Download Matter: Forms, Structure, and Quality.

APES Unit 2
Abiotic and Biotic Parts of Ecosystems
La Cañada High School
Living in the Environment by Miller, 11th Edition
Chapter 3
Matter and Energy
Resources
Matter and Energy Resources:
Types and Concepts






3-1: Matter: Forms, Structure, and Quality
3-2: Energy: Forms and Quality
3-3: Physical and Chemical Changes and the
Law of Conservation of Matter
3-4: Nuclear Changes
3-5: The Two Ironclad Laws of Energy
3-6: Connections: Matter and Energy Laws and
Environmental Problems
Matter
Forms, Structure, and Quality



Matter is anything that has mass and
takes up space.
Matter is found in two chemical forms:
elements and compounds.
Various elements, compounds, or both
can be found together in mixtures.
Solid, Liquid, and Gas
Atoms, Ions, and Molecules



Atoms: The smallest unit of matter that
is unique to a particular element.
Ions: Electrically charged atoms or
combinations of atoms.
Molecules: Combinations of two or
more atoms of the same or different
elements held together by chemical
bonds.
What are Atoms?


The main building blocks of an atom
are positively charged PROTONS,
uncharged NEUTRONS, and negatively
charged ELECTRONS
Each atom has an extremely small
center, or nucleus, containing protons
and neutrons.
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/images/atom.jpg
Atomic Number and Mass
Number.
 Atomic
number
 The
number of protons in the
nucleus of each of its atoms.
 Mass
 The
number
total number of protons and
neutrons in its nucleus.
Elements are organized through the periodic
table by classifications of metals, nonmetals, and
metalloids
Inorganic Compounds

All compounds not Organic

Ionic Compounds
 Sodium
chloride (NaCl)
 Sodium bicarbonate (NaOH)

Covalent compounds
 Hydrogen(H2)
 Carbon
dioxide (CO2)
 Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
 Ammonia (NH3)
Formation of Ionic Compounds


Transfer of electrons between the
atoms of these elements result in
drastic changes to the elements
involved
Sodium and chlorine serves as a
example



Sodium is a rather "soft" metal solid,
with a silver-gray color
Chlorine is greenish colored gas
Sodium chloride, commonly called
table salt -- a white, crystalline, and
brittle solid
Inorganic Compounds


The earth’s crust is
composed of mostly
inorganic minerals
and rock
The crust is the
source of all most
nonrenewable
resource we use:
Various combinations of only
fossil fuels, metallic eight elements make up the
bulk of most minerals.
minerals, etc.
Nonmetallic Elements.
 Carbon
(C), Oxygen (O),
Nitrogen (N), Sulfur (S),
Hydrogen (H), and
Phosphorous (P)
 Nonmetallic elements make up
about 99% of the atoms of all
living things
Covalent Bonds




The individual atoms are atoms of chlorine with
only their valence electrons shown.
Note that each chlorine atom has only seven
valence electrons, but really wants eight.
When each chlorine atom shares its unpaired
electron, both atoms are tricked into thinking each
has a full valence of eight electrons.
Notice that the individual atoms have full freedom
from each other, but once the bond is formed,
energy is released, and the new chlorine molecule
(Cl2) behaves as a single particle.




A covalent bond is typically formed by
two non-metals
Non-metals have similar
electronegativities
Neither atom is "strong" enough to steal
electrons from the other
Therefore, the atoms must share the
electrons.
Organic Compounds

Compounds containing carbon atoms
combined with each other with atoms of
one or more other elements such as
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc.

Hydrocarbons


Chlorofluorocarbons


Compounds of carbon and hydrogen
Carbon, chlorine, and fluorine atoms
Simple carbohydrates

carbon, hydrogen, oxygen combinations
Organic Compounds
Hydrocarbons
Chlorofluorocarbons
Biological Organic Compounds
Carbohydrates (Glucose)
Protein (Cytochrome P450)
Biological Organic Compounds
Lipid
(Triglyceride)
Nucleic Acid (DNA)
Earth’s Crust
Matter Quality



