Transcript Energy in Ecosystem Power Point

How Ecosystems Work
Big Ideas
► The
flow of energy, cycling of materials, and
ecological succession combine to affect how
an ecosystem works.
► Organisms need energy to survive. Some
organisms can convert directly from the sun,
others get their energy indirectly from the
sun.
► The cycling of materials such as carbon,
nitrogen, water and phosphorous keep
nutrients balanced in an ecosystem.
Section 1: Energy Flow In
Ecosystems
► Describe
how energy is transferred from the
sun to producers and then consumers
► Explain what a food chain and food web are
► Explain why an energy pyramid is a
representation of trophic levels
► Terms:
photosynthesis, producer, consumer,
decomposer, cellular respiration, food chain,
food web, trophic levels
What makes an ecosystem like this “work?”
Life Depends On The Sun
• Average
Star
• 93 million
miles away
• Nuclear
Fusion
• No Sun,
No Life
Life Depends on the Sun
ALL
organisms
need a
constant
supply of
energy or
they die
Why do
plants
grow
upwards?
Life Depends on the Sun
► The
ultimate
source of almost
all energy for
organisms is the
SUN.
Mmmm, solar
energy tastes
good!
 What did you eat?
(Nuclear Powered?)
 Only some deep sea
creatures do not get
energy from sun
Life Depends on the Sun
►Photosynthesis:
plants use the
suns energy,
water and CO2,
to make energy.
 Base of ALL food
chains
Almost all
organisms depend
either directly or
indirectly on
photosynthesis
How do other Organisms Use Energy
Most organisms spend large
amounts of time/energy in
search of food and a mate.
How do other Organisms Use Energy
► Cellular
Respiration:
processes of
breaking down food
to yield energy
 Gives energy to walk,
read, grow, think, run,
fight diseases
 Excess stored as fat
Glucose (sugar) + Oxygen
REACTANTS
yields
carbon dioxide, water and energy
PRODUCTS
Energy Transfer in an Ecosystem
► Producer:
an
organism that
makes it own food.
 Plants
 Autotrophs, self-
feeders
 Use sunlight
 Base of all food chains
From Producer to Consumer
► Consumer:
gets it
energy by eating
producers or
other consumers
 Heterotrophs
 Indirectly solar
powered
Types of Consumers
► Herbivore:
eats only producers (vegetarian)
 Cows, sheep, deer, grasshopper, mice, rabbits
Types of Consumers
► Carnivore:
eats
other consumers
 Lion, hawks, snakes,
alligator, whales
Types of Consumers
► Omnivore:
eats
both producers
and consumers
 Bears, pigs,
raccoons and most
humans
Types of Consumers
► Decomposer:
breaks down
dead decaying
organisms
 Critical to ecosystem
health
 Returns nutrients
 Fungus, bacteria
Energy Transfer
Each time one
organism eats
another, energy is
transferred
Ecosystems are all
about energy flowing
from one organism to
another
Energy Transfer
► Who
are the
producers?
► Consumers?
► Herbivores?
► Carnivores?
► Omnivores?
► Decomposers?
► Where does the
energy start?
Energy Transfer
► Food
Chain:
linear sequence
in which energy
is transferred
from one
organism to
another
 Starts with
producers
Energy Flow
► Food
Web:
shows many
feeding
relationships
that are
possible in a
ecosystem
 More complex
and realistic
Energy Flow
► Trophic
Level:
each step which
energy is
transferred
Energy Pyramid
Energy Flow
► Why
are there fewer
organisms at the top?
(Why fewer Hawks
than the other birds
they prey on)
► Why aren’t there more
than 4-5 trophic levels
in a energy pyramid?
Energy Flow
► At
each trophic
level about 90%
of energy is lost
 Cellular respiration
 Lost to body heat
and carry out living
Energy Flow
► Why
are there fewer
organisms at the top?
(Why fewer bears than
the fruit they feed on)
► Why aren’t there more
than 4-5 trophic levels
in a energy pyramid?
Section 1 Review
► Describe
how energy is transferred from the
sun to producers and then consumers
► Explain what a food chain and food web are
► Explain why an energy pyramid is a
representation of trophic levels
► Terms:
photosynthesis, producer, consumer,
decomposer, cellular respiration, food chain,
food web, trophic levels
Section 2: Cycling Matter
► Explain
how matter is cycle in the carbon,
nitrogen and phosphorous cycles.
