Ecosystem Properties

Ecological Hierarchies

Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
Tissue
Cell
Molecules

Definitions
Biosphere - The entire portion of the globe
that can support life, including the
atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial surface and
belowground
Biome The largest easily recognized
subsection of the biosphere, based upon
climate

Definitions
Ecosystem A region where plants, animals
and microbes can interact with each other
and their environment.
Community A region where plants,
animals and microbes can interact with each
other.
Population An interbreeding group of
organisms

Ecosystem Emergent Properties

All systems are made up of components.
Once those components are assembled into
the system, they take on new properties,
those of the system.
E.g., bridge over South Canadian River
E.g., living system

Ecosystem Emergent Properties

What are the emergent properties of a living
system, e.g., you?
You are composed of carbon, nitrogen,
hydrogen, oxygen, etc., but you are so much
more than bags of elements flopping around
As a living entity you:
Respire
Irritable
Capable of reproduction

Ecosystem Emergent Properties

So, as a system ecosystems also have
emergent properties
Nutrient cycling
Energy flow

Energy in Ecosystems
Energy Movement
follows 1st and 2nd laws
of thermodynamics
Energy cant be created
or destroyed
Any transfers of
energy are not 100%
efficient

Energy flow

Energy Flow
Solar Energy
1%
Producers
10%
Herbivores
10%
Carnivores
10%
Top Carnivore

Calories
1,000,000
10,000
1,000

Consumers

100
10

Energy Flow
Solar Energy
1%
Producers
10%
Herbivores
10%
Carnivores
10%
Top Carnivore

Food Chain
Consumers

Energy Flow
Solar Energy
1%
Producers
10%
Herbivores
10%
Carnivores
10%
Top Carnivore

Trophic Level

Consumers

Any Questions?

Nutrient Cycling
There are two major types of nutrient cycles
Gaseous Most of the nutrient is stored in the
atmosphere
Sedimentary Most of the nutrient is stored in
the sediments or soils

So what nutrients do we need?

Macro-nutrients are needed in large
quantities
Na,Cl, C, H, O, P, K, I, N, S, Ca, Fe, Mg
Micro-nutrients are also essential, but are
needed in only small amounts
Mo, B, Cl, Mn, Cu, Zn

Gaseous Nutrient Cycle

The carbon cycle
CO2

Respiration

(photosynthesis)

plant
herbivore
carnivore

Decomposers
top carnivore

Sedimentary Nutrient Cycle

Example: The Phosphorus Cycle

e
r
plant
o
s P in soil
i
(weathering)
o
n P in rock (apatite)

herbivores
decomposers

carnivores

So what nutrients do we need?

Macro-nutrients are needed in large
quantities
Na,Cl, C, H, O, P, K, I, N, S, Ca, Fe, Mg
Micro-nutrients are also essential, but are
needed in only small amounts
Mo, B, Cl, Mn, Cu, Zn
The elements in blue have gaseous cycles

Quick Quiz on Ecosystems

Whats the definition of an ecosystem?
An area where plants, animals and microbes
interact with each other and the
environment
So why do you need an ecosystem for
Energy Flow?
Nutrient Cycling?

Does energy ever cycle?

NO-O-O!

Take out a clean piece of paper

A practice quiz

List two types of symbiotic relationships

Quiz, continued

Competition between organisms of

different species is known as:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Intraspecific interactions
Intraspecific competition
Interspecific interactions
Interspecific competition

Quiz, continued

If you went up a tall mountain, how many

meters increase in elevation would you
have to go up to see the same change in
vegetation structure that you would see if
you went north 30 degrees latitude?
a.
b.
c.
d.

1800 m
4000 m
400 m
100 m

Quiz, continued
Which biome has the greatest number of
species?

Which biome produces most of the wood

pulp used for paper in the U.S.?

Quiz, continued

In which grassland ecosystem would you

expect to find the greatest number of
species and why?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Undisturbed tall grass prairie

Wheat field
Corn field
Heavily grazed tall grass prairie