Matter quality is a measure of how useful
a matter resource is, based in its
availability and concentration.
High quality matter is organized,
concentrated, and usually found near the
earth’s crust.
Low quality is disorganized, dilute, and
has little potential for use as a matter
resource.
Quality Counts
HIGH QUALITY
LOW QUALITY
Energy

Energy is the capacity to do work and
transfer heat.
Kinetic Energy



Kinetic energy is the energy that matter
has because of its mass and its speed
or velocity.
It is energy in action or motion.
Wind, flowing streams, falling rocks,
electricity, moving car - all have kinetic
energy.
Potential Energy


Potential energy is stored energy that
is potential available for use.
Potential energy can be changed to
kinetic energy.
Electromagnetic Spectrum

The range of electromagnetic waves, which differ in
wavelength (distance between successive peaks or
troughs) and energy content.
Energy Quality

Very High


High


Hydrogen gas, Natural gas, and Coal.
Moderate


Electricity, Nuclear fission, and
Concentrated sunlight.
Normal sunlight, and wood.
Low

Low-temperature heat and dispersed
geothermal energy.
Law of Conservation of
Matter and Energy


In any nuclear change, the total amount
of matter and energy involved remains
the same.
E = mc2

The energy created by the release of the
strong nuclear forces for 1 kilogram of
matter will produce enough energy to
elevated the temperature of all the water
used in the Los Angeles basin in one day
by 10,000oC
Natural Radioactive Decay

Natural radioactive decay is a nuclear
change in which unstable isotopes
spontaneously emit fast moving
particles, high energy radiation, or both
at a fixed rate.
Alpha, Beta, Gamma Rays.
Nuclear Fission

Nuclear fission is a nuclear change in
which nuclei of certain isotopes with
large mass numbers are split apart into
lighter nuclei when struck by neutrons,
each fission releases two or three more
neutrons and energy.
What is Nuclear Fusion?

Nuclear Fusion is a nuclear change in
which two isotopes of light elements,
such as hydrogen, are forced together
at extremely high temperatures until
they fuse to form a heavier nucleus,
releasing energy in the process.
The First Law of
Thermodynamics

In all physical can chemical changes,
energy is neither created nor
destroyed, but it may be converted
from one form to another.
The Second Law of
Thermodynamics.



Physical, chemical, and electrical energy can
be completely changed into heat.
But the reverse (heat into physical energy,
for example) cannot be fully accomplished
without outside help or without an inevitable
loss of energy in the form of irretrievable
heat.
This does not mean that the energy is
destroyed; it means that it becomes
unavailable for producing work.
High Waste or High-Throughput
Societies


Most of today’s advanced industrialized
countries are high waste or high
throughput societies
They attempt to sustain ever-increasing
economic growth by increasing the
throughput of matter and energy
resources in their economic systems.
Matter Recycling Societies
A stopgap solution to this
problem is to convert an
unsustainable high-throughput
society to a matter-recycling
society.
Low Waste Societies

The three scientific laws governing
matter and energy changes indicate
that the best long-term solution to our
environmental and resource problems
is to shift from a society based on
maximizing matter and energy flow to a
sustainable low waste society.
Chapter 4
Ecology, Ecosystems, and
Food Webs
Chapter 4
Ecology, Ecosystems, and Food Webs






4-1 Ecology and Life
4-2 Earth’s Life-Support Systems
4-3 Ecosystem Concept
4-4 Food Webs and Energy Flow in
Ecosystems
4-5 How do Ecologists learn about
Ecosystems?
4-6 Ecosystem Services and Sustainability
4-1 Ecology and Life

Ecology- study of relationships between
organisms and their environment

Ecology examines how organisms interact
with their nonliving (abiotic) environment such
as sunlight, temperature, moisture, and vital
nutrients

Biotic interaction among organisms,
populations, communities, ecosystems, and
the ecosphere
Distinction between Species

Wild species- one that exists
as a population of individuals
in a natural habitat, ideally
similar to the one in which its
ancestors evolved

Domesticated speciesanimals such as cows,
sheep, food crops, animals
in zoos
Vocabulary


Population- a group of interacting
individuals of the same species that
occupy a specific area at the same time
Genetic diversity- populations that are
dynamic groups that change in size, age
distribution, density, and genetic
composition as a result of changes in
environmental conditions




Habitat – the place where a population or
individual organism naturally lives
Community – a complex interacting
network of plants, animals, and
microorganisms
Ecosystem – community of different
species interacting with one another and
with their nonliving environment of matter
and energy
Ecosphere or Biosphere – all of earth's
ecosystems
What is Life?

