Ecosystem consists of all organisms in a particular region along with abiotic components Ecosystem ecologists study how nutrients and energy move between organisms and the surrounding atmosphere soil and water 1st law of thermodynamics Energy is neither created nor destroyed o Energy can be transferred from one body to another Ecosystems are energy transformers Light energy Chemical Energy Sugar production Work Heat Energy Flow links four components in every ecosystem primary producers consumers decomposers and abiotic environment 2nd Law of Thermodynamics energy transfer leads towards entropy at every transfer of energy some energy is lost as heat to the abiotic environment useable energy declines every transfer sets a fundamental limit on energy flow through ecosystems Pyrmaid of Productivity Energy enters flows through and exits an ecosystem whereas chemical nutrients cycle within it Essential nutrient element required for growth or reproduction or metabolic function Macronutrients building blocks of proteins nucleic acids carbohydrates phospholipids required in large quantities Limiting Nutreitns nutrients that limit growth of producers include N P
View Full Document
Unlocking...