Heat Energy Transfers in Ecosystems

Energy Transfer & Nutrient Cycles

Module 10 | Ecology

​Ecosystems

​The cycling of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem help to maintain their stability.

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​Without the cycling of energy and nutrients, the entire ecosystem will dissolve.

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​The energy for an ecosystem begins with radiant energy from the sun.

​Ecosystem Levels (from smallest to largest)

​Individual (single organism of a species)

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​Population (group of one species living together in a specific area)

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​Community (many populations living in a specific area, excluding abiotic factors)

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​Ecosystem (community of biotic & abiotic factors)

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​Habitat (natural environment where a species lives)

​Ecosystems

​Within an environment & community, an organism has a "niche" (a specific job or role/ location within its environment)

​Energy Flow

​Energy is transferred from radiant energy of the sun to chemical energy in plants and animals in an ecosystem.

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​Sometimes, transferred energy is lost as heat.

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​10% Rule: only 10% of the available energy is passed from one trophic level to the next; the remaining 90% is lost as heat

​Energy Flow

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​Energy Flow

​Energy flow is usually shown as a food chain. Food chains illustrate the transfer of energy (biomass) from one organism to another.

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​Energy Flow

​Food chains include the following:

​producers (autotrophs) -- plants which make food through photosynthesis

​consumers (heterotrophs) - cannot create its own food

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Consumers can be:

​primary (herbivores) - only eat plants

​secondary (carnivores = meat eaters) or omnivores (both plants & animals)

​tertiary (carnivores at the top of the food chain), eats secondary consumers

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​Decomposers are heterotrophic and decomposes organic material (bacteria & fungi).

​Energy Flow

​More realistically, energy flow is best shown using a food web (interaction of many food chains).

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​One organism always affects another!

​Nutrient Cycles

​Nutrients are always cycled in an ecosystem.

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​Carbon, nitrogen, and water are essential to maintaining a health ecosystem.

​Nutrient Cycles: Water Cycle

​Includes precipitation, transpiration, evaporation, and condensation

​Nutrient Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

​Nutrient Cycles: Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

​Nutrient Cycles: Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

​Nutrient Cycles: Photosynthesis & Respiration

Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

​Respiration takes oxygen and converts it to carbon dioxide.

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