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Energy Flow
Energy Flow
IN AN ECOSYSTEM
Energy and Productivity
Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
Material Cycles in an Ecosystem
PRODUCTIVITY OF ECOSYSTEM
The productivity of an ecosystem refers to the rate of production, i.e., the amount
of organic matter accumulated in any unit time. It is of following types
1. Primary productivity. It is defined as the rate at which radiant energy is
stored by photosynthctic and chemosynthetic activity of producers. Primary
productivity is of following types:
(i) Gross primary productivity. It refers to the total rate of photosynthesis
including the organic matter used up in respiration during the measurement
period. GPP depends on the chlorophyll content. The rate of primary productivity
are estimated in terms of either chlorophyll content as chl/g dry weight/unit area
or photosynthctic number, i.e., amount of CO, fixed/g chl/hour.
Photosynthesis (or phototrophism) is the process by which light energy from the
sun (insolation), is absorbed by plants, blue-green algae and certain bacteria. It
is then used to produce new plant cell material, which forms the food source for
plant eating animals (herbivores).
Plants which are able, through the process of photosynthesis, to convert light
energy and inorganic substances (carbon dioxide, water and various mineral
nutrients) into organic (carbon based) molecules, are called phototrophs or
autotrophs (self-feeders).
In a plant, most photosynthesis is carried out by the leaves, and in order for the
process to occur they must contain chlorphyll, which is able to absorb enerfy
from sunlight. The plant also requires carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere, and
water from the soil. As a result of the process, and carbohydrates are produced.
6CO2 +
carbon dioxide
12 H2O
water
C6H12O6
+ 6O2 + 6H2O
glucose oxygen
water
The energy produced by photosynthesis will pass through the food chains and
food webs of an ecosystem, with some of it being stored as chemical energy in
plant and animal tissue. Some of it will be lost from the system, as respiration
(heat energy) and excreta products. The total amount of energy lost, from all the
trophic levels in an ecosystem through respiration, forms the community
respiration. Energy is lost at each level in the food chain, with the average
efficiency of transfer from plants to herbivores being about 10 per cent, and
about 20 per cent from animal.
As a result of the loss of energy at each transfer between trophic levels,
ecosystems are usually limited to three or four trophic levels. The actual number
will depend upon the size of the initial autotrophy (producer) biomass, and the
efficiency of energy transfer between the trophic levels.
The following cycles are illustrated through the self explanatory diagrams.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Carbon Cycle
Oxygen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosporus Cycle
Sulphur Cycle
CARBON CYCLE
OXYGEN SCALE
NITROGEN SCALE
PHOSPOROUS SCALE
SULPHUR SCALE