Ecological pyramids

Presentation
By
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
efinition
Graphic representation of trophic
structure and function of an ecosystem,
starting with producers at the base and
successive trophic levels forming the
apex is known as an ecological pyramid
An ecological pyramid is a diagram that
shows the relationship amounts of energy
or matter contained within each trophic
level in a food web or food chain.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
ECOLOGCAL PYRAM$
Food chains and food webs do not
give any information about the
numbers of organisms involved.
This information can be shown
through ecological pyramids.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Types of pyramids
Pyramid of numbers
Pyramid of biomass
Pyramid of energy
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
PYRAM OF NUMBER$
$hows the number of organisms at each
trophic level per unit area of an ecosystem
with producers forming the base and top
carnivores the tip.
The shape of the pyramid of numbers vary
from ecosystem to ecosystem.
We may have upright or inverted pyramid
of numbers, depending upon type of
ecosystem and food chain.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of numbers displays the number of individuals
at each level.
1 owI
z= voIes
zooo
gruss pIunLs
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of Numbers in a Grassland Ecosystem
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of Numbers in a Aquatic Ecosystem
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of Numbers
n a parasitic food chain, for
e.g., an oak tree, the large
tree provides food to several
herbivorous birds. The birds
support still larger population
of ectoparasites leading to the
formation of an inverted
pyramid.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
When a large tree support
larger number of herbivorous
birds which inturn are eaten
by carnivorous birds like
falcon and eagle, which are
smaller in number, it forms a
spindle shaped pyramid.
Pyramid of Numbers
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of bio mass
S The total amount of matter present in
organisms of an ecosystem at each
trophic level is biomass.
S Biomass is preferred to the use of
numbers of organisms because individual
organisms can vary in size. t is the total
mass not the size that is important.
S Pyramid of biomass records the total dry
organic matter of organisms at each
trophic level in a given area of an
ecosystem.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of bio mass
n a terrestrial ecosystem, the maximum biomass occurs in
producers, and there is progressive decrease in biomass from
lower to higher trophic levels. Thus, the pyramid of biomass in
a terrestrial ecosystem is upright.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of bio mass
n an aquatic habitat the
pyramid of biomass is
inverted or spindle shaped
where the biomass of trophic
level depends upon the
reproductive potential and
longivity of the member.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Pyramid of energy
$hows the amount of energy input to each
trophic level in a given area of an
ecosystem over an extended period with
producers forming the base and the top
carnivores at the tip.
Pyramid of energy is always upright
t is so because at each transfer about 80 -
90% of the energy available at lower trophic
level is used up to overcome its entropy and
to perform metabolic activities. Only 10% of
the energy is available to next trophic level
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Energy Pyramid Energy Pyramid
In nature, ecological
efficiency varies from
5% to 20% energy
available between
successive trophic
levels (95% to 80%
loss). About 10%
efficiency is a general
rule.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Energy flow in an
ecosystem
Energy fIow in an ecosystem
Flow of energy in ecosystem takes place
through the food chain and it is the energy
flow which keeps the ecosystem going
Energy flow is a one-directional process.
Nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus
move in a cyclic manner and are reused by
the producers after flowing through the food
chain
Energy is not reused
Flow of energy follows the two laws of
thermodynamics
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
The Laws of Thermodynamics
sun---> heat (longer wavelengths) --->
biochemical energy by plants ---> consumers
FIRST LAW of THERMODYNAMICS:
Energy can be converted from one form to
another, but cannot be created or destroyed.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
SECOND LAW of THERMODYNAMICS
Transformations of energy always result in some
loss or dissipation of energy
or
n energy exchanges in a closed system, the
potential energy of the final state will be less than
that of the initial state
Loss of energy takes place through respiration,
locomotion, running, hunting and other activities
90% loss of energy takes place at every trophic
levels.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Energy flow models
Flow of energy through various trophic
levels can be explained with various
energy flow models
Universal energy flow model
$ingle channel energy flow model
ouble channel or Y- shaped energy
flow model.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Primary productivity
Primary productivity is the rate of energy
capture by producers.
the amount of new biomass of producers,
per unit time and space
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Gross primary production (GPP)
= total amount of energy captured
Net primary production (NPP)
= GPP - respiration
Net primary production is thus the amount of
energy stored by the producers and potentially
available to consumers and decomposers.
R= Respiratory loss
NU = energy not used
NA = energy not assimilated
A= assimilated energy
P= energy used for production
= ead matter
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Energy flow model
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
UNVER$AL MOEL
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
$ingle channel Energy flow model
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Y-SHAPED OR DOUBLE CHANNEL
ENERGY FLOW MODEL
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Nutrient cycIing
Definition
The elements which are essential for the
survival of both plants and animals are called
nutrients
The cyclic flow of nutrients between the biotic
and abiotic components is known as nutrient
cycIe or biogeochemicaI cycIes.
Nutrients enter into producer and move
through food chain and reach consumer. The
bound nutrients of consumer, after death, are
decomposed and converted into inorganic
substances which are readily used by the
plants and the cycle starts again.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Types
HydroIogicaI cycIe
Carbon cycIe
Nitrogen cycIe
Phosphorus cycIe
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
The Water CycIe
Water is essential to all organisms
movement of water in a cyclic manner is
known as hydroIogicaI cycIe.