All life shares a set of basic
characteristics that enable
growth, survival, and
reproduction


Living organisms are made of cells
that have highly organized internal
structure and functions
Living organisms have
characteristic types of
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
molecules in each cell




Living organisms capture and
transform matter and energy from
their environment to supply their
needs for survival, growth, and
reproduction
Living organisms maintain
favorable internal conditions,
despite changes in their external
environment through
homeostasis, if not overstressed
Living organisms perpetuate
themselves through reproduction
Living organisms adapt to
changes in environmental
conditions through the process of
evolution
4-2 Earth’s LifeSupport Systems

The Earth contains
several layers or
concentric spheres




Core- innermost zone, mostly iron, solid inner part,
surrounded by a liquid core of molten material
Mantle- surrounded by a thick, solid zone, largest
zone, rich with iron, silicon, oxygen, and
magnesium, very hot
Crust- outermost and thinnest zone, eight elements
make up 98.5% of the weight of the earth’s crust
Lithosphere- earth’s crust and upper mantle

Atmosphere- thin envelope of air around the
planet
Troposphere- extends about 17 kilometers above sea
level, contains nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and is
where weather occurs
 Stratosphere- 17-48 kilometers above sea level, lower
portions contains enough ozone (O3) to filter out most
of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation


Hydrosphere- consists of the earth’s liquid
water, ice, and water vapor in the atmosphere
What Sustains
Life on Earth?

Life on the earth depends on
three interconnected factors



One-way flow of high-quality
energy from the sun
Cycling of matter or nutrients (all
atoms, ions, or molecules needed
for survival by living organisms),
through all parts of the ecosphere
Gravity, which allows the planet to
hold onto its atmosphere and
causes the downward movement
of chemicals in the matter cycles
Solar Energy

Sun







Fireball of hydrogen (72%) and helium (28%)
Nuclear fusion
Sun existed for 6 Billion years. Sun will stay for
another 6.5 billion years.
72% of solar energy warms the lands
0.023% of solar energy is captured by green plants
and bacteria
Powers the cycling of matter and weather system
Distributes heat and fresh water
www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/ climch/clichgr1.htm
Type of Nutrients

Nutrient – Any atom ion, or molecule an
organism needs to live grow or reproduce


Macronutrient – nutrient that organisms
need in large amount


Ex: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen… etc
Ex: phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, iron … etc
Micronutrient – nutrient that organism
need in small amount

Ex: zinc, sodium, copper… etc
Climate
long-term weather;
main factor
determining what type
of life will be in a
certain area.
Biomes
Large regions
characterized by
distinct climate,
and specific lifeforms
Ecosphere Separation

The Ecosphere and it’s ecosystem can be
separated into two parts

Abiotic- nonliving, components
Ex: air, water, solar energy
 Physical and chemical factors that influence living
organisms


Biotic- living, components

Ex: plants and animals
Range of Tolerance

The existence, abundance, and
distribution of a species in an ecosystem
are determined by the levels of one or
more physical or chemical factors


Differences in genetic makeup, health, and
age.
Ex: trout has to live in colder water than bass
Limiting Factor Principle

Too much or too little of any abiotic factor
can limit growth of population, even if all
the other factors are at optimum
(favorable) range of tolerance.

Ex: If a farmer plants corn in phosphorus-poor
soil, even if water, nitrogen are in a optimum
levels, corn will stop growing, after it uses up
available phosphorus.
Dissolved Oxygen Content

Amount of oxygen
gas dissolved in a
given volume of
water at a particular
temperature and
pressure.

Limiting factor of
aquatic ecosystem
Salinity

Amount of salt
dissolved in given
volume of water
Living Organisms in Ecosystem
1. Producers or autotrophs- makes their
own food from compounds obtained
from environment.

