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Ecosystems and Environment. Biogeochemical cycles. All materials flow through the environment over time- materials cycle through the environment. Energy. Energy flows through the environment Sunlight to chlorophyll to photosynthesis to sugars to plant biomass to….
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Biogeochemical cycles • All materials flow through the environment over time- materials cycle through the environment
Energy • Energy flows through the environment • Sunlight to chlorophyll to photosynthesis to sugars to plant biomass to…. • Food chains - energy passes from one organism to another - it is a one way trip- energy passed through the environment in a linear fashion- unlike materials
Food chains • Trophic