Chapter 4 Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, & Matter Cycling © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

Chapter Outline 1. Ecosystem Concepts Components and organization of EcologyComponents and organization of Ecology 2. Food Webs & Energy Flow autotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiencyautotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiency 3. Nutrient Cycles water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphoruswater, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus 4. Ecosystem Services importance of ecosystemsimportance of ecosystems © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

Ecosystem Concepts Ecology: study of relationships between organisms & their environment biosphere ecosystem community population organism © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP Realm of ecology

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 million species Only about 1.8 million species named © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP

Fun Species Names Aha ha

Fun Species Names Abra cadabra

Fun Species Names Gelae baen, Gelae belae, Gelae donut, Gelae fish

Fun Species Names Heerz lukenatcha

Fun Species Names Pieza kake fly

Fun Species Names (Agathidium bushi, A. cheneyi, A. rumsfeldi)

Fun Species Names Agra vation

Fun Species Names Caloplaca obamae

Fun Species Names Agathidium vaderi

Fun Species Names Aptostichus stephencolberti

Fun Species Names Agra katewinsletae

Fun Species Names Sylvilagus palustris hefneri

Fun Species Names Pheidole harrisonfordi

Fun Species Names GoldenPalace.com monkey (Callicebus aureipalatii)

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 © Brooks/Cole Publishing Company / ITP abiotic: non-living components – –e.g., water, air, nutrients, & solar energy biotic: living components –e.g., plants, animals, & microorganisms

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) herbivore: consumers that only feed on plants herbivore: consumers that only feed on plants

Consumers (heterotrophs) carnivores: consumers that only feed on animals carnivores: consumers that only feed on animals += Former Conestoga student, Doug Petock

Consumers (heterotrophs) omnivores: consumers that feed on both plants & animals 15 pound “belly buster” cheeseburger

Consumers (heterotrophs) scavengers: feed on dead organisms

Consumers (heterotrophs) detritivores: feed on detritus (partially decomposed organic matter, such as leaf litter & animal dung) and breakdown this organic material into smaller particles

Consumers (heterotrophs) decomposers: consumers that complete the “circle of life” by digesting organic materials into smaller molecules

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