Photosynthesis- ability of producer to
convert sunlight, abiotic nutrients to
sugars and other complex organic
compounds.
Chlorophyll- traps solar energy and converts
into chemical energy.
 Carbon dioxide+water+solar energy 
glucose + oxygen

Producers transform
1-5% of absorbed energy
into chemical energy
(glucose), which is stored
in complex carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins and
nucleic acid in plant tissue
Chemosynthesis
Bacteria can convert simple
compounds from their
environment into more
complex nutrient compound
without sunlight


Ex: becomes consumed by
tubeworms, clams, crabs
Bacteria can survive in great
amount of heat
Consumers or Heterotrophs

Obtain energy and nutrient by feeding on
other organisms or their remains

2. Herbivores (plant-eaters) or
primary consumers- they feed
directly on producers


3. Carnivores (meat eater) or
secondary consumers-feed only
on primary consumer


Lion, Tiger
4. Tertiary (higher-level)
consumer- feed only on other
carnivores


Deer, goats, rabbits
Wolf
5. Omnivores- consumers that
eat both plants and animals

Ex: pigs, humans, bears

6. Scavengers- feed on dead organisms


7. Detritivores- live off detritus



Vultures, flies, crows, shark
Detritus parts of dead organisms and wastes of living
organisms.
8. Detritus feeders- extract nutrients from partly
decomposed organic matter plant debris, and
animal dung.
9. Decomposers- Fungi and bacteria that breaks
down and recycles organic materials from
wastes of all organisms. Dead organisms waste
to nutrients

Food sources for worms and insects
Biodegradable- can be broken down by decomposers
Respiration

Aerobic respiration- uses oxygen to
convert organic nutrients back into carbon
dioxide and water


Glucose + oxygen  Carbon dioxide + water
+ energy
Anaerobic respiration or fermentation-form
of cellular respiration, decomposers get
energy they need through breakdown of
glucose in oxygen



Decomposers complete the
cycle of matter by breaking
down organic waste, dead
animal. Plant litter and garbage.
Whether dead or alive
organisms are potential
(standard) sources of food for
other organisms.
Food Chain-Series of organisms
in which each eats or
decomposes the preceding one
Second Law of Energy

Organisms need high quality chemical
energy to move, grow and reproduce, and
this energy is converted into low-quality
heat that flows into environment

Trophic levels or feeding levels
Producer is a first trophic level
 primary consumer is second trophic level
 secondary consumer is third


Decomposers process detritus from all trophic
levels.


Food web-complex
network of
interconnected
food chains.
Food web and
chains are oneway flow of energy
and cycling of
nutrients through
ecosystem.
Food Webs


Grazing food webs: energy and nutrients
move from plants to herbivores, then
through an array of carnivores, and
eventually to decomposers
Detrital food webs: organic waste material
or detritus is the major food source, and
energy flows mainly from producers
(plants) to decomposers and detritivores.
Biomass

Dry weight of all organic matter contained
in organisms.

Biomass is measured in dry weight because
water is not a nutrient or a source of energy


Ex: biomass of first trophic levels are dry mass of
all producers
On successive trophic level, biomass is
neither eaten, digested, nor absorbed; it
simple goes through the intestinal tract of
consumer and is expelled as fecal waste.

Useable energy transferred as biomass varies
from 5%-20%

Pyramid of Energy Flow
More steps or trophic levels in food chain or
web, greater loss of usable energy as energy
flows through trophic levels
 More trophic levels the Chains or Webs have
more energy is consumed after each one.
That’s why food chains and webs rarely have
more than 4 steps


Pyramid of biomass- storage of biomass
at various trophic levels of ecosystem
NOTE: After every trophic level less and less
energy is transferred
 Producer gets the most amount of energy,
that’s why there is a lot of producers,
herbivores consume producers however they
need to consume they get less energy then
producers by consuming them
 Carnivores get much less energy than
herbivores, that’s why there are more
herbivores than carnivores, and carnivores

Pyramid of Numbers

Number of organisms at each trophic level

Gross primary productivity (GPP)- rate in
which producers convert solar energy into
chemical energy as biomass in a given
amount of time

Net primary productivity (NPP)- Rate in
which energy for use by consumers is
stored in new biomass.



