Biology - Unit 10- Ecology and Biochemical Cycles

Population

all members of a species living in 1 area

Community

All the populations of an area

Ecology

The study of interactions among organisms with each other and with the environment

Energy Flow (from low to high)

Energy gets captured by Producers and then gets transferred to Consumers when eaten.

Producers/Autotrophs

Capture energy from the sun (usually) and convert it into food

Consumers

Eat producers

Herbivores

Only eat plants/autotrophs (Ex. Rabbit)

Carnivores

Only eat consumers (Ex. Dogs)

Omnivores

Eat both Producers and Consumers (Ex. Humans)

Detritivores/Decomposers

Get energy by breaking down dead producers and consumers (Ex. Fungi)

What is the main source of Energy?

Sunlight

Equation for Photosynthesis

6CO₂+6H₂O→C₆H₁₂O₆+6O₂

Food Chain/Web

Show the flow of energy within an ecosystem

Trophic Level

Each step where energy gets transferred in the food chain

Primary productivity

The rate at which organic mater is created by producers

Ecological Pyramids

Show how much energy is produced at each level

What do Pyramids of Numbers show?

The amount of species in a given area

Green World Hypothesis

The theory that the predators keep the ecosystem balanced

Keystone Species

A species (Usually a predator) that is necessary to keep ecosystem in check (Influence the whole community when their population changes)

Trophic Cascade

When a species population increases/decreases causing other species’ populations in that same ecosystem to increase/decrease

Oxygen Cycle

Cycles indirectly through ecosystems by cycling of other nutrients. Photosynthesis releases it and respiration absorbs it.

Water Cycle

A cycle driven by the sun and takes 4,000 years to complete.

Stages of the Water Cycle

• Evaporation

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Transpiration

• Runoff

• Seepage

Evaporation

When water goes from a liquid state to a gas state and rises to the atmosphere

Condensation

When the water vapor (gas) condenses due to temperature and forms clouds

Percipitation

When water vapor turns back into liquid and falls back to the surface

Transpiration

When water evaporates through leaves

Runoff

When water runs down to gradient point (river)

Seepage

When water becomes groundwater

Carbon Cycle

The cycle which the backbone of life and comes from the atmosphere to consumers via carbon fixation and then back to the atmosphere through respiration.

Carbon Sinks

Long term storage areas

What releases carbon into the atmosphere?

• Respiration

• Burning fossil fuels

• Increase in Ocean Temp

What absorbs carbon from the atmosphere?

• Photosynthesis

• Decomposition

• Decrease in Ocean Temperature

Fossil Fuels

When animals are buried before they are decomposed, capturing carbon and create oil, coal, and natural gas due to the pressure.

How are Fossil Fuels Formed?

From buried living beings, being pressurized by the earth

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen Fixation

• NH₃ Ammonia

• Ammonium (NH₄)

• Denitrification

What % of air is Nitrogen?

78%

Nitrate

1 Nitrogen surrounded by 3 Oxygen with a negative charge

Nitrite

1 Nitrogen surrounded by 2 Oxygen

Where does Nitrogen Fixation Happen?

in root nodules

Which Plants have Root Nodules

Legume (peas, beans)

Nitrifying bacteria

Convert Ammonia into Nitrate+Nitrites which are taken up by plants.

How do consumers get Nitrogen to make Proteins?

By eating producers

How does Nitrogen get back into the atmosphere?

Denitrification

Denitrification

Bacteria convert nitrates into Nitrogen gas (NO₃+NO₂→N₂)

Phosphorus Cycle

• Does not enter the atmosphere

• Released by weathering rocks

• Enters food chain via producers taking it from runoff

Where is Phosphorus stored?

(Inorganic phosphate) is stored in rock, soil minerals, and ocean sediments

Does Phosphorus ever enter the atmosphere?

No

What macromolecule is phosphorus found in?

Nucleic Acids (DNA+RNA)

Limiting Nutrient

When production is limited by the availability of 1 nutrient

Fertilizers

Mixes that contain Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium so that plants grow faster

Micronutrients

Small Nutrients (Ex. Calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron,+ manganese)

Eutrophication

When there is a large buildup of nutrients in a body of water causing microorganisms to flourish.

Algal Blooms

When runoff from fertilized areas goes into the ocean, causing algae to grow and reproduce

How much energy gets passed from one (trophic) level to the next?

10%

Parasitism

When an organism benefits off of another organism causing harm to it (Ex. Ticks to Deer)

Predator-Prey

When 1 organism is food and the other 1 is the eater (Ex. Wolves to Moose)

Mutualism

When one organism benefits both organisms (Ex. bees to flowers)

Commensalism

When one organism benefits whilst the other one does not get hurt (Ex. Birds to Bison)