env sustainability notes

Energy

The capacity to do work.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy.

Respiration

The process in which organisms convert glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water, and energy (ATP).

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy left over after plant respiration; supports all consumers in an ecosystem.

Trophic Levels

Levels in a food chain: Producers → Consumers → Decomposers.

Producers

Organisms that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

Consumers

Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms, classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead organisms, such as fungi and bacteria.

Mechanical Energy

Movement-based energy often derived from chemical transformations.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in molecular bonds, found in substances like glucose and batteries.

Electrical Energy

Energy resulting from the flow of electrons through conductors.

Radiant Energy

Electromagnetic waves from the Sun.

Thermal Energy

Heat energy generated from vibrating and colliding atoms.

Law of Energy Conservation

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Ecosystem Productivity

The measurement of energy or biomass produced within an ecosystem.

Tropical Rainforest NPP

9000 kcal/m²/year, among the highest in ecosystem types.

Desert NPP

Less than 200 kcal/m²/year, among the lowest in ecosystem types.

Food Webs

Interconnected food chains that illustrate the flow of energy and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

Primary Producers

Plants that are the first level of energy conversion in food webs.

Ecosystem Type

Classification based on ecosystem characteristics and productivity rates.

Precipitation and Sunlight

Factors that increase productivity in ecosystems.