Measured in kilocalories per square meter per
year or grams in biomass
NPP is limit determining the planet’s carrying
capacity for all species.
59% of NPP occurs in land / 41% occurs in
ocean
Ecological Efficiency

Percentage of energy transferred
from one trophic level to another.

10% ecological efficiency
 green
plants transfer 10,000 units of
energy from sun
 only about 1000 energy will be available for
herbivores
 100 units for primary consumer
 10 units for secondary consumer
Ways to unravel workings of
ecosystem
 Field
research- going into nature
and observing ecosystem
 Laboratory research- observe
and making measurements under
laboratory condition
 System analysis- view ecosystem
and study their structure and
functions (1960s)
FIELD RESEARCH



Going into nature and
observing/measuring the structure of
ecosystems
Majority of what we know now comes from
this type
Disadvantage is that it is expensive, timeconsuming, and difficult to carry out
experiments due to many variables
LABORATORY RESEARCH



Set up, observation, and measurement of model
ecosystems under laboratory conditions
Conditions can easily be controlled and are
quick and cheap
Disadvantage is that it is never certain whether
or not result in a laboratory will be the same as a
result in a complex, natural ecosystem
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Simulation of ecosystem rather than
study real ecosystem
 Helps understand large and very
complicated systems

Why is the Ecosystem important?


Ecosystem services: natural services or earth
capital that support life on the earth and are
essential to the quality of human life and to the
functioning of the world’s economies
Ecosystem services include:



Controlling and moderating climate
Providing and renewing air, water, soil
Recycling vital nutrients through chemical cycling
Why is the Ecosystem important?







Providing renewable and nonrenewable energy
sources and nonrenewable minerals
Furnishing people with food, fiber, medicines,
timber, and paper
Pollinating crops and other plant species
Absorbing, diluting, and detoxifying many pollutants
and toxic chemicals
Helping control populations of pests and disease
organisms
Slowing erosion and preventing flooding
Providing biodiversity of genes and species
Why Is Biodiversity So Important?


Biodiversity is the variety of
different species, genetic
variability among individuals
within each species, and
variety of ecosystems
Gives us food, wood, fibers,
energy, raw materials,
industrial chemicals,
medicines, and provides for
billions of dollars in the global
economy
Why Is Biodiversity So Important?


Provides recycling,
purification, and natural pest
control
Represents the millions of
years of adaptation, and is
raw material for future
adaptations
What are the two principles of
ecosystem sustainability?


Use renewable solar
energy as energy
source
Efficiently recycle
nutrients organisms
need for survival,
growth, and
reproduction
Chapter 5
Nutrient Cycles and Soils
Matter Cycling in Ecosystems

Nutrient cycles or Biogeochemical
cycles, involve natural processes that
recycle nutrients in various chemical
forms in a cyclic manner from the
nonliving environment to living
organisms and back to non living
environment again.
Major Types of Nutrient Cycles

Hydrologic



Atmospheric



Water in the form of ice, liquid water, and water vapor cycles
Operates local, regional, and global levels
Large portion of a given element (i.e. Nitrogen gas) exists in
gaseous form in the atmosphere
Operates local, regional, and global levels
Sedimentary


The element does not have a gaseous phase or its gaseous
compounds don’t make up a significant portion of its
supply
Operates local and regional basis
Nutrient Cycling & Ecosystem
Sustainability
Self Contained
 Energy flow and nutrient cycling seem to
imply that ecosystems are virtually selfsustaining, closed systems, at the ecosphere
level
 As long as they are not disturbed by human
activates such as clearing


Forest can have a minimal lost
Nutrients lost form one ecosystem must
enter one or more other ecosystems
Nutrient Cycling & Ecosystem
Sustainability
Nutrient Cycling and Sustainability
 Given time natural ecosystems ten to come into a
balance, wherein nutrients are recycled with
reasonable effici3ency
 Humans are accelerating rates of the flow of mater,
causing nutrient loss from soils
 Scientist warn that this doubling of normal flow of
nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle is a serious global
problem that contributes to global warming, ozone
depletion, air pollution, and loss of biodiversity
 Isolated ecosystems are being influenced by human
actives