Transcript Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work?

Ecosystems: What Are
They and How Do They
Work?
Chapter 3
Sections 1-4
Nature of Ecology
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What is ecology?
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The study of connections in
nature
“Oikos” means house or place
to live.
Study of how organisms
interact with each other.
Organisms, populations,
communities, ecosystems,
And biosphere.
Organism: Any form of life.
Single cell, plant or animal
Cells: Basic unit of life
Species: Groups of organisms
that share characteristics.
Other animals
281,000
Insects
751,000
Fungi
69,000
Prokaryotes
4,800
Protists
57,700
Plants
248,400
Fig. 3-2, p. 37
Populations, Communities, and
Ecosystems
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Populations: Group of individuals inhabiting
the same area.
Genetic diversity: The physical variations
among individuals in a population.
Biological community: All the populations of
different species in an area
Ecosystems: Communities interacting with the
natural environment of matter and energy.
Biosphere: All of earth’s systems interacting.
What Sustains Life on Earth?
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Troposphere
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Stratosphere
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All water
Lithosphere
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17-48km
Hydrosphere
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17km
Earth’s crust and upper
mantle
Biosphere
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All living things.
Oceanic
crust
Continental
crust
Atmosphere
Vegetation
and animals
Soil
Rock
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Upper mantle
Asthenosphere
Lower mantle
Crust
Core
Mantle
Crust (soil
and rock)
Biosphere
(living and dead
organisms)
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
(crust, top of upper mantle)
(water)
Atmosphere
(air)
Earth’s Life-Support Systems
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One way flow of highquality energy
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Cycling of energy
through an ecosystem.
Results in heat.
Cycling of matter
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Atoms, ions cycled
throught parts of the
biosphere. Fixed supply
of Nutrients.
Biosphere
Carbon
cycle
Phosphorus
cycle
Nitrogen
cycle
Water
cycle
Oxygen
cycle
Heat in the environment
Heat
Heat
Heat
Fig. 3-6, p. 39
Flow of Solar Energy to and from
the Earth
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Greenhouse gases
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Water vapor
CO2
Methane
Nitrous oxide
ozone
Greenhouse effect
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Trapping of heat by the
troposphere. Supports
all life.
Greenhouse effect
Solar
radiation
Energy in = Energy out
Reflected by
atmosphere (34%)
UV radiation
Radiated by
atmosphere
as heat (66%)
Lower Stratosphere
(ozone layer)
Absorbed
by ozone
Visible
light
Troposphere
Greenhouse
effect
Heat
Absorbed
by the
earth
Heat radiated
by the earth