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Type of ecosystem and analysis (Ecosystem Analysis (Whittaker climograph,…
Type of ecosystem and analysis
Close ecosystem
A closed ecosystem exchanges energy but not matter with its surroundings – it is self-contained (e.g. mesocosm)
Open ecosystem
An open ecosystem exchanges both energy and matter with surrounding environments (e.g. a natural ecosystem)
Biome
A biome is a geographical area that has a particular climate and sustains a specific community of plants and animals
Tropical rainforests – hot and humid environments near the equator with dense vegetation and high biodiversity
Taiga – coniferous forests near the poles that have cold temperatures and little precipitation (moisture trapped as snow / ice)
Deserts – dry and arid environments that display extreme temperature conditions (hot and cold)
The main factors affecting the distribution of biomes is temperature and rainfall
These factors will vary according to lattitude and longitude, as well as altitude and proximity to the ocean
An ecosystem is the interaction of living and non-living things within an area (i.e. a community and its abiotic environment)
Particular types of stable ecosystems will emerge in a given geographical area according to climate conditions
Ecosystem Analysis
A climograph is a graphical representation of basic climatic parameters at a given geographical location
It is a diagram which shows a combination of monthly average temperature and precipitation (rainfall) at a certain location
Whittaker climograph
These biomes were distinguished according to their average yearly temperatures and rainfall (precipitation)
Deserts typically have high average temperatures but low precipitation (hot and dry)
Rainforests typically have both high average temperatures and high precipitation (warm and wet)
Pyramids of energy show the flow of energy between trophic levels and are measured in units of energy per area per time
Pyramids of energy will differ between ecosystems due to the effect of climate on primary productivity
tropical rainforests have a high net primary productivity (NPP), whereas deserts have a low NPP
Gersmehl diagrams show the differences in nutrient flow and storage between different types of ecosystems
Biomass is the total mass of living organisms (mainly plant tissue) in a given area
Litter is any organic matter in and on the soil – it includes humus and leaf litter (defoliation)
Soil is the top layer of the earth that is composed of disintegrated rock particles
