Ecology and Ecosystems Flashcards
Ecology
Study of ‘Home’
Study of interactions:
- organisms with each other (biotic)
- organisms with their physical environment (abiotic)
1st Law of Thermodynamics
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
Energy is conserved
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
With each energy transfer or transformation in a system, less energy issues available to do work
Entropy or disorder tends to increase in natural systems
Photosynthesis
Series of light-dependent interactions
6H2O + 6CO2 + solar energy —chlorophyll—> C6H12O6 + 6O2
produces oxygen gas and glucose
Energy conversion: Energy captured
light energy —> chemical energy
Cell Respiration
Process of releasing chemical energy
C6H12O6 _ 6O2 —> 6H2O + 6CO2 + released energy (heat)
Involves splitting C and H atoms from glucose
Energy Conversion: Energy released
chemical energy —> released energy (heat)
ecosystem
open system with dynamic equilibrium
constant input and output of energy
composed of: biological community + physical environment
producers
autotrophs:
organisms that produce organic material and feed themselves through photosynthesis
consumers
heterotrophs:
eat other animals or plants for energy and mutrients
scavengers
clean up dead carcasses
detritivores
consume litter, debris, dung
Decomposers
Breakdown and recycling
Productivity
Amount of biomass produced in a given area during a given period of time
one of the most important properties of an ecosystem
Photosynthesis = primary productivity
- basis for almost all other growth in an ecosystem
Trophic Level
An organism’s feeding status in an ecosystem
Greek trophe: food
10% rule
Only 10% of the energy in one trophic level is passed on to the next
