Ecology: Ecosystems
Where are we?
Big Questions: How are ecosystems structured?
How do ecosystems function?
What determines climate?
Seasonality
The tilt of the earth
Opposite in northern and southern hemispheres.
Global Circulation
Uneven heating of Earth’s surface contributes to
uneven
Uneven heating of the ocean
Surface Features
A Biome Tour
Terrestrial
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Aquatic
The three types of aquatic biomes are:
Light
Zonation
Lakes undergo a
Ecosystems Obey Physical Laws
Laws of Conservation Life
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Energy
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Matter
Producers –
Decomposers –
Consumers Limiting Factors -
Primary Production
Gross Primary Productivity:
Net Primary Productivity:
Nutrients
Soil
Energy Transfer
Energy transfer between trophic levels is a
An average of
In this example,
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of solar energy
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of ecosystem
Nutrient Cycles
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Make sure you can …
… explain the effects of all aspects of Earth’s processes and features
that determine climate.
… describe the characteristics of the terrestrial and aquatic biomes
and explain why the occur where they occur.
… explain how ecosystems can function while adhering to
physical laws.
… describe the effects of limiting factors on terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems and provide examples.
… explain how energy is transferred in an ecosystem and the
consequences of that transfer for the structure of the ecosystem.
… diagram all nutrient cycles discussed and explain their biological significance.
Ecosystem Objectives:
1. What are the major factors (characteristics) that determine the terrestrial ecosystem
that exists in a particular location?
2. What are the major factors that determine the marine ecosystem that exists in a
particular location?
3. How does the first law of thermodynamics effect the movement of matter and energy
through an ecosystem?
4. Explain what limiting factors are.
5. How do limiting factors influence the productivity of an ecosystem?
6. Explain the “10% rule”, how it affects the trophic structure of the ecosystem, and why it
is a bit of an oversimplification.
7. Explain what all nutrient cycles have in common.
8. Provide examples of how biotic and abiotic factors affect organism behavior,
community interactions, and ecosystem structure. Utilize the following examples in your
responses:
A.
Sunlight
B.
Symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism)
C.
Predator–prey relationships
D.
Water and nutrient availability, temperature, salinity, pH
E.
Availability of nesting materials and sites
F.
Food chains and food webs
G.
Species diversity
H.
Population density
I.
Algal blooms (eutrophication)