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Review Items

Ecosystem Structure

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The Law of Conservation of Matter

Matter cannot be created nor

destroyed

Matter only changes form

There is no away

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Laws Governing Energy Changes

Energy is neither created nor destroyed

Energy only changes form

You cant get something for nothing

First Law of Thermodynamics (Energy)

ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT

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Laws Governing Energy Changes

Second Law of Thermodynamics

In every transformation, some energy isconverted to heat (lower quality)

You cannot break even in terms ofenergy quality

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Connections: Matter and Energy Laws

and Environmental Problems

High-throughput (waste) economy

Matter-recycling economy

Low-throughput

economy

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TheBioticComponents ofEcosystems

Producers

(autotrophs)

- PhotosynthesisConsumers

(heterotrophs)

- Aerobic

respiration

Decomposers

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Consumers

Primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.

Herbivore- plant eater

Carnivore- meat eater

Omnivore- mixed plant/animal diet

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TheAbioticComponents of Ecosystems

1) Outside energy source

2) Physical factors that determineweather, climate

3) Chemicals essential for life

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Outside Energy Source

Powers

photosynthesis

Warms earth

Powers water

cycle

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Physical factors that determineweather, climate

Heat

Wind

Precipitation

Topography

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Heat

Location

Reflection

Retention

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Wind and Precipitation Uneven heating

Ascending,

descending air

masses

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Modifiers

Rotation of the

globe

Geologic

features

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Rain Shadows

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Lake-effect Precipitation

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Chemicals Essential for Life

Elements and

compounds

Recycled

between bioticand abiotic parts

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Limiting Factor Principle

Too much or too little of any biotic factorcan limit or prevent growth of a

population, even if all other factors areoptimal for that population.

Single factor most over-abundant ordeficient in an ecosystem determinespresence/absence of specificplants/animals.

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Ecosystem Concepts and Components

Biomes

Role ofclimate

Aquaticlife zones

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Biomes - terrestrial ecosystems

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Dry woodlands and

shrublands (chaparral)

Temperate grassland

Temperate deciduous forest

Boreal forest (taiga), evergreen coniferous

forest (e.g., montane coniferous forest)

Arctic tundra (polar grasslands)

Tropical savanna,

thorn forest

Tropical scrub forest

Tropical deciduous forest

Tropical rain forest,

tropical evergreen forest

Desert

Ice

Mountains

(complex zonation)

Semidesert,

arid grassland

Tropic of

Capricorn

Equator

Tropic of

Cancer

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Biomes

Determined primarily by

precipitation

Forests (> 75 cm rain per year)

Grasslands (30-75 cm rain per year)

Deserts (< 30 cm rain per year)

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Biomes

Determined secondarily by

temperature

Type of forest, grassland, or desert

determined by average annual

temperature

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Aquatic ecosystems

Determined by salinity

MarineEstuary

Freshwater

Type determined by: depth, nearness

to shore, size, water movement

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Ecosystem Function

One-way flow

of energy

Cycling of

matter

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Matter and Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Food chains Food webs

Trophic

levels

R d t il d h k

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Producer

to primary

consumer

Primaryto secondary

consumer

Secondary to

higher-level

consumer

All producers and

consumers to

decomposers

Fungi

Gambel'squail

Red-tailed hawk

Collaredlizard

Jackrabbit

Yucca

Kangaroo ratKangaroo rat

AgaveAgave

RoadrunnerRoadrunner

Diamondback rattlesnakeDiamondback rattlesnakeDarklingbeetle

Darklingbeetle

BacteriaBacteria

Prickly

pearcactus

Prickly

pearcactus

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Ecological Pyramids

Pyramid ofenergy flow

Ecologicalefficiency (10%)

Pyramid of

biomass

Pyramid of

numbers

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Energy Productivity of Ecosystems

Primary productivitySecondary productivity

Energy stored/area/time

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Matter Cycling in Ecosystems

Biogeochemical or nutrient cycles

Hydrologic cycle (H2O)

Atmospheric or gaseous cycles (C, N)

Sedimentary cycles (P, S)

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Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

Driven by physical forces

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The Carbon Cycle

Driven by biological forces:

photosynthesis and respiration

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The Nitrogen Cycle

Driven by biological forces: bacteria

Root nodules

on legumes

Cyanobacteria

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The Phosphorus Cycle

Driven by physical forces

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Community Change

Ecological succession - gradualreplacement of one kind of community

of organisms by another over time

Initiated by disturbance

E l i l S i C iti i

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Ecological Succession: Communities in

Transition -Type #1

Primary succession

- begins with barren area, nosoil

E l i l S i C iti i

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Ecological Succession: Communities in

Transition -Type #1

Slow soil development by weathering,

activities of tolerant species

- pioneer species

E l i l S i C iti i

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Ecological Succession: Communities in

Transition -Type #1

Gradual changeover to less tolerant

species over long periods of time

- equilibrium or successional species

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Primary Succession

E l i l S i C iti i

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Ecological Succession: Communities in

Transition -Type #2

Secondary succession

- begins with soil already in place

E l i l S i C iti i

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Ecological Succession: Communities in

Transition -Type #2

Rapid changeover to less tolerant

species over shorter periods of time

- rapid because soil already present

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Secondary Succession

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Succession and Wildlife

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The End Product

If undisturbed, communities change

toward a relatively stable stage

- climax community

- long-term presence if not disturbed

- dominated by less-tolerant species- general equilibrium