ECOSYSTEMS AND ENERGY

CHAPTER 2P.52-60

ENERGYTHE ABILITY TO DO WORK OR CAUSE CHANGE

TYPES OF ENERGY

1. POTENTIALSTORED ENERGY(BEFORE THE PITCHER RELEASES THE BALL) 2. KINETICENERGY OF MOTION(THE PITCHED BALL)

3. CHEMICALFROM ORGANIC MOLECULES, NUTRIENTS(PHOTOSYNTHESIS, CHEMOSYNTHESIS)

4. FREEENERGY NEEDED FOR A CELL TO WORK (SUCH AS FROM ATP)*EAT FOODGLUCOSEATP*

ORGANISMS THAT NEED ENERGY• AUTOTROPHSMAKE THEIR OWN FOOD SUCH AS PLANTS USING LIGHT FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS ARE CALLEDPHOTOAUTOTROPHS ENERGY USING CHEMICALS (CHEMOSYNTHESIS) SUCH AS BACTERIA ARE CALLEDCHEMOAUTOTROPHS

• HETEROTROPHSCANNOT MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD AND MUST OBTAIN IT SUCH AS ANIMALS, FUNGI AND MOST BACTERIA **BOTH AUTOTROPHS AND HETEROTROPHS USE CELLULAR RESPIRATION IN ORDER TO RELEASE ENERGY FOR CELLS TO STAY ALIVE (GLUCOSEATP)

**BOTH STORE ENERGY (CHEMICAL ENERGY) AND USE SOME OF IT TO DO WORK (FREE ENERGY)

ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE

1. PRODUCERS (AUTOTROPHS SUCH AS PLANTS)2. CONSUMERS (HETEROTROPHS SUCH AS HERBIVORES, CARNIVORES, OMNIVORES)3. DECOMPOSERS (HETEROTROPHS SUCH AS BACTERIA, FUNGI)

*THESE BREAKDOWN AND RECYCLE MATTER FOR NUTRIENTS*

FOOD CHAINS

• SHOW ENERGY FLOW BASED UPON WHAT ORGANISMS EAT

• EXAMPLE: GRASSRABBITSNAKEHAWK

TROPHIC LEVELS

• PRODUCERUSUALLY PLANTS• CONSUMERPRIMARY/1STORDER• CONSUMERSECONDARY/2ND ORDER • CONSUMERTERTIARY/3RDORDER• CONSUMERQUATERNARY/4TH ORDER

FOOD WEBS

• MADE UP OF MANY FOOD CHAINS • SHOWS THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE

MEMBERS OF AN ECOSYSTEMFOR ENERGY AND NUTRIENTS

• FROM PRODUCERS TO CONSUMERS (BOTTOM TO TOP)

2 LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS

P.57-60

2 LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS

1. ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED OR DESTROYED BUT CAN CHANGE FORM (LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY)

2. SYSTEMS TEND TO CHANGE IN A WAY THAT INCREASES DISORDER (ENTROPY) OF THE SYSTEM AND ITS SURROUNDINGS– FREE ENERGY INCREASES, ENTROPY DECREASES – FREE ENERGY DECREASES, ENTROPY INCREASES

*ORGANISMS OVERCOME THIS TENDENCY FOR INCREASED ENTROPY BY OBTAINING ENERGY

PYRAMIDS OFENERGY, BIOMASS, AND NUMBERS

• AT THE BASE OF EACH ARE THE PRODUCERS FOLLOWED BY THE CONSUMERS

• AS YOU GO FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP, ALL 3 DECREASE

Levels of OrganizationBiosphere

Ecosystem Community

Population Organism

Biosphere

• Broadest, most inclusive level• Thin volume of Earth and its atmosphere that

supports all life• 20km (13mi) thick• 8-10 km (5-6mi) deep

into oceans• Comparable to skin

only of ENTIRE apple

Ecosystems • Includes all organisms and the non-living environment

found in a particular place• Ex: Pond– Living• Fish, aquatic

plants, algae, bacteria, etc

– Nonliving• Water, sunlight,

rocks

Community• All interacting organisms living in an area• Look at how species interact• How interactions

influence nature of community

• Ex: Pond– How fish

interact with plants, algae, bacteria

Populations • Includes all members of a species that live in

one place at one time • Ex: Pond– Rainbow trout

of THAT SPECIFIC POND

Organism • Simplest level• Look at behavioral adaptations that allow

organism to overcome obstacles

• Ex: Pond– One specific

rainbow trout