrooms
bacteria
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Abiotic – any nonliving
part of the environment
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Sunlight
Heat
Precipitation
Humidity
Wind
Water currents
Soil types
Ecological Methods
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Three methods
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Observation
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Experimentation
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Use of senses
Can be simple or complex
Can be set-up in a lab or out in a select-part of natural
environment
Modeling
Energy, Producers & Consumers
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Energy = life function
Ultimate energy source =
the sun
Some organisms use
chemical energy from
inorganic sources
Autotrophs – organisms that
use solar or chemical energy
to produce “food”
AKA – primary producers
Primary Producers
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Solar energy converted
through photosynthesis
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Converts CO2 &H2O into
O2 and carbohydrates
Plants (on land) and
algae (in the water)
Chemical energy
converted where light is
not available or
conditions are harsh chemosynthesis
Consumers
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Heterotrophs
– get their
energy from
consumption
AKA –
consumers
Types of
consumer –
based on
what they eat
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
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Food Chains and Food Webs
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Everyone is linked through feeding relationships
Energy flow  one way stream from producers to
consumers
Food Chain – series of steps that move energy
from eating to eaten
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All food chains start with a producer
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Terrestrial – plants
Aquatic – either plants OR phytoplankton
Examples of Food Chains
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
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Most feeding relationships are more
complicated than a simple series
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Most organisms have a multi-food diet
Food Web
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Network of feeding interactions
Also starts with a producer (SAME AS FOOD
CHAINS)
Links multiple food chains
Effects of disturbances?
Example of Food Web
Trophic Levels and Ecological
Pyramids
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Trophic level – each
step in a food chain or
food web
Biomass – total amount
of living tissue in a
given trophic level
Trophic Levels and Ecological
Pyramids
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Ecological pyramid – show relative amount of matter
or energy within a given food chain or web
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The rule of 10 – in general, only 10 percent of the energy
available in one level is stored in the level above
Organisms use most of the energy they get on life processes
… the rest is release as heat
Higher up the pyramid – organisms require more food to
get the energy they need … so there are less of them!