lec 2 - drivers of ecosystem structure and function

structure

“things you can observe with a camera”

one time - how many trees, how

function

things that happen over time

state factor model

• 
  

• climate - precipitation and temperature

• geology - what rocks/how did they form/what soils form

• past disturbance - volcanic eruptions, forest fires, deglaciation

• topography - flat/slope/what direction/how steep

control (in the ultimate sense) the characteristics and properties of ecosystems

control what the ecosystem could be like

(what could be vs what is)

ultimate vs proximate

what could live somewhere vs

ecosystem structure examples

species diversity (# bugs or trees etc)

standing crop biomass (how much biomass is present now)

trophic structures

trophic categories of organisms

living organisms are based on how they get their energy

autotrophs - make their own energy from inorganic nutrients

• producers - generate energy from sunlight and CO2

heterotrophs - feed on organic matter for energy

• consumers

  • herbivores

  • carnivores

  • omnivores

  • parasites

• decomposers - eat detritus