BIOL 1108 Edition 1nd Lecture 24 Outline of Last Lecture I Learning Objectives II Community III Competition IV Symbiosis V Succession VI Species Diversity VII Trophic Interactions and Structure Outline of Current Lecture I Learning Objectives II In The News III Ecosystem IV Thermodynamics V Productivity VI Energy Transfer VII Biogeochemical Cycles Current Lecture I Learning Objectives Describe energy flow and nutrient cycling through an ecosystem relative to organisms living there These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute II III IV V Describe productivity via trophic levels In The News Why did the mountain lion cross the freeway Highway causes mountain lion populations to interbreed and lead to health problems Male mountain lions would kill their sons as sexual competition and mates with daughters Natal dispersal young individuals would leave their birth homes to find mates Genetic diversity of mountain lions in S California study sites o One individual can make a huge difference in the gene pool within small populations Big or small roads affect all o Many species use underpasses to travel o Strong correlation between noise level and carnivores o Overpasses grass on them o Also affects fish Roads can have an impact of wildlife traffic mortality habitat loss population subdivision inaccessibility o Animals tend to stay away from cars and loud noises Connectivity having a corridor from one area to another For all kinds of organisms o How do roads affect Individual organisms Populations communities ecosystems ect Ecosystem What is an ecosystem o Organisms and abiotic factors that interact within a given area including the energy flow and nutrient cycling and the structures formed by these processes Thermodynamics 1st Law of Thermodynamics Energy cannot be created or destroyed only transferred or transformed o Therefore we can follow energy flow from input to its release as heat from organisms nd 2 Law of Thermodynamics Every exchange of energy increases entropy it is inefficient and is lost as heat Law of conservation of mass Matter cannot be created or destroyed o Chemicals nutrients cycle and can be measured Productivity Primary production sets up what s available for use within the ecosystem Gross Primary Production GPP what is taken in by the primary producers VI VII Net Primary Production NPP whatever is not used by the primary producers half of the gross primary production What are limitations to productivity in aquatic ecosystems o Light o Nutrients o Water What are limitations to productivity in terrestrial ecosystems o Water o Light o Temperature o Soil nutrients Energy Transfer Ecological pyramids less energy 10 as you go up lost as heat TOPHAT QUESTION if choosing off of the ecological pyramid what food should you eat to conserve energy within the ecosystems Biochemical Cycles Water Cycle o Precipitation over ocean and land o Movement over land by wind o Evaporation from ocean and evapotranspiration from land o Percolation through soil o Runoff and groundwater Carbon Cycle o CO2 in atmosphere o Plants use photosynthesis from CO2 o Consumers regulate cellular respiration o Decomposition and burning of fossil fuels and wood Nitrogen Cycle o Decomposition and sedimentation decomposers use nitrification and ammonification from waste of other organisms o Denitrification creates runoff of nitrogen fertilizers into bodies of water o Industrial fixation leads to the reaction of nitrogen gases back into the atmosphere Phosphorus Cycle o Fungi and other decomposers break down waste o Phosphorus leaches into bodies of water where it is dissolved and up taken by plankton then goes through sedimentation o Weathering of rocks geologic uplift and wind blown dust lead to runoff and brings phosphorus back into the atmosphere What affect does temperature have on the amount of mass that gets decomposed o Decomposition increases as temperatures increase because the warmers it is the more decomposers are allowed to move and obtain energy