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Outline • The Nature of Ecosystems • Biotic Components • Autotrophs • Heterotrophs • Energy Flow • Ecological Pyramids • Global Biogeochemical Cycles • Hydrologic Cycle • Carbon Cycle • Nitrogen Cycle • Phosphorus Cycle
Nature of Ecosystems • Biosphere is the organism-containing part of the • Atmosphere • Hydrosphere, and • Lithosphere • An ecosystem is a place where organisms interact with the physical environment • Ecosystems characterized by: • Cyclical flow of materials from abiotic environment through biotic community and back • One-way flow of energy
Biotic Components:Autotrophs • Producers are autotrophs • Require only inorganic nutrients and an outside energy source to produce organic nutrients • Photoautotrophs • Chemoautrophs
Biotic Components:Heterotrophs • Consumers are heterotrophs • Require a source of preformed organic nutrients • Herbivores - Feed on plants • Carnivores - Feed on other animals • Omnivores - Feed on plants and animals • Decomposers are also heterotrophs • Bacteria and fungi • Break down dead organic matter
Energy Flow andChemical Cycling • Nutrients pass one-way through food chain from one level to another • Each level retains some energy • The rest is converted to heat, which dissipates into the environment • Chemicals cycle as organic nutrients • Once used, they are returned back to the producers by • Excretion • Death • Cellular Respiration
Ecological Pyramids • A trophic level • Composed of all the organisms that feed at the same level in a food chain • Only about 10% of the energy of one trophic level is useable to the next trophic level • Explains why few top carnivores can be supported in a food web
GlobalBiogeochemical Cycles • Chemical cycling may involve: • Reservoir - Source normally unavailable to producers • Fossil Fuels • Minerals • Sediments • Exchange Pool - Source from which organisms generally take chemicals • Atmosphere • Soil • Water • Biotic Community - Chemicals remain in food chains, perhaps never entering a pool
Hydrologic Cycle • Fresh water evaporates from bodies of water • Precipitation on land enters the ground, surface waters, or aquifers • Water eventually returns to the oceans
Carbon Cycle • Atmosphere is an exchange pool for carbon dioxide • The total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing every year • Thought to be due to fossil fuel combustion • Transfer Rate
Greenhouse Effect • Greenhouse gases • Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane • Allow sunlight to pass through atmosphere • Reflect infrared back to earth • Trap heat in atmosphere • If Earth’s temperature rises • More water will evaporate • More clouds will form, and • Setting up a potential positive feedback loop
Nitrogen Cycle • Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by bacteria • Make it available to plants • Nodules on legume roots • Nitrification - Production of nitrates • Denitrification - Conversion of nitrate to nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas • Balances nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen and Air Pollution • Acid Deposition • Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are converted to acids when they combine with water vapor • Acid rain dramatically reduces pH of surface waters in some areas • Causes heavy metals to leach out of rocks, poisoning aquatic organisms • Kills plants and causes fish to be unfit for human consumption • Smog
Phosphorus Cycle • Phosphorus does not enter the atmosphere • Sedimentary cycle • Phosphate taken up by producers incorporated into a variety of organic molecules • Can lead to water eutrophication • Biomagnification
Review • The Nature of Ecosystems • Biotic Components • Autotrophs • Heterotrophs • Energy Flow • Ecological Pyramids • Global Biogeochemical Cycles • Hydrologic Cycle • Carbon Cycle • Nitrogen Cycle • Phosphorus Cycle