Day 1 Due 1/8(A) 1/9(B): Matter and Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
Reading
Introduction
An ecosystem is made up of the living creatures and the nonliving things that those creatures need within an area. Energy moves through an ecosystem in one direction. Nutrients cycle through different parts of the ecosystem and can enter or leave the ecosystem at many points.
Biological Communities
A population consists of all individuals of a single species that occur together at a given place and time. A species is a single type of organism that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. All of the populations living together in the same area make up a community. An ecosystem is all of the living things in a community and the physical and chemical factors that they interact with.
In an Ecosystem
The living organisms within an ecosystem are its biotic factors (Figure below). Living things include bacteria, algae, fungi, plants , and animals, including invertebrates, animals without backbones, and vertebrates, animals with backbones.
Introduction
An ecosystem is made up of the living creatures and the nonliving things that those creatures need within an area. Energy moves through an ecosystem in one direction. Nutrients cycle through different parts of the ecosystem and can enter or leave the ecosystem at many points.
Biological Communities
A population consists of all individuals of a single species that occur together at a given place and time. A species is a single type of organism that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. All of the populations living together in the same area make up a community. An ecosystem is all of the living things in a community and the physical and chemical factors that they interact with.
In an Ecosystem
The living organisms within an ecosystem are its biotic factors (Figure below). Living things include bacteria, algae, fungi, plants , and animals, including invertebrates, animals without backbones, and vertebrates, animals with backbones.
Physical and chemical features are abiotic factors. Abiotic factors include resources living organisms need such as light, oxygen, water, carbon dioxide, good soil, and nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients. Abiotic factors also include environmental features that are not materials or living things, such as living space and the right temperature range.
Niches
Organisms must make a living, just like a lawyer or a ballet dancer. This means that each individual organism must acquire enough food energy to live and reproduce. A species' way of making a living is called its niche. An example of a niche is making a living as a top carnivore, an animal that eats other animals, but is not eaten by any other animals (Figure below). Every species fills a niche, and niches are almost always filled in an ecosystem.
Niches
Organisms must make a living, just like a lawyer or a ballet dancer. This means that each individual organism must acquire enough food energy to live and reproduce. A species' way of making a living is called its niche. An example of a niche is making a living as a top carnivore, an animal that eats other animals, but is not eaten by any other animals (Figure below). Every species fills a niche, and niches are almost always filled in an ecosystem.
Habitat
An organism’s habitat is where it lives (Figure below). The important characteristics of a habitat include climate, the availability of food, water, and other resources, as well as other factors, such as weather.
An organism’s habitat is where it lives (Figure below). The important characteristics of a habitat include climate, the availability of food, water, and other resources, as well as other factors, such as weather.
Roles in Ecosystems
There are many different types of ecosystems, some of which were described in the biomes (Figure below). As with biomes, climate conditions determine which ecosystems are found in which location. A particular biome encompasses all of the ecosystems that have similar climate and organisms.
There are many different types of ecosystems, some of which were described in the biomes (Figure below). As with biomes, climate conditions determine which ecosystems are found in which location. A particular biome encompasses all of the ecosystems that have similar climate and organisms.
Different organisms live in each different type of ecosystems. Lizards thrive in deserts, but no reptiles can survive at all in polar ecosystems. Large animals generally do better in cold climates than in hot climates.
Despite this, every ecosystem has the same general roles that living creatures fill. It’s just the organisms that fill those niches that are different. For example, every ecosystem must have some organisms that produce food in the form of chemical energy. These organisms are primarily algae in the oceans, plants on land, and bacteria at hydrothermal vents.
Flow of Energy in Ecosystems
Despite this, every ecosystem has the same general roles that living creatures fill. It’s just the organisms that fill those niches that are different. For example, every ecosystem must have some organisms that produce food in the form of chemical energy. These organisms are primarily algae in the oceans, plants on land, and bacteria at hydrothermal vents.
Flow of Energy in Ecosystems
What is the source of energy for almost all ecosystems?
The Sun supports most of Earth's ecosystems. Plants create chemical energy from abiotic factors that include solar energy. Chemosynthesizing bacteria create usable chemical energy from unusable chemical energy. The food energy created by producers is passed to consumers, scavengers, and decomposers.
Flow of Matter in Ecosystems
Nutrients are ions that are crucial to the growth of living organisms. Nutrients - such as nitrogen and phosphorous - are important for plant cell growth. Animals use silica and calcium to build shells and skeletons. Cells need nitrates and phosphates to create proteins and other biochemicals. From nutrients, organisms make tissues and complex molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
The flow of matter in an ecosystem is not like energy flow. Matter enters an ecosystem at any level and leaves at any level. Matter cycles freely between trophic levels and between the ecosystem and the physical environment (Figure below).
What are the sources of nutrients in an ecosystem?
Rocks and minerals break down to release nutrients. Some enter the soil and are taken up by plants. Nutrients can be brought in from other regions, carried by wind or water. When one organism eats another organism, it receives all of its nutrients. Nutrients can also cycle out of an ecosystem. Decaying leaves may be transported out of an ecosystem by a stream. Wind or water carries nutrients out of an ecosystem.
The Sun supports most of Earth's ecosystems. Plants create chemical energy from abiotic factors that include solar energy. Chemosynthesizing bacteria create usable chemical energy from unusable chemical energy. The food energy created by producers is passed to consumers, scavengers, and decomposers.
Flow of Matter in Ecosystems
Nutrients are ions that are crucial to the growth of living organisms. Nutrients - such as nitrogen and phosphorous - are important for plant cell growth. Animals use silica and calcium to build shells and skeletons. Cells need nitrates and phosphates to create proteins and other biochemicals. From nutrients, organisms make tissues and complex molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
The flow of matter in an ecosystem is not like energy flow. Matter enters an ecosystem at any level and leaves at any level. Matter cycles freely between trophic levels and between the ecosystem and the physical environment (Figure below).
What are the sources of nutrients in an ecosystem?
Rocks and minerals break down to release nutrients. Some enter the soil and are taken up by plants. Nutrients can be brought in from other regions, carried by wind or water. When one organism eats another organism, it receives all of its nutrients. Nutrients can also cycle out of an ecosystem. Decaying leaves may be transported out of an ecosystem by a stream. Wind or water carries nutrients out of an ecosystem.
Decomposers play a key role in making nutrients available to organisms. Decomposers break down dead organisms into nutrients and carbon dioxide, which they respire into the air. If dead tissue would remain as it is, eventually nutrients would run out. Without decomposers, life on earth would have died out long ago.
Questions
1. What is the difference between a population, a community, and an ecosystem?
2. What is the difference between a niche and a habitat?
3. Why is energy only transferred in one way in an ecosystem, but nutrients cycle around?
Questions
1. What is the difference between a population, a community, and an ecosystem?
2. What is the difference between a niche and a habitat?
3. Why is energy only transferred in one way in an ecosystem, but nutrients cycle around?