How Earths Systems Are Organised and Connected

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Earth As A System

Can be viewed as a series of interconnecting systems and subsystems → four interconnected spheres hat make up life of Earth:

• Lithosphere - Solid Ground

• Atmosphere - All Gases

• Hydrosphere - All Water

• Biosphere - All Life

Simple/Individual Systems

Plants, animals, soils and water

Complex/Larger Systems

Ecosystems or biosphere

Biomes

Large geographical regions where the vegetation types share a particular suite of physical requirements

• Contains many ecosystems

• Influenced by global weather and climate patterns

Biome Examples

• Tundra

• Taiga

• Temperate Deciduous Forest

• Temperate Rainforest

• Tropical Rainforest

• Grasslands

• Desert

• Savanna

• Chaparral

• Marine

Ecosystems

Total of all different organisms that depend upon and interact with, each other (biotic factors) in a specific location, plus the non-living factors (abiotic factors). Consist of:

• Terrestrial Ecosystem

• Aquatic Ecosystems

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Land based ecosystems. E.g. rainforest, grasslands, tundra, desert, deciduous forest, savanna

Aquatic Ecosystems

Water based ecosystems. E.g. creek, ocean, river, estuary, coral reef, lake, swamp, wetlands

Order Of Life on Earth

Organisms → Population → Community → Ecosystems → Biosphere

Biotic Factors

Living or once living factors within an ecosystems

Abiotic Factors

Non-living factors within an ecosystems

Biotic Factors Examples

• Producers

• Consumers

• Decomposers

• Competitors

• Symbionts

• Predators

• Parasites

• Pathogens

Abiotic Factor Examples

• Atmosphere

• Soil

• Water

• Wind Speed

• Wind Direction

• Climate

• Light

• Rain

• Tides

Ecosystem Processes

Any movement, interaction or energy transfer taking place between the components of the system, whether chemical, biological or physical

Matter

Exchange between ecosystems and the environment

• Recycled within an ecosystem

Energy

Forms in an ecosystems

• Flows through ecosystem and changes into different forms

• Eventually returns to the environment as heat energy

Basic Ecosystem Model

Matter Energy (inputs) → Processes Components → Matter Energy (outputs)

Open System

Exchange matter and energy with other systems

Closed System

Isolated from other systems in the environment. Does not exchange of matter with its external environment, but does exchange energy.

• Do not occur naturally

Semi-Permeable System

Permits some exchange of energy and matter with its environment but does not freely exchange materials with surrounding environment

A Systems Approach

•Inputs and outputs of a system

•Structure of the system (multiple levels), e.g., organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems

•Processes that occur within it, e.g., photosynthesis, cellular respiration

•Relationships between components, e.g., food webs, energy transfer

•Structures and processes in the system can affect the system in focus

•Change over various timescales, e.g., short-term or evolution over generations

•Recurring patterns, cycles and feedback loops

•Other factors such as biological, political, historical etc.