Moving Energy Through Ecosystems

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Moving Energy Through Ecosystems
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Ecosystems (without humans)

• Consist of Biotic (Organisms) and Abiotic factors
• BOTH move energy through the ecosystem
• How is energy moved?

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Organisms

• Producers
• Convert environmental energy to carbon bonds
• Consumers
• Get energy from carbon bonds
• Herbivores
• Carnivores
• Omnivores
• Detrivores (Decomposors)

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Energy Flow Through the Ecosystem
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Energy Does NOT recycle!

• When we use food, we are actually breaking
  bonds between carbon atoms.
• This releases energy which can be used by an
  organism OR can be lost as heat.
• LOOK back at the diagram. What is the source of
  energy used by organisms?

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Inorganic Nutrients

• Do NOT contain C-C bonds.
• Include
• Phosphorus (bones, teeth, cellular membranes
• Nitrogen (from protein)
• Water and CO2 (products of cellular respiration)

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How Do Inorganic Nutrients Travel?

• from the Inorganic Pool by autotrophs
• Generally from the soil or water surrounding the
  autotroph
• By consuming other organisms (heterotrophs
• When organisms die, they become detritus (food
  for decomposers)
• Through decomposition, inorganics are
  incorporated into the soil, water and air.

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Summary

• The ultimate source of energy is _______
• All energy is ultimately lost as _________
• Energy is passed from organism to organism
  through _____________
• ___________ remove the last energy from the
  remains of the organism (detritus)
• _____________ nutrients are cycled but
  _______________ is not.

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Biogeochemical Cycles

• Inorganic nutrients can cycle through organisms,
  land, air, and water
• Inorganic nutrients are CHEMICALS (molecules)
  that CYCLE through BIOlogical and GEOlogical world

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Terms to know

• Reservoir parts of a cycle where a chemical is
  held for a long time
• Exchange pools parts of a cycle where a
  chemical is held for a short time
• Residence time length of time held in either a
  reservoir or an exchange pool.

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Reservoir or exchange pool?

• Ocean
• Cloud
• Water movement through a plant
• Consumed food
• Rock

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Four important cycles

• Water
• Carbon (and oxygen)
• Nitrogen
• Phosphorus

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Carbon Cycle
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Oxygen Cycle

• Really within the Carbon Cycle
• Oxygen is in CO2 (Carbon dioxide), in the
  carbohydrates( C6H12O6, in water (H2O), and as a
  molecule of two oxygen atoms.

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Nitrogen Cycle
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Phosphorus Cycle