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Chapter 54
AP Biology
Ecosystems
2004-2005
Essential questions
 What limits the production in ecosystems?
 How do nutrients move through the

ecosystem?
How are humans disrupting the biosphere?
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Ecosystem
 All the organisms in a community plus
abiotic factors

ecosystems are transformers of energy
& processors of matter
 Ecosystems are self-sustaining

what is needed?
 energy
 producers
 cycling of nutrients
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2004-2005
Energy budget of ecosystems
 Production by autotrophs sets
energy budget for an ecosystem

Marine
 light, temperature
& nutrients
 depth

Terrestrial
 light, moisture,
temperature
 latitude & climate
 nutrients
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Nutrient
cycling
Decomposition
connects all
trophic levels
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Energy transfer
loss of energy
as heat→
<20% efficiency
Nutrients
recycled
by…
Energy moves
through
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Primary production
Where is productivity highest per meter? Total on Earth?
AP Biology
2004-2005
Regional annual net primary productivity
AP Biology
2004-2005
Mapping chlorophyll density by satellite
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What factors
contribute to
productivity?
 Aquatic systems
light
 nutrients

Coast
of Long Island, NY
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2004-2005
Too much of a good thing?
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Eutrophication
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Carbon
cycle
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Nitrogen
cycle
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Phosphorus
cycle
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Water
AP Biology cycle
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Human Impact on Ecosystems &
Biosphere
Human population growth is the root of
many environmental problems
AP Biology
2004-2005
Barry Commoner’s Laws of Ecology
 Everything is connected to everything else
 Everything must go somewhere
 there is no such place as “away”
 Nature knows best
 There is no such thing as a free lunch
Laws of Unintended Consequences
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Acid Precipitation
AP Biology
Where does the acid
precipitation come from?
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Acid Precipitation
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Sources of acid rain pollutants
 nitrogen oxides
 sulfur dioxide
 power plants
 industry
 transportation
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Acid rain
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BioMagnification
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BioMagnification
 PCBs
GE power
plant on
Hudson River
 PCBs in
sediment
 striped bass
nesting areas

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Carbon Dioxide
Global Warming
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CO2
NOx
methane
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Research
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Large-scale experiment on the
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effect of elevated CO2 levels
Ozone Depletion
protects from
UV rays
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Ozone Depletion
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Bad ozone vs. good ozone
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Ozone Depletion
 Loss of ozone above Antarctica
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Ozone Depletion
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Deforestation
 Loss of habitat
 Loss of biodiversity
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2004-2005
Diversity
 3 levels of
biodiversity
 All decreased by
human activity
loss of genetic
diversity
 loss of
biodiversity

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Driven to extinction
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Extinction vortex
Effects on a
small population
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Introduced species
brown tree snake
 kudzu
gypsy moth
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kudzu
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Overexploitation
North Atlantic bluefin tuna
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Fragmented habitat
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Biodiversity hot spots
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Restoration projects
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Think Globally, Act Locally
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