2. Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work? Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work? Chapter 3 Miller’s Living in the Environment 15th Edition

3. Ecology and Life 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

4. Connections with nature Population Genetic Diversity

5. Habitat Community Ecosystem Ecosphere or Biosphere All earth's ecosystems

6. www.sws.uiuc.edu/nitro/biggraph.asp

7. Atmosphere Thin envelope of air around the planet Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere

8. Sun Fireball of hydrogen (72%) and helium helium (28%) Nuclear fusion Sun has existed for 6 billion years Sun will stay for another 6.5 billion years Visible light that reaches the troposphere ultraviolet rays either reflected or absorbed in ozone

9. Solar Energy 80% of solar energy warms the lands Less than 0.1% of solar energy is captured by green plants and bacteria to produce food through photosynthesis Powers the cycling of matter and weather system Approximately 1% of this incoming energy generates winds and drive cycling through evaporation Distributes heat and fresh water

10. www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/ climch/clichgr1.htm

11. Geosphere Geosphere Lithosphere Crust and upper mantle Crust Outermost, thin silicate zone, eight elements make up 98.5% of the weight of the earth’s crust The Earth contains several layers or concentric spheres

12. Geosphere Mantle Surrounded by a thick, solid zone, largest zone, rich with iron, silicon, oxygen, and magnesium, very hot Core Innermost zone, mostly iron, solid inner part, surrounded by a liquid core of molten material Inner Core is hotter than surface of the Sun

13. Hydrosphere

14. What is Life? All life shares a set of basic characteristics Made of cells that have highly organized internal structure and functions Characteristic types of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules in each cell

15. Biomes Climate

16. Type of Nutrients Nutrient Any atom, ion, or molecule an organism needs to live grow or reproduce Ex: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen… etc Macronutrient nutrient that organisms need in large amount Ex: phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, iron … etc Micronutrient nutrient that organism need in small amount Ex: zinc, sodium, copper… etc

17. Ecosphere Separation The Ecosphere and it’s ecosystem can be separated into two parts Abiotic- nonliving, components Biotic- living, components Ex: plants and animals

18. Range of Tolerance Variations in it’s physical and chemical environment Differences in genetic makeup, health, and age. Ex: trout has to live in colder water than bass Brook Trout Article

19. Limiting Factor More important than others in regulating population growth Ex: water light, and soil Lacking water in the desert can limit the growth of plants

20. 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.

21. 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

22. Salinity amount of salt dissolved in given volume of water

23. Living Organisms in Ecosystem Producers or autotrophs

24. Photosynthesis

26. Chemosynthesis-

27. Consumers or Heterotrophs Obtain energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains

28. Consumers Herbivores (plant-eaters) or primary consumers Feed directly on producers Deer, goats, rabbits http://www.holidays.net/easter/bunny1.htm

29. Consumers Carnivores (meat eater) or secondary consumers Feed only on primary consumer Lion, Tiger

30. Consumers Tertiary (higher- level) consumer Feed only on other carnivores Wolf

31. Consumers Omnivores- consumers that eat both plants and animals Ex: pigs, humans, bears

32. Consumers Scavengers- feed on dead organisms Vultures, flies, crows, shark

33. Consumers Detritivores- live off detritus Detritus parts of dead organisms and wastes of living organisms. Detritus feeders- extract nutrients from partly decomposed organic matter plant debris, and animal dung.

34. Consumers Decomposers - Fungi and bacteria break down and recycle organic materials from organisms’ wastes and from dead organisms Food sources for worms and insects Biodegradable - can be broken down by decomposers

35. 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 Breakdown of glucose in absence of oxygen

36. Food Chain Food Chain-Series of organisms in which each eats or decomposes the preceding one

37. Food Web Complex network of interconnected food chains Food web and chains One-way flow of energy Cycling of nutrients through ecosystem

38. Food Webs Grazing Food Webs Energy and nutrients move from plants to herbivores Then through an array of carnivores Eventually to decomposers (100,000 Units of Energy)

39. Food Webs Grazing Food Webs Energy and nutrients move from plants to herbivores Then through an array of carnivores Eventually to decomposers (1,000 Units of Energy)

40. 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.

