Ecosystems and Biomes

As energy is passed from one trophic level to the next, most of it is lost as heat.

Primary production is measured by biomass, which is the hypothetical mass of all living material in an ecosystem.

Primary production is a measure of the rate at which solar energy is converted to biomass.

Energy flows through ecosystems, as do chemical elements.

Cycle of nutrients is biogeochemical cycle. The carbon cycle is a biogeochemical cycle.

Burning fossil fuel releases trapped carbon into the atmosphere as Co2.

The nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical cycle where nitrogen is a limiting element.

Transpiration is when the stoma opens, and the plant loses water into the environment.

Climate Change

Accumulation of greenhouse gases, which are airborne chemicals that capture and hold heat within the earth’s atmosphere.

The Greenhouse gasses are Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor.

Carbon dioxide is produced by cellular respiration, burning coal, oil, increasing CO2. Plankton can fix some of this but not at a rate that is sufficient.

The Atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are higher now than any time in the past 800,000 years.

since 1880 global surface temperatures have increased.

Normally some heat bounces off the earth and escapes from the atmosphere, less is escaping.

It’s effects on the ecosystem is polar habitats melting away. Warming oceans, coral lose symbiotic algae, coral deaths, and loss of reef ecosystems.

Surface Albedo: dark colors absorb heat more

Snow melting turns dark blue

Acid rain can kill or damage nature