1. Ecosystem Properties

2. Ecological Hierarchies
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
Tissue
Cell
Molecules

3. Definitions
Biosphere - The entire portion of the globe that can support life, including the atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial surface and belowground
Biome – The largest easily recognized subsection of the biosphere, based upon climate

4. Definitions
Ecosystem – A region where plants, animals and microbes can interact with each other and their environment.
Community – A region where plants, animals and microbes can interact with each other.
Population – An interbreeding group of organisms

5. Ecosystem Emergent Properties
All “systems” are made up of components. Once those components are assembled into the system, they take on new properties, those of the “system”.
E.g., bridge over South Canadian River
E.g., living system

6. Ecosystem Emergent Properties
What are the emergent properties of a living system, e.g., you?
You are composed of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, etc., but you are so much more than bags of elements flopping around
As a living entity you:
Respire
Irritable
Capable of reproduction

7. Ecosystem Emergent Properties
So, as a “system” ecosystems also have emergent properties
Nutrient cycling
Energy flow

8. Energy in Ecosystems
Energy Movement follows 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics
Energy can’t be created or destroyed
Any transfers of energy are not 100% efficient

9. Energy flow

10. Energy Flow Calories Solar Energy 1,000,000 1 % 10,000 Producers 10%
Herbivores
1,000
10%
Consumers
100
Carnivores
10% 10
Top Carnivore

11. Energy Flow Solar Energy 1 % Producers 10% Herbivores Food Chain 10%
Consumers
Carnivores
10%
Top Carnivore

12. Energy Flow Solar Energy 1 % Producers Trophic Level 10% Herbivores
Consumers
Carnivores
10%
Top Carnivore

13. Any Questions?

14. Nutrient Cycling There are two major types of nutrient cycles
Gaseous – Most of the nutrient is stored in the atmosphere
Sedimentary – Most of the nutrient is stored in the sediments or soils

15. So what nutrients do we need?
Macro-nutrients are needed in large quantities
Na,Cl, C, H, O, P, K, I, N, S, Ca, Fe, Mg
Micro-nutrients are also essential, but are needed in only small amounts
Mo, B, Cl, Mn, Cu, Zn

16. Gaseous Nutrient Cycle The carbon cycle
CO2
Respiration
(photosynthesis)
plant
Decomposers
herbivore
carnivore
top carnivore

17. Sedimentary Nutrient Cycle Example: The Phosphorus Cycle
erosion
plant
herbivores
carnivores
P in soil
decomposers
(weathering)
P in rock (apatite)

18. So what nutrients do we need?
Macro-nutrients are needed in large quantities
Na,Cl, C, H, O, P, K, I, N, S, Ca, Fe, Mg
Micro-nutrients are also essential, but are needed in only small amounts
Mo, B, Cl, Mn, Cu, Zn
The elements in blue have gaseous cycles

20. Quick Quiz on Ecosystems
What’s the definition of an ecosystem?
An area where plants, animals and microbes interact with each other and the environment
So why do you need an ecosystem for
Energy Flow?
Nutrient Cycling?
Does energy ever cycle?

21. NO-O-O!

22. Take out a clean piece of paper
A practice quiz
List two types of symbiotic relationships

23. Quiz, continued
Competition between organisms of different species is known as:
Intraspecific interactions
Intraspecific competition
Interspecific interactions
Interspecific competition

24. Quiz, continued
If you went up a tall mountain, how many meters increase in elevation would you have to go up to see the same change in vegetation structure that you would see if you went north 30 degrees latitude?
1800 m
4000 m
400 m
100 m

25. Quiz, continued Which biome has the greatest number of species?
Which biome produces most of the wood pulp used for paper in the U.S.?

26. Quiz, continued
In which grassland ecosystem would you expect to find the greatest number of species and why?
Undisturbed tall grass prairie
Wheat field
Corn field
Heavily grazed tall grass prairie