97% of the biosphere's water is contained in
the oceans, 2% is in glaciers and polar ice
caps, and 1% is in lakes, rivers, and
groundwater
Water moves by the processes of
evaporation, transpiration, condensation,
precipitation, and movement through
surface and groundwater
Precipitation
over Iand
Transport
over Iand
SoIar energy
Net movement of
water vapor by wind
Evaporation
from ocean
PercoIation
through
soiI
Evapotranspiration
from Iand
Runoff and
groundwater
Precipitation
over ocean
Carbon cycIe
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Carbon is stored on our pIanet in the foIIowing
major pooIs:
As organic moIecuIes in Iiving and dead
organisms found in the biosphere
As the gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
As organic matter in soiIs
In the Iithosphere as fossiI fueIs and sedimentary
rock deposits such as Iimestone, doIomite and
chaIk
In the oceans as dissoIved atmospheric carbon
dioxide and as caIcium carbonate sheIIs in marine
organisms.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Carbon is exchanged between the active pooIs due to
various processes
Photosynthesis and respiration between the Iand and
the atmosphere
Diffusion between the ocean and the atmosphere.
Carbon, in form of carbon dioxide is taken by pIants for
photosynthesis, through which variety of carbohydrates
and other organic substances are produced.
Through the food chain it moves and when the
consumer is dead the organic matter present in the dead
is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide by
microorganisms which is again used up by pIants.
Increasing IeveI of CO2 in atmosphere due to burning
fossiI fueIs etc., causes an in baIance in naturaI cycIe
and Ieads to gIobaI warming.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Nitrogen cycIe
Nitrogen (N
2
) makes up 78% of the
atmosphere.
All living things needs nitrogen to build
proteins, nucleic acids, etc.,
Nitrogen is a component of amino acids,
proteins, and nucleic acids
Most living things, however, can not use
atmospheric nitrogen to make amino-acids
and other nitrogen containing compounds.
They are dependent on nitrogen fixing to
convert N
2
into NH
3
(NH
4
+
), (NO
3
).
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Nitrogen cycIe
The nitrogen cycle consists of four natural
processes
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrification
Denitrification
Decay Processes
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Nitrogen Fixation
There are two main ways nitrogen is 'fixed'
Fixation by Lightning
The energy from lightning causes nitrogen (N
2
)
and water (H
2
O) to combine to form ammonia
(NH
3
) and nitrates (NO
3
). Precipitation carries
the ammonia and nitrates to the ground, where
they can be assimilated by plants.
BioIogicaI Fixation
About 90% of nitrogen fixation is done by
bacteria. Cyanobacteria convert nitrogen into
ammonia and ammonium.N
2
+ 3 H
2
-> 2 NH
3
Ammonia can be used by plants directly.
Ammonia and ammonium may be further
reacted in the nitrification process.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Nitrification
s the process in which ammonia in the soil
is converted to nitrates. Nitrification is
performed by nitrifying bacteria. Plants absorb
the nitrates and use them to make proteins.
Denitrification
s the reverse of the combined processes
of nitrogen fixation and nitrification. t is the
process by which nitrogen compounds,
through the action of certain bacteria, give up
nitrogen gas that then becomes part of the
atmosphere. The amount of gas released by
this process is relatively small.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Decay Processes
Are those by which the organic nitrogen
compounds of dead organisms and waste material are
returned to the soil. These compounds are chiefly
proteins and urea. The many bacteria and fungi
causing decay convert them to ammonia and
ammonium compounds in the soil.
Thus, through the nitrogen cycle, food-making
organisms obtain the necessary nitrogen through
nitrogen fixation and (to a greater extent) through
nitrification. At the same time, nitrogen compounds are
returned to the soil through decay and nitrogen is
returned to the air through denitrification and cycle
goes on.
f the nitrogen cycle does not supply enough nitrogen
to support plant growth, artificial fertilizers, containing
nitrates or ammonium compounds, are needed.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Phosphorus cycIe
The atmosphere does not play a significant
role in the movements of phosphorus, because
phosphorus and phosphorus-based
compounds are usually solids at the typical
ranges of temperature and pressure found on
Earth.
The phosphorus cycle is long and slow, but it is
an important part of the environment. t helps
plants grow, and is used by farmers to fertilize
them.
Phosphorus can be found on earth in water,
soil and sediments.
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
t is in these rocks where the phosphorus cycle
begins.
When it rains, phosphates are removed from the
rocks (via weathering) and are distributed
throughout both soils and water.
Plants take up the phosphate ions from the soil.
The phosphates then moves from plants to
animals when herbivores eat plants and to
carnivores.
The phosphates absorbed by animal tissue
through consumption eventually returns to the
soil through the excretion, as well as from the
final decomposition of plants and animals after
death.
Runoff may carry them back to the ocean or they
may be reincorporated into rock. Jhansirani.R AP/ECE
Jhansirani.R AP/ECE