Ecosystem Ecology AP Bio Ch. 55

Community vs. Ecosystem

Abiotic Shapes Biotic Abiotic factors create different environmental conditions Biotic life has evolved to live in these areas Major Factors: Temperature Rainfall

energy Thermodynamics No energy created, no energy destroyed: Energy Transfers Entropy increases in our universe

Energy & life

Energy & Life

Energy (Food Web) Energy Flows into and out of the biosphere

Trophic Relationships Detrivores (decomposers) eat dead organisms Omnivores (heterotrophs) Eat plants and animals 3° Consumers (carnivores) eats 2° Consumers 2° Consumers (carnivores) eats 1° Consumers 1° Consumers (herbivores) convert chemical energy into ATP Producers (autotrophs) convert light energy into chemical energy

Quantifying Energy

Energy Calculations GPP: the amount of energy enters plant NPP: the amount of energy available to consumers NPP = GPP (total energy) – R (energy used for respiration)

Energy Pyramid

Biomass Pyramid

Respiratory loss by decomposers The data in the table below relate to the transfer of energy in a small clearly defined habitat. The units in each case are in kJ.m-2.yr-1 Trophic Level Gross Production Respiratory Loss Loss to decomposers Producers 60724 36120 477 Herbivores 24127 14700 3072 First Carnivores 6355 5760 420 Top Carnivores 175 40 15 Respiratory loss by decomposers 3120 Construct an energy flow model to represent all these data Calculate the Net Productivity for Producers Consumers Decomposers

ENERGY FLOW MODEL 1st order Carnivores Top Carnivores Producers 60724 24127 1st order Carnivores Top Carnivores 6355 175 Producers Herbivores 3072 420 477 15 Decomposers R=3120