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Ecology and the Environment, decomposers - Coggle Diagram
Ecology and the
Environment
ecosystems
biotic
components
(biological)
consumers
animals that eat plants
or other animals
primary consumers
(eat plants/herbivores)
secondary consumers
(eat primary consumers/carnivores)
tertiary consumers
quarternary consumers
decomposers
organisms that break
down dead material &
help to recycle nutrients
producers
plants which photosynthesis
to produce food
abiotic
components
(physical or chemical)
physical environment
climate
light intensity
soil conditions
contain
habitats
where organisms live
all organisms of a species at one
time are the
population
of the species
can be counted
using a
quadrat
a sampling square
sample areas
should be random
the populations of
all
species
form the
community
illustrated in an
ecological pyramid
by numbers
of organisms in
each trophic level
by biomass
(tends to be pyramidal)
biomass = total
mass of organisms
'fresh' = living
'dry' = after water
removed in oven
losses cause the pyramid
not everything is eaten
not everything is digested
some digested
elements are excreted
some materials
are respired
biodiversity is the
amount of variation
shown by species
number of species
relative abundance of
each species (evenness)
interactions
feeding
illustrated in a food chain
different levels
=>
trophic levels
only about 10% of
energy is passed to next
trophic level
not many food chains
have more than five
trophic levels
full picture is
a
food web
competition
environmental interactions
energy transfers
photosynthesis fixes
sunlight into chemicals
glucose & starch
respiration releases
energy from glucose
biological processes
use respiration energy
energy used for new cells
is 'fixed' and passed by feeding
or death
used energy will escape as heat
The Carbon Cycle
CO2 in atmosphere & oceans
plants
fossil fuels
animals
The Nitrogen Cycle
Humans
Farming
maximising yield
add soil ions
eg. nitrates
improve soil structure
with aeration & drainage
adjusting soil pH
(lime to acidic soils)
adding CO2, light & heat
in a glasshouse or polytunnel
greenhouses
greenhouse effect
short wavelength IR absorbed
re-radiated as longer
wavelength IR
longer wavelength IR
cannot escape the glass
heat is created
heating possible
fossil fuel use 1 -> CO2
for photosynthesis
fossil fuel use 2 ->
water vapour for humidity
nutrients
nitrogen is lost from the farm
it must be replaced
eg. through fertiliser
fertilisers
organic
manure & straw
inorganic
Potassium Nitrate
Ammonium Nitrate
or by nitrogen fixing crops
clover
legumes
Pests
reduce growth
affect quality
can be controlled
pesticides
(chemicals)
types
insecticides
fungicides
molluscicides
herbicides
problems
pests become resistant
persist in the environment
accumulate in organisms
become more concentrated
along the food chain
kill harmless organisms
biological control
FISH farming
air pollution
CO2 - a greenhouse gas
causes the greenhouse
effect (see greenhouses)
temperature increases
Methane CH4
organic gas
created when microorganisms
ferment larger molecules
to release energy
decomposition of
buried waste
microorganisms in
the rumen of cattle &
other ruminants
bacteria in rice fields
Carbon Monoxide
carbon burning
with limited oxygen
-> CO
petrol & diesel engines'
exhaust
binds to haemoglobin
better than oxygen
Sulphur Dioxode
SO2
formed when
fossil fuels
burned
falls as acid rain
detected by
patterns of
lichen growth
deforestation
destruction of habitats
reduced biodoversity
50-70% of species
live in tropical
rainforests
reduced soil quality
soil erosion
upset water cycle
water pollution
sewage
aerobic bacteria in
polluted water use up
oxygen to break up
organic materials
contains pathogenic
bacteria
bloodworms =
heavy organic pollution
caddis-fly larva
some organic pollution
stone-fly nymph
clean water
minerals from
fertiliser
'eutrophication'
fertiliser leaching
causes
algal bloom
algae dies
bacteria use oxygen
to decompose dead algae
'anoxic' - low oxygen
algae blocks light
decomposers