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Energy Dissipation and Cycles. A Cycle. Nutrients: all the chemical substances that the body needs to stay alive. -- Two examples are carbon, and nitrogen. C N. Like water, nutrients are passed between organisms and the environment through biogeochemical cycles.
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Nutrients: all the chemical substances that the body needs to stay alive. -- Two examples are carbon, and nitrogen C N Like water, nutrients are passed between organisms and the environment through biogeochemical cycles.
Producers (autotrophs) convert the sun’s energy into glucose (food) CO2 + H2O → C6H12O6 + O2 When there is no light available, some organisms can use chemicals to produce glucose and this process is called chemosynthesis. Consumers (heterotrophs) obtain chemical energy by eating producers or other consumers. Decomposers break down wastes and dead organisms.
The sun provides Energy to autotrophs Producers use this Energy to make food (glucose) 90% of this Energy is used by the producer to survive (therefore is “used up” by the producer) 10% of this energy is used for the plant to grow… so there is more biomass (more to eat) This is the Energy that can be passed on to the consumer…
Food Chain or Food Web? Food Chain: A food chain is the direct path of food from a producer to a final consumer grass ---> grasshopper --> mouse ---> snake ---> hawk Food Web: A food web consists of interlocking food chains.
Steps in a food chain or food web are called trophic levels • Only 10% of the energy from one trophic level goes on to the next trophic level
Energy does not recycle!! But matter does Can you explain this diagram?
Types of Heterotrophs or Consumers Herbivores: eat only plants (producers) Carnivores: only eat animals (consumers) Omnivores: eat both plants and animals (producers and consumers)
Patterns of Chemical Cycling Producers incorporate chemicals from the non-living environment into organic compounds (biomass) Consumers eat producers and then decomposers break down the biomass into non-living chemicals again. Non-living processes also intervene (such as fires and rain).
The Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen Fixation Simplified