Transcript Notes #3 - Manistique Area Schools

Environmental
Science
Chapter 3
Notes #3
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
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Producer /Consumer
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Almost all organisms get their energy from the sun
Herbivore/ Carnivore/ Omnivores/ Decomposers
photosynthesis
 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy  C6H12O6 + 6O2
Cellular respiration
 C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Food Chain
Food Web
Energy Pyramid
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Trophic Levels
The Cycling of Materials
There are 3 main cycles that allow
for the reuse of materials
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The Water Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
The Nitrogen Cycle
How Ecosystems Change
Ecological Succession – a regular pattern
of changes over time in the types of
species in a community
 (Can take 1000’s of years)
 Cause of succession?
 Ex. Pine trees create shade – however –
can’t grow in the shade – but oak and
maple can, so they grow and replace the
pine trees
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How Ecosystems Change
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Climax Community – the community that
eventually forms if left undisturbed
ex. Maple forest remains a maple forest if
no serious disturbances occur
Pioneers grow in (the 1st organisms to
colonize in newly available area and start
the process of succession.
How Ecosystems Change
Secondary Succession – when a new
ecosystem occurs where there had been
another
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Ex. After Mt. St. Helens erupted, it left
nothing, now there is regeneration
Ex. Old Field succession – when farmland is
abandoned
How Ecosystems Change
How Ecosystems Change
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Fire maintained communities –
Natural fires are left to burn…why?
Clears out old dead brush
Allows for new plants to grow
How Ecosystems Change
 Primary Succession
 Succession that occurs on surfaces
where no ecosystem existed before
 Ex. An island created by a volcano
 Area where an exposed glacier retreats
 Slower than secondary- begins where
there’s no soil
How Ecosystems Change
 Ex. If glacier retreats and leaves rock
behind
 Lichens and bacteria move in (don’t need
soil)
 Fungus + alga with a mutualistic
relationship
 The alga photosynthesizes & the fungus
absorbs nutrients from the rocks
 Together they break down the rock
How Ecosystems Change
 Water freezes and thaws in cracks, breaking it
down even further
 Soil accumulates as dust particles & dead
remains of lichen and bacteria
 Moss gains hold, dies and adds to the soil
 Fertile soil is formed, seeds of small plants
grow
 After that it is similar to secondary succession
Assignments
 Food Chain/Food Web/ Energy Pyramid
are due Tomorrow!! Anything unfinished
is homework.
 Transparency Worksheets 6-8 are due
today!
 Transparency Worksheet 9/ Yellowstone
Case Study are due tomorrow.