41. Food Webs Grazing Food Webs (100 Units of Energy)

42. Food Webs Grazing Food Webs (1 Units of Energy)

43. Food Webs Grazing Food Webs (10 Units of Energy)

44. Food Webs Detrital Food Webs

45. 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

46. 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

47. Biomass Dry weight of all organic matter contained in organisms.

48. Distinction between Species Wild species- Domesticated species-

49. Living Organisms Capture and transform matter and energy from their environment to supply their needs for survival, growth, and reproduction Maintain favorable internal conditions, despite changes in their external environment through homeostasis, if not overstressed

50. Pyramid of Biomass Storage of biomass at various trophic levels of ecosystem

51. Pyramid of Energy Flow Loss of usable energy as energy flows through trophic levels of food chains and webs Rarely have more than 4 steps

52. Pyramid of Numbers Number of organisms at each trophic level

53. http://www.nicksnowden.net/Module_3_pages/ecosystems_energy_flows.htm

54. Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) Rate in which producers convert solar energy into chemical energy (biomass) in a given amount of time

55. Net Primary Productivity (NPP) Rate in which energy for use by consumers is stored in new biomass of plants Measured in kilocalories per square meter per year or grams in biomass NPP is the limit determining the planet’s carrying capacity for all species. 59% of NPP occurs in land / 41% occurs in ocean

56. Matter Cycling in Ecosystems Nutrient or Biogeochemical Cycles Natural processes that recycle nutrients in various chemical forms in a cyclic manner from the nonliving environment to living organisms and back again

57. Nutrient Cycling & Ecosystem Sustainability Natural ecosystems tend to balance Nutrients are recycled with reasonable efficiency Humans are accelerating rates of flow of mater Nutrient loss from soils Doubling of normal flow of nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle is a contributes to global warming, ozone depletion, air pollution, and loss of biodiversity Isolated ecosystems are being influenced by human activities

58. Nutrient Cycles (Closed System) Energy Flow (Open System) Water Carbon Nitrogen Phosphorus Sulfur Rock Soil Energy Flow

59. Biogeochemical Cycle Locations Hydrosphere Water in the form of ice, liquid, and vapor Operates local, regional, and global levels Atmospheric 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

60. Running Record of your study habits/techniques Individual Assignment Data Tracking- Each student will keep a running record describing how they have prepared for the test. Must include: Date, start time and end time for each session, summary (at least one complete paragraph) of what you have learned for each session, and technique implemented.

61. Water Cycle Aka: the hydrologic cycle People intervene with the water cycle in many ways We withdraw water We clear land which increases runoff We modify water quality http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=StPobH5ODT w http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=StPobH5ODT w http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=Yw275056Jt A http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=Yw275056Jt A

63. Carbon Cycle Carbon is the basic building block of carbohydrates Carbon makes up only.063% of the troposphere The largest storage of carbon is in sedimentary rocks People influence the carbon cycle by burning wood, driving cars, and running factories. http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=HrIr3x DhQ0E http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId=HrIr3x DhQ0E

65. The Nitrogen Cycle Made up of many steps: nitrogen fixation- bacteria convert N2 to ammonia nitrification- ammonia is converted to nitrate ions assimilation- plant roots absorb inorganic ammonia http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/ action/yt/watch?videoId=IaGNSmQQm Bc

66. The Nitrogen Cycle cont. ammonification- decomposers convert compound nitrogen into simpler molecules dentrification- convert the new nitrogen into nitrates

67. Nitrogen Cycle

69. Phosphorous Cycle In this sedimentary cycle phosphorous moves slowly from phosphate deposits on land and in shallow ocean sediments to living organisms and the back into the ocean and land http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId =RKkC2JpjaGc http://www.cleanvideosearch.com/media/action/yt/watch?videoId =RKkC2JpjaGc

70. Phosphorus Cycle

71. Sulfur Cycle Much of the sulfur is tied up in underground rocks and is primarily released through geological activity Its then used by plants and animals alike to be re-deposited back into the ground However 1/3 of all sulfur released is from human activity (burning sulfur containing coal & oil, creating gasoline from sulfur containing petroleum, converting sulfur containing minerals into free metals i.e. copper, lead, zinc.)

72. Sulfur Cycle

73. Ecological Efficiency Percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to another. 10% ecological efficiency 1,000,000 units of energy from sun 10,000 units available for green plants (photosynthesis) 1000 units for herbivores 100 units for primary carnivores 10 units for secondary carnivores

74. Ecosystem Importance Ecosystem services are the natural services or earth capital that support life on the earth Essential to the quality of human life and to the functioning of the world’s economies

75. Ecosystem Importance Ecosystem services include: Controlling and moderating climate Providing and renewing air, water, soil Recycling vital nutrients through chemical cycling Providing renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and nonrenewable minerals Furnishing people with food, fiber, medicines, timber, and paper

76. Ecosystem Importance Ecosystem services include 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

77. Two Principles of Ecosystem Sustainability Use renewable solar energy as energy source Efficiently recycle nutrients organisms need for survival, growth, and reproduction

78. Studying Ecosystems 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, time-consuming, 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