Lecture 20: Ecosystems Ecology Flashcards
Fundamental Ecosystem Level Processes
What are the 2 ecosystems dynamic processes?
1 - 2?
- Energy flow
- Nutrient Cycling
Ecosystem dynamics processes
How tf would you describe Energy flow in ecosystem dynamics processes?
Energy flow states that it enters ecosystem as radiant energy -> chemical energy.
Energy transfer is never 100% efficient!
Ecosystems dynamics processes
How tf would you describe nutrient cycling in ecosystem dynamics processes?
Nutrient cycling is the nutrients cycle from the abiotic to the biotic - energy flows through ecosystems while matter cycles within them!
Ecosystem dynamics
What phenomenon is described here?
Energy enters as light exits as heat, energy and nutrients pass from primary producers (autotrophs) to primary consumers to finally secondary consumers.
Energy flows through an ecosystem
Energy flow
What is decomposition?
____ all the ____ levels. ____ essential ____ elements.
Who does it? (2)
Decomposition:
Connects all the trophic levels. Recycle essential chemical elements.
- Bacteria & Fungi!
Energy flow - chain!
Who is in all these trophic levels?
1. First trophic level
2. Second trophic level
3. Third trophic level
4. Fourth trophic level
- Producers - plants
- Primary consumers - Herbivores
- Secondary consumers - Carnivores
- Tertiary consumers - 2nd level Carnivores
Energy Flow
Primary Production:
The ____ of light ____ converted to ____ energy - in the form of ____ compounds - by ____ during a given ____ period.
The amount of light energy converted to chemical energy – in the form of organic compounds – by autotrophs during a given time period.
Primary Production
Define the following 2 terms:
- GPP?
- NPP?
- GPP: Gross Primary Production - total primary production ecosystem!
- NPP: Net Primary Production - GPP minus the glucose used by primary producers for cellular respiration (Ra), hence NPP = GPP - Ra
Energy Flow
Secondary Production:
The amount of ____ in ____ food that is ____ to their own new ____ during a given ____.
The amount of energy in consumers’ food that is converted to their own new biomass during a given period.
Energy Flow
What is the fraction of energy stored in food that is used for secondary production (not used for cellular respiration)?
Aka the efficiency of animals as energy transformers.
Production efficiency
Production efficiency
What is the equation for production efficiency and define each variable…?
Now do the following example: 100J is taken by caterpillar. 67J for cellular respiration, 33 J for secondary production. Production efficiency?
PE = (NSP x 100%)/APP
PE: production efficiency
NSP or Net secondary production: energy stored in biomass by growth/reproduction
APP or Assimilation of primary production: total energy taken (growth/reproduction/respiration).
Ex: 33J/33+67 = 33%
Energy Flow
What is known as Trophic Efficiency?
____ of ____ transferred from one ____ level to the ____.
- Energy is … as you go up, b/c energy is lost through respiration, contained in feces, stays in organic material that is not consumed, etc.
Trophic Efficiency:
Percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next.
- Energy is LOST as you go up, b/c energy is lost through respiration, contained in feces, stays in organic material that is not consumed, etc.
Nutrient Cycling
Why tf is the carbon cycle so biologically important?
1 - 2?
- Carbon forms the framework of the organic molecules essential to all life.
- Photosythetic organisms = convert CO2 into organic molecules used by heterotrophs!
Carbon cycle
What is known as a reservoir in the carbon cycle?
Reservoir: accumulates and stores carbon.
Carbon cycle
What is known as a carbon sink in the carbon cycle?
Carbon sink: converts atmospheric CO2 into biomass, takes carbon from one reservoir and brings it to itself = PLANTS (photosynthetic species).
