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Ecosystems
Levels of organisation
the mix of barnacles, algal mats, herbivorous snails on rocks etc. the physical environment (dessication, temp, wave action) leads to a vertical zonation pattern predation and competition influence distribution eg. snails grazing algal spores, predatory snails eating herbivores disturbance opens spaces, allows establishment of new species different communities result in different locations
Rocky Shore
community
vegetation structure in different parts of the world is similar in similar environments - even
though species are different
an ecosystem is all of the organisms living in a community (or communities) together with their abiotic factors
Ecosystem function
Energy flow Cycling of materials A systems approach attempts to understand
the way energy is passed through the system how nutrients are cycled
Individual organisms or species can be considered in terms of the function they perform
ECOSYSTEMS ecosystems are a network of interactions, beginning with the PRIMARY PRODUCERS (the PLANTS) and connecting to herbivores, carnivores, parasites, decomposers ...energy, nutrients & water are cycled through the network by these different groups
Energy flows in a unidirectional way (it does not cycle!) fig 4.13 Miller Ch 4
This requires a continuous input of energy into an ecosystem Energy source autotrophs heterotrophs
Energy in ecosystems
All organisms require energy
maintenance, growth, reproduction, (and movement)
The energy driving the biosphere (and all ecosystems) is solar radiation, captured via photosynthesis by autotrophs
about 1% of visible light converted to chemical energy about 120 billion tonnes of new organic material produced each year about 99% of all organic matter in the biosphere is autotrophs (i.e. mostly plants)
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
(+ solar energy)
6 CO2 + 12 H2O
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 + 6H2O
Respiration
Energy (from photosynthesis) is released and used by the organism when the complex molecules are subsequently broken down during metabolism
Productivity in ecosystems
Primary productivity - the rate at which solar radiation is converted into chemical energy by autotrophs (plants) (amount of material or
energy per unit time, e.g. g/m2/yr)
Secondary productivity - the rate at which heterotrophs (animals) convert the chemical energy of their food into new tissue
Productivity in ecosystems
However, not all of the energy is converted into new living tissues
respiration (metabolism) accounts for a large part
Productivity in ecosystems
A measure of nett primary productivity is the change in biomass per unit time
(but be aware of what may have been lost)
Biomass - the weight of living tissue per unit area (e.g. kg/ha)
all are essential - the resource in shortest supply will be the one limiting biomass production
Tropical rain forest Woodland/shrubland Temperate grassland Desert and scrub Swamp and marsh Open ocean Upwelling ocean zones Algal beds and reefs