Chapter

48
Ecosystems & Human
Interferences
 Ecosystems & Human 2
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Outline
The Nature of Ecosystems
Biotic Components
Autotrophs
Heterotrophs
Energy Flow
Ecological Pyramids
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Hydrologic Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
 Ecosystems & Human 3
Interferences
Nature of Ecosystems
Biosphere is the organism-containing part of the
 Atmosphere
 Hydrosphere, and
 Lithosphere

An ecosystem is a place where organisms interact with the

physical environment
 Ecosystems characterized by:
­ Cyclical flow of materials from abiotic environment through
biotic community and back
­ One-way flow of energy
Ecosystems 4
 Biotic Components: Ecosystems & Human 5
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Autotrophs

Producers are autotrophs

Require only inorganic nutrients and an outside
energy source to produce organic nutrients
Photoautotrophs

Chemoautrophs
 Biotic Components: Ecosystems & Human 6
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Heterotrophs
Consumers are heterotrophs

Require a source of preformed organic nutrients

 Herbivores - Feed on plants

 Carnivores - Feed on other animals

 Omnivores - Feed on plants and animals

Decomposers are also heterotrophs

 Bacteria and fungi

 Break down dead organic matter

Biotic Components 7
 Energy Flow and Ecosystems & Human 8
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Chemical Cycling
Nutrients pass one-way through food chain from one level
to another
 Each level retains some energy
 The rest is converted to heat, which dissipates into the
environment
Chemicals cycle as organic nutrients
Once used, they are returned back to the producers by
 Excretion
 Death
 Cellular Respiration
Nature of an Ecosystem 9
Energy Balances 10
Grazing & Detrital Food Webs 11
 Ecosystems & Human 12
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Ecological Pyramids

A trophic level

Composed of all the organisms that feed at the

same level in a food chain

Only about 10% of the energy of one trophic level

is useable to the next trophic level
Explains why few top carnivores can be supported
in a food web
Ecological Pyramid 13
 Global Ecosystems & Human 14
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Biogeochemical Cycles
Chemical cycling may involve:
Reservoir - Source normally unavailable to
producers
­ Fossil Fuels
­ Minerals
­ Sediments
Exchange Pool - Source from which organisms
generally take chemicals
­ Atmosphere
­ Soil
­ Water
Biotic Community - Chemicals remain in food
chains, perhaps never entering a pool
Model for Chemical Cycling 15
 Ecosystems & Human 16
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Hydrologic Cycle

Fresh water evaporates from bodies of water

Precipitation on land enters the ground, surface

waters, or aquifers

Water eventually returns to the oceans

The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle 17
 Ecosystems & Human 18
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Carbon Cycle

Atmosphere is an exchange pool for carbon dioxide

The total amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere has been increasing every year
Thought to be due to fossil fuel combustion
­ Transfer Rate
The Carbon Cycle 19
 Ecosystems & Human 20
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Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse gases
 Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane
 Allow sunlight to pass through atmosphere
 Reflect infrared back to earth
 Trap heat in atmosphere

If Earth’s temperature rises

 More water will evaporate
 More clouds will form, and
 Setting up a potential positive feedback loop
Earth’s Radiation Balances 21
 Ecosystems & Human 22
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Nitrogen Cycle

Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by bacteria

Make it available to plants

Nodules on legume roots

Nitrification - Production of nitrates

Denitrification - Conversion of nitrate to nitrous

oxide and nitrogen gas
Balances nitrogen fixation
The Nitrogen Cycle 23
 Ecosystems & Human 24
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Nitrogen and Air Pollution
Acid Deposition
Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are converted to
acids when they combine with water vapor
Acid rain dramatically reduces pH of surface
waters in some areas
Causes heavy metals to leach out of rocks,
poisoning aquatic organisms
Kills plants and causes fish to be unfit for human
consumption

Smog
Acid Deposition 25
Thermal Inversion 26
 Ecosystems & Human 27
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Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus does not enter the atmosphere

Sedimentary cycle

­ Phosphate taken up by producers incorporated into a

variety of organic molecules

Can lead to water eutrophication

­ Biomagnification
The Phosphorus Cycle 28
Sources of Water Pollution 29
 Ecosystems & Human 30
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Review
The Nature of Ecosystems
Biotic Components
Autotrophs
Heterotrophs
Energy Flow
Ecological Pyramids
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Hydrologic Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
 Ending Slide
Chapter 48

Ecosystems & Human

Interferences