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Ecosystems (The Nitrogen Cycle (Nitrogen Fixation: Atmospheric nitrogen is…
Ecosystems
The Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Fixation
: Atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia (NH3) or nitrate ions (NO3-), which are
biologically usable
forms of nitrogen. Key participants in this process include legume (alfalfa, clover, soybeans) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria known as rhizobium
Nitrification
: ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-), which are the forms of nitrogen
most useful to plants
The Cycle: atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides by lightning and deposited in the soil by rain where it is assimilated by plants and either eaten by animals (and returned as feces) or decomposed back to elemental nitrogen by bacteria
Assimilation
: plants absorb ammonia (NH3-), ammonium ion (NH4+), and nitrate ions (NO3-) through their roots
Ammonification
: decomposing bacteria covert dead organisms and wastes, which include nitrates, uric acid, proteins, and nucleic acid, to ammonia (NH3) and ammonium ions (NH4+)--
biologically usable forms
Dentrification
: anaerobic bacteria convert ammonia into nitrites (NO2-), nitrates (NO3-), nitrogen gas (N2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) to continue the cycle
The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Evaporation
when warmth from the sun causes water from oceans, lakes, streams, ice and soils to rise into the air and turn into water vapor (gas)
Condensation
when water vapor in the air cools down and turns back into liquid water
Precipittion
when water (in the form of rain, snow, hail or sleet) falls from clouds in the sky
Collection
hen water that falls from the clouds as rain, snow, hail or sleet, collects in the oceans, rivers, lakes, streams
Transpiration
the evaporation of water from plants through stomata. Stomata are small openings found on the underside of leaves that are connected to vascular plant tissues
Terrestrial Biomes
deserts
defined by amount of rainfall, less than 20 inches a year. desert plants are spaced apart due to limiting factors. higher number of wildfires, temperatures. animals are small and have small surfaces, often being nocturnal
Taiga
Forests
tropical- warm and hot, temperature varies little throughout the year, more than 80 inches a year, suffer because of human intrusion
temperate deciduous- -20 degrees to 85 degrees, 30 to 60 inches of rain a year, soil is fertile, tree canopy is moderately dense, spread of invasive and nonnative species that compete for space and food
temperate coniferous- temperate regions with warm summers and cool winters, and adequate rainfall to sustain itself. US, CA, Europe, and Asia
largest terrestrial biome, harsh climate. have short, moist, and mod. warm summers, and long, very cold, and dry winters
grasslands
temperate grasslands- grasses are dominant vegetation, trees and shrubs are absent. Veldts of South Africa and pampas of Argentinas are examples. seasonal drought, hot summers and sold winters, moderate rainfall
savanna- scattered individual trees. cover almost half of the surface of africa . soil is porous, rapid drainage of water and thin layer of humus. vegetation- grasses and small broad-leaved plants
tundra
coldest of all biomes, little precipitation, lack of diversity, poor nutrients, poor drainage, simple vegetation structure
Aquatic Biomes(Sara B)
Wetlands
areas that are covered in water some parts of the year and others times not; really great for the enviroment
Benefits: can help get rid of excess water, carbon sink. areas for agriculture and timber, nurseries for aquatic life
Threats
dams and water diversion
destroy habitats due to water withdraw for people
runoff
pollution and overuse
exotic species
Marine
Threats
Rising seawater temp
ocean acidity increase
Overfishing
Ocean is 75% of the Earth's surface. marine committees consist of abyssal, benthic, and coral reefs
Intertidal is where ocean meets land
pelagic is open ocean area
Lakes
large, natural bodies of standing freshwater. Most lakes are located in Northern Hemisphere, some can be artificial.
Zones
littoral zone: shallow and close to shore
limnetic zone
profundal zone
benthic zone
Types of lakes
Oligotrophic lakes: these are deep but small surface area and fairly young
mesotrophic; less shoreline, mix of trees, water is clear, few weeds, can hold warm and cold water fish
Eutrophic; murky waters, old, few cold water fish, al lot of trees, sandy/rocky bottoms
Wetlands
Geography and climate: area surrounding South Pole. Less than 2 inches of rain per year meaning it is known for being extremely cold and dry.
Biodiversity: low. But known to be productive due to phytoplankton populations are high which are fed on by krill and others.
Threats
climate changing/global warming
oceanic acidification
fishing
invasive species
tourism
pollution
Exploration and Explotation
Rivers and Streams
Source zone; where the water source comes from, headwaters. Usually from springs or from snow
transition zone; slow and warm wide water moving
floodplain zone; usually goes to form rivers to move to ocean
The Phosphorus Cycle(Sara Bruinsma)
Originally found in rocks
Weathering: due to things such as erosion and rain the rocks with the phosphorous cycle are worn away
absorption: the weathered away phosphorus is then taken in by plants or water, which then can be taken in by the animals
through decomposition it can return to the earth once again
Threats
fertilizer
artifical Eutrophication
food product distribution
Introduction to Ecosystems
Ecology
branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings
Population Dispersal Patterns
Clumped
found in environments characterized by patchy resources. most common type of dispersion pattern
Random- little interaction between members of the population creating random spacing patterns. occurs in environments where conditions and resources are consistent
Uniform- fairly uniform spacing, occurs where distance needs to be maximized due to competition
Law of Tolerance
Limiting Factors- any abiotic factor that limits or prevents growth of a population
Law of Tolerance is that the existence, abundance, and distribution of species depends on the tolerance level of each species to both physical and chemical factors
Interactions among species
Saprotrophism
one benefits, one is already dead
fungi bacteria, and protozoa
Predation
one benefits, one is harmed
predators hunt and kill prey
Parasitism
one benefits, one is harmed
tapeworms
Mutualism
both benefit
bees gather nectar from flowers benefits both flowers and bees
Competition
one suffers and one benefits
prominent in predator-prey relationships
Commenalism
one is not affected and one benefits
using something that another organism created (such as hermit crabs using shells of marine snails for protection)
Amenalism
one suffers and one is not affected
bread mold Penicillin secretes penicillin which kills bacteria
(Sara Bruinsma)Food Chains and Food Webs
Bottom of pyramid: Primary Producers(autotrophs)
Plants that convert solar energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis
Primary Consumers
heterotrophs; herbivores that get their energy from the plants most develop defense mechanisms over time.
Secondary Consumers
heterotrophs that are either carnivorous or omnivorous
Tertiary Consumers: top of the chain
Trophic Levels
Primary Producers (autotrophs): plants that convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis
Primary Consumers (heterotrophs): herbivores (plant eaters) that get their energy by consuming primary producers. They typically have defenses against predation, such as speed, flight, quills, rough hides, camouflage, horns, and antlers
Secondary (and higher) Consumers: heterotrophs that can be either strictly carnivores (meat eaters) or omnivores (eat both plants and animals)
The Carbon Cycle
Major Sinks
Terrestrial Biosphere
90% of planet's aboveground carbon and 75% of planet's soil carbon.
Plant Matter
removed through photosynthesis
Oceans
carbon in CO2 in seawater is used by phytoplankton for photosynthesis. Carbon is also required by marine organisms for shells, coral, and skeletons
Sedimentary Deposits
fossil fuels and coal (limestone is largest reservoir of carbon in the cycle
Primary Productivity
the rate at which plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic compounds in an ecosystem
these organisms bring energy to other living organisms by photoautotrophy or chemoautotrophy
Gross primary productivity
the rate at which solar energy is captured in sugar molecules during photosynthesis
Net primary productivity
gross primary productivity minus the rate of energy loss to metabolism and maintenance
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/intro-to-ecosystems/a/energy-flow-primary-productivity
Energy Flow and the 10% Rule
Energy flow starts with the sun, then transfers to plants who use it to create food. Food webs allow for the energy in food molecules produced by plants to flow to animals.
Cellular Respiration
The
opposite
of photosynthesis
Glucose is oxidized by the cells to produce carbon dioxide, water, and chemical energy, which is stored in the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
Photosynthesis
Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, which uses light energy to produce carbohydrates and other organic compounds.
Light is captured by a green pigment called chlorophyll, which is housed in organelles called chloroplasts
The glucose or the energy from its oxidation during cellular respiration forms other organic compounds (cellulose, lipids, amino acids, proteins)
Oxygen gas is released
Photoautotrophs
are organisms that undergo photosynthesis.
Factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis: the amount of light and its wavelength, carbon dioxide concentration, water availability, and temperature
Although plants release both carbon dioxide and oxygen, they absorb more carbon dioxide than they release, thus making them carbon sinks
10% Rule and Ecological Pyramids
10% Rule
: during the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is used to convert organic matter into tissue. The remaining energy is lost in heat, metabolic processes, temperature regulation, incomplete digestion, decay of waste products, etc.
*Ecological Pyramid