► Identify ways that humans are impacting
the carbon cycle.
► Explain how excess use of fertilizer can lead
to impacts for the nitrogen and
phosphorous cycles.
► Terms:
carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle,
nitrogen-fixation, phosphorous cycle
The Cycling of Material
Just like water –
water cycle – other
nutrients also move
throughout the earth
Biogeochemical
cycles
•CARBON
•NITROGEN
•PHOSPHOROUS
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle: process by which carbon is
cycled between the atmosphere, land, water
and organisms
Carbon Cycle
► Carbon
“duct-tape” of
life
► Carbohydrates in
cellular respiration
► Fossil Fuels (coal, oil,
natural gas) made
from ancient dead
decayed organisms…
ancient carbon
• Burning Fossil Fuels leads to what
problems?
•Burn anything that was/is living and what
product do you get?
Carbon Cycle
What is a product of cellular respiration?
What do you breathe out?
Carbon can move quickly or very slowly
through cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle: process by which nitrogen is
cycled through the atmosphere, bacteria and
other organisms.
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen
► Needed by all
organisms for build
cells (proteins)
► 78% of atmosphere
(unusable by most
organisms)
► Decomposers break
down animal waste
releasing nitrogen to
soil
Nitrogen Cycle
► Nitrogen
Fixation:
bacteria that are
able to take
nitrogen in air and
make it useful as
plant fertilizer
► On roots of plants
► Critical to life
Phosphorous Cycle
Phosphorous Cycle: the movement of
phosphorous from the environment to organisms
and back.
Phosphorous Cycle
Phosphorous:
► Teeth and bones
► Nutrient for plant
growth
► Found in rocks and
soil
► Animal wastes
contain phosphorous
Too Much Nitrogen and/or
Phosphorous
► Fertilizers
put on
plants contain both
nitrogen and
phosphorous
► Too much fertilizer
runs off into water
► Causes Algae
blooms
Algae blooms like this caused by excess
nitrogen and phosphorous can kill fish
and create “dead zones”
Section 2 Review
► Explain
how matter is cycle in the carbon,
nitrogen and phosphorous cycles.
► Identify ways that humans are impacting
the carbon cycle.
► Explain how excess use of fertilizer can lead
to impacts for the nitrogen and
phosphorous cycles.
► Terms:
carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle,
nitrogen-fixation, phosphorous cycle
Section 3 How Ecosystems Change
► Describe
the types of ecological succession
► Explain what pioneer species are
► Terms:
ecological succession, primary
succession, secondary succession, pioneer
species
Ecological Succession
► Ecosystems
constantly are
changing (some
fast some slowly)
► Young Forests
vs. Old Forest
► Quick change like
fire, or volcanic
eruption
Ecological Succession
► Ecological
Succession: the
gradual change and
replacement of
some or all species
in a community
► Neighborhood
changes over time
Ecological Succession
► Primary
Succession:
occurs on a surface
where no
ecosystem existed
before (FIRST)
► Rocks, sand dunes
► Uncommon!
Ecological Succession
► Secondary
Succession: occurs on
a surface where an
ecosystem has
previously existed
► More common
► Land Disturbed by
humans, other
animals
► Flood, fire, volcano
Secondary ecological succession after a fire on the left
Fires are a
natural part
of many
forest
ecosystems
Ecological Succession
► Pioneer
Species:
first organisms to
colonize a newly
available land
► Lichens, bacteria,
small plants often
pioneers
Pioneer
species in a
parking lot
crack
Ecological Succession
Climax Community: final stable community.
•
Continues to change in small ways, but fairly stable if
undisturbed
Section 3 Review
► Describe
the types of ecological succession
► Explain what pioneer species are
► Terms:
ecological succession, primary
succession, secondary succession, pioneer
species
Chapter 5 Review
► The
flow of energy, cycling of materials, and
ecological succession combine to affect how
an ecosystem works.
► Organisms need energy to survive. Some
organisms can convert directly from the sun,
others get their energy indirectly from the
sun.
► The cycling of materials such as carbon,
nitrogen, water and phosphorous keep
nutrients balanced in an ecosystem.
Chapter 5
Review
Questions
1. How is energy transferred from one organism to another?
2. What role to producers play? Consumers? Decomposers?
3. What is the difference between a herbivore and an omnivore?
4. Give an example of energy flow in a food chain.