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Energy Flow in Ecosystems Explained

Energy enters ecosystems through solar radiation and is conserved as it moves between trophic levels, with about 10% of energy being transferred between each level. Primary producers like plants use photosynthesis to convert solar energy to chemical energy, which is then consumed by primary consumers like herbivores and passed up the food chain. Detritivores break down decaying organic matter, recycling nutrients and energy back into the ecosystem. Food chains and webs describe the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Primary production refers to the amount of chemical energy fixed by photosynthesis over time, while secondary production is the amount of biomass gained by consumers. Decomposition rates vary between ecosystems and influence nutrient cycling rates.

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David Mickey Woodall
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8 views4 pages

Energy Flow in Ecosystems Explained

Energy enters ecosystems through solar radiation and is conserved as it moves between trophic levels, with about 10% of energy being transferred between each level. Primary producers like plants use photosynthesis to convert solar energy to chemical energy, which is then consumed by primary consumers like herbivores and passed up the food chain. Detritivores break down decaying organic matter, recycling nutrients and energy back into the ecosystem. Food chains and webs describe the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Primary production refers to the amount of chemical energy fixed by photosynthesis over time, while secondary production is the amount of biomass gained by consumers. Decomposition rates vary between ecosystems and influence nutrient cycling rates.

Uploaded by

David Mickey Woodall
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ecosystems 10/12/2008 09:26:00

← Energy enters an ecosystem as solar radiation, is conserved, and is


lost from organisms as heat
• Trophic levels & energy flow
• 10% moves through food chain, at each step
• rest is “lost” to heat energy
• heat energy to maintain organism’s homeostasis
←
← sun>primary producers>primary consumers (herbivores)>secondary
consumers (carnivores)>detritus (decaying organic matter)>microorganisms
and other detritivores>primary producers
←
← trophic levels
• autotrophs- build molecules (biosynthesis or anabolism)
• use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as energy source
• heterotrophs depend on biosynthesis in other organisms
• energy and nutrients pass from primary producers and so on as
seen in diagram above
• detritivores, or decomposers, are consumers tha derive their energy
from detritus
• prokaryotes and fungi are important detritivores
• decomposition connects everything
← food chains and food webs
• examines organisms present in a community and how they interact
• food chain=simple
• food web=complicated
← energy budget
• primary production
o gross primary production = gpp: amount of light energy
converted to chemical energy by PS per unit time
o Net primary production= npp: gpp minus amount energy
used by primary produces for respiration
o j/m2/yr or as weight g/m2/yr= biomass
o not total biomass but new biomass added to ecosystem in
given amount of time
o measured as dry weight or organic material
o standing crop- total biomass of photosynthetic autotrophs
• secondary production
o amount of chemical energy in consumers food that is
converted to new biomass in a given time
o production efficiency not all food consumed is converted to
new biomass…
← primary productivity by ecosystem
• tropical rain forests, estuaries, and coral reefs
• are among the most productive ecosystems per unit area
• marine ecosystem
• light: photic zone
• more then half of all solar enery absorbed in tst meter
o only 5-10% light energy reaches depth of 20 m.
• Limiting nutrients:
• Nitrogen and phosphorus
• Fresh water is the phosphorus
← Law of conservation of mass
• Chemical elements are continually recycled within ecosystems
• In forest ecosyste, most nutrients enter as dust or solutes
← Biogeochemical cycles
• Gaseous forms carbon, oxygen sulfur and nitrogen
• Occur in atmosphere>global cycling
← Decomposition rate
← Determines rate of chemical cycling
• Varies by ecosystem
o Tropical forest a few monthes to a few years
o Temperate forest average 4-6 years
o Tundra 50 years
o Aquatic (in muddy bottoms) can be longer due to
temperature & availabity of water and oxygen
10/12/2008 09:26:00
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10/12/2008 09:26:00
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