Deserts can be defined as areas that Deserts can be defined as areas that receive an average annual precipitation an average annual precipitation of less than 250 mm (10 in), or as areas of less than 250 mm (10 in), or as areas in which more water is lost than falls such as in which more water is lost than falls as precipitation.In the Köppen climate precipitation.In the Köppen climate classification system, deserts are classification system, deserts are. Greater Yellowstone is the last remaining large, Greater Yellowstone is the last remaining large, almost intact ecosystem in the northern almost intact ecosystem in the northern temperate zone of the Earth and is partially located in the temperate zone of the Earth and is partially located in Yellowstone National Park. The Greater Yellow Ecosystem (GYE) is one of The Greater Yellow Ecosystem (GYE) is one of the world's leading natural laboratories in the world's leading natural laboratories in landscape ecology and geology and is a world landscape ecology and geology and is a world-famous recreation ground.
Any marine environment, from a pond toAny marine environment, from a pond to the ocean, in which plants and animalsocean in which plants and animals interact with each other through chemical and physical interactions with chemical and physical interactions. Coastal area of a lake or sea Coastal area of a lake, sea or ocean / coast of a sea or ocean.
MARINE ECOSYSTEMMARINE ECOSYSTEM
Any marine environment, from pond to Any marine environment, from pond to ocean, in which plants and animals
RAINFORESTRAINFOREST
Temperate rainforest species
SAVANNASAVANNA
A tropical or subtropical grassland A tropical or subtropical grassland containing scattered trees and drought-
SUBSURFACE LITHOAUTOTROPHIC SUBSURFACE LITHOAUTOTROPHIC
MICROBIAL ECOSYSTEMMICROBIAL ECOSYSTEM
A minute life form; a microorganism, A minute life form; a microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes
TAIGATAIGA
A moist sub arctic coniferous forest A moist sub arctic coniferous forest that begins where the tundra ends and
TUNDRATUNDRA
A treeless plain characteristic of the A treeless plain characteristic of the arctic and sub arctic regions
URBAN ECOSYSTEMURBAN ECOSYSTEM
The dark arrows represent the movement The dark arrows represent the movement of this energy.
The dark arrows represent the movement The dark arrows represent the movement of this energy
Energy Flow Through the EcosystemEnergy Flow Through the Ecosystem
The The diagram diagram above shows
To summarize: In the flow of energy and To summarize: In the flow of energy and
A food chain is the food's path from a given end A food chain is the food's path from a given end consumer back to a producer. The real world is of course more complicated The real world is of course more complicated than a simple food chain. While many organisms specialize in their diets (anteaters come to specialize in their diets (anteaters come to mind as a specialist), other organisms don't mind as a specialist), other organisms do not.
Vultures do not limit their diet to snakes; snakes Vultures do not limit their diet to snakes; snakes eat things that aren't mice.
A more realistic depiction of who eats whom is A more realistic depiction of who eats whom is
The food webs you see here are grazing food chains since at their base are producers who then graze the herbivores. While grazing food chains are important, in nature they are larger than detritus-based food chains. In detritus-based food chains, decomposers are at the base of the food chain and support the carnivores that feed on them.
In terms of the weight (or biomass) of animals in many ecosystems, more of their body mass can be traced back to detritus than to living producers.
PYRAMIDS
The concept of The concept of biomass is
Not everything in the lower levels gets eaten
Not everything that is eaten is digested
Numbers of organisms are unreliable in this case because of the large unreliable in this case because of the large. A generalization exists among ecologists thatA generalization exists among ecologists that on average about 10% of the energy on average about 10% of the energy available in one trophic level will be transferred available in one trophic level will be transferred to the next ; this is mainly because of the 3 up to the next; this is mainly because of the 3 reasons given above. Therefore, it is also reasonable to assume that in terms of reasonable to assume that in terms of biomass, each trophic level will only weigh biomass, each trophic level will only weigh about 10% of the level below it, and 10x than about 10% of the level below, and 10x as.
Organisms can be producers producers or consumers consumers in terms of the flow of energy through the ecosystem. Producers convert energy from the environment into Producers convert energy from the environment into carbon bonds such as those found in the sugar glucose. These bacteria extract energy from chemicals that come from the Earth's interior and use it to make chemicals that come from the Earth's interior and use it to make sugars.
Consumers get their energy from the carbon bonds made by Consumers get their energy from carbon bonds made by producers. A A trophic level trophic level refers to the organisms refers to the organism's position in the food chain. It is important to note that many animals do not. It is important to note that many animals do not specialize in their diets.
Furthermore, except for some specialists, most carnivores do not restrict their diet to organisms of only one trophic level.
Components of an Ecosystem
Processes of EcosystemsProcesses of Ecosystems
This figure with the plants, zebra, lion, This figure with the plants, zebra, lion, and so forth illustrates the two main
Energy enters the biological system as light energy, Energy enters the biological system as light energy, or photons, is converted to chemical energy in or photons, is converted to chemical energy in organic molecules by cellular processes including organic molecules by cellular processes including photosynthesis and respiration, and ultimately it is photosynthesis and respiration, and ultimately it is converted into thermal energy. This energy is dissipated, meaning it is lost in the system as heat; as it is lost, that is, it is lost in the system as heat; once lost, it cannot be recycled. Without the constant input of solar energy, biological systems would quickly shut down solar energy, biological systems would quickly shut down.
Thus the earth is an open system in relation to open system in relation to energy. 28. During decomposition these materials are not destroyed or lost, so the earth is a closed system with respect to the elements (except for a meteor that enters the system from time to time).
The Transformation of The Transformation of
EnergyEnergy
A trophic level is composed of organisms that make a living in the same way, that is, they of organisms that make a living in the same way, that is, they are all. Scavengers, detritivores and decomposers jointly responsible for the use detritivores, and decomposers jointly responsible for the use of all such "debris" -- consumers of carcasses and fallen leaves of all such "debris" -- consumers of carcasses and fallen leaves may be other animals, such as crows and beetles, but can be other animals, such as crows and beetles, but ultimately it is the microbes that complete the work of decomposition. Not surprisingly, the amount of primary production varies A Not surprisingly, the amount of primary production varies greatly from place to place, due to differences in the amount of much from place to place, due to differences in the amount of solar radiation and the availability of nutrients and water.
This means that less energy is available at the herbivore level This means that less energy is available at the herbivore level than at the primary producer level, less still at the carnivore level than at the primary producer level, less still at the carnivore level, and so on. The result is an energy pyramid, with important implications for understanding the amount of life and important implications for understanding the amount of life that can be supported. Finally, although we have talked about food chains, finally, although we have talked about food chains, in reality the organization of biological systems is much in reality the organization of biological systems is much more complex than can be represented by a simpler. more complicated than can be represented by a simple one.
There are many connections and food chains in an ecosystem, and we refer to all of these connections as a. The first, called bottom-up control, states that it is the supply of nutrients First, called bottom-up control, states that it is the supply of nutrients to primary producers that ultimately controls how ecosystems to primary producers ultimately controls how ecosystems work. . If the nutrient supply is increased, the resulting increase in autotroph production spreads through the food web inautotroph production spreads through the food web and all other trophic levels will respond to the increase and all other trophic levels will respond to increased availability of food (energy and materials will circulate faster).
The second theory, called top-down control, states that predation The second theory, called top-down control, states that predation and grazing by higher trophic levels on lower trophic levels and grazing by higher trophic levels on lower trophic levels ultimately control ecosystem function.
The Geography of EcosystemsThe Geography of Ecosystems
A schematic view of the earth shows that, although the climate is complex A schematic view of the earth shows that, however complex the climate is, many aspects are predictable (Figure 4). The high solar energy strike near the equator provides nearly constant high temperatures struck near the equator provides nearly constant high temperatures and high rates of plant evaporation and transpiration. Warm air rises, cools and sheds its moisture, creating just the conditions for a cooling and sheds its moisture, creating just the conditions for a tropical rain forest.
Compare the stable temperature but varying rainfall of a location in Panama to the relatively constant rainfall but of a location in Panama to the relatively constant rainfall but seasonally varying temperature of a location in New York State. Each location has a precipitation-temperature graph typical of a broader location. has a precipitation-temperature graph typical of a broader region. We can draw on plant physiology to know that certain plants are characteristic of certain plants, characteristic of certain climates, create certain climates, create the vegetation appearance that we call vegetation appearance that we call biomes.
Note how well the distribution of biomes reflects the distribution of climates in the distribution of climates (Figure 5). High precipitation is not possible, precipitation is not possible at low temperatures - there are no low temperatures - there is not enough solar energy to generate enough solar energy to power the water cycle, and most of the water cycle, and most of the water is frozen and so water is frozen and therefore biologically unavailable all year round. The high tundra is as much a desert as the tundra is as much a desert as the Sahara.
HUMAN-MANUFACTURED ECOSYSTEM - ecosystem with human influence, this is usually controlled (eg pond, zoo).
The Ten Global Threats to The Ten Global Threats to
Ecosystem ViabilityEcosystem Viability
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