Biophysical Interactions
An ecosystem is the dynamic complex of plant, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living environment as a functional unit. Ecosystems include the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) elements of the environment and the relationships between the components.
• Each ecosystem has its own specific plant and animal community
• Plants and animals are related to each other through relationships within food chains and food webs
• Nutrients are retained and recycled by living things within ecosystems
• The two main types of ecosystems are:
– Terrestrial ecosystems or biomes (land-based ecosystems) e.g. forest, grasslands, deserts
– Aquatic ecosystems (water-based ecosystems) e.g. ponds, lakes, rivers, oceans, coral reefs, estuaries and coastal and inland wetlands
Productivity of ecosystems
For an ecosystem to be functioning at its most productive level. The natural processes which occur within ecosystems must be occurring as close as possible to their natural state. The most important processes of ecosystems are:
– The Carbon Cycle
– The Nitrogen and Phosphorous Cycle
– The Nutrient Cycle
– The Oxygen Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
Examine information about the Carbon Cycle.
The Nutrient Cycle
Biomass is a measure of the mass of all organisms at a particular trophic level. A biomass pyramid shows the total weight (biomass) of organisms at each level for a particular habitat. Note: if the biomass pyramid exists in an ecosystem in this form than the ecosystem is in equilibrium.
A food chain is a series of organisms, each eating or decomposing the preceding one. However in nature the feeding relationships of living things are mush more complicated than simple food chains. A sometimes complicated branching diagram which shows the feeding relationships of all living things in an ecosystem or particular area is called a food web. Energy is transferred from one animal to another through food chains and food webs.
• Every food chain begins with a producer organism
• Energy flows in the direction of the arrows
• Some energy is lost at each step in the food chain as heat
• The source of energy is the sun
Trophic levels: The feeding level of an organism is its trophic level
A simplified ecosystem is made up of:
• Tertiary Trophic level – Decomposers: organisms that feed by breaking down the dead organic matter in an ecosystem (e.g. fungi, bacteria)
• Secondary Trophic level – Consumers (most animals): organisms that are unable to produce their own food, and consume plants and animals to obtain energy
• Primary Trophic level – Producers (plants): autotrophic organisms, they convert sunlight into energy through photosythesis
Biomass:
Biomass is a measure of the mass of all organisms at a particular trophic level. A biomass pyramid shows the total weight (biomass) of organisms at each level for a particular habitat. Note: if the biomass pyramid exists in an ecosystem in this form than the ecosystem is in equilibrium.
Productivity:
Productivity is the rate at which biological matter (biomass) is produced by an ecosystem or part of an ecosystem. The more productive the ecosystem, the healthier it is.
Energy:
Energy in a food chain declines the further up the food chain you go. For example, a producer has more usable energy than a tertiary consumer. This is because energy is lost by organisms through activity and also through heat.
Photosynthesis: Plants make food in their leaves, which contain a special green pigment, or colouring, called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll uses energy absorbed from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the ground, into a sugary form called glucose.
• Each ecosystem has its own specific plant and animal community
• Plants and animals are related to each other through relationships within food chains and food webs
• Nutrients are retained and recycled by living things within ecosystems
• The two main types of ecosystems are:
– Terrestrial ecosystems or biomes (land-based ecosystems) e.g. forest, grasslands, deserts
– Aquatic ecosystems (water-based ecosystems) e.g. ponds, lakes, rivers, oceans, coral reefs, estuaries and coastal and inland wetlands
Productivity of ecosystems
For an ecosystem to be functioning at its most productive level. The natural processes which occur within ecosystems must be occurring as close as possible to their natural state. The most important processes of ecosystems are:
– The Carbon Cycle
– The Nitrogen and Phosphorous Cycle
– The Nutrient Cycle
– The Oxygen Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
Examine information about the Carbon Cycle.
The Nutrient Cycle
Biomass is a measure of the mass of all organisms at a particular trophic level. A biomass pyramid shows the total weight (biomass) of organisms at each level for a particular habitat. Note: if the biomass pyramid exists in an ecosystem in this form than the ecosystem is in equilibrium.
A food chain is a series of organisms, each eating or decomposing the preceding one. However in nature the feeding relationships of living things are mush more complicated than simple food chains. A sometimes complicated branching diagram which shows the feeding relationships of all living things in an ecosystem or particular area is called a food web. Energy is transferred from one animal to another through food chains and food webs.
• Every food chain begins with a producer organism
• Energy flows in the direction of the arrows
• Some energy is lost at each step in the food chain as heat
• The source of energy is the sun
Trophic levels: The feeding level of an organism is its trophic level
A simplified ecosystem is made up of:
• Tertiary Trophic level – Decomposers: organisms that feed by breaking down the dead organic matter in an ecosystem (e.g. fungi, bacteria)
• Secondary Trophic level – Consumers (most animals): organisms that are unable to produce their own food, and consume plants and animals to obtain energy
• Primary Trophic level – Producers (plants): autotrophic organisms, they convert sunlight into energy through photosythesis
Biomass:
Biomass is a measure of the mass of all organisms at a particular trophic level. A biomass pyramid shows the total weight (biomass) of organisms at each level for a particular habitat. Note: if the biomass pyramid exists in an ecosystem in this form than the ecosystem is in equilibrium.
Productivity:
Productivity is the rate at which biological matter (biomass) is produced by an ecosystem or part of an ecosystem. The more productive the ecosystem, the healthier it is.
Energy:
Energy in a food chain declines the further up the food chain you go. For example, a producer has more usable energy than a tertiary consumer. This is because energy is lost by organisms through activity and also through heat.
Photosynthesis: Plants make food in their leaves, which contain a special green pigment, or colouring, called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll uses energy absorbed from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the ground, into a sugary form called glucose.
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Not all ecosystems start with the sun!!! Some food chains begin with the heat from hydrothermal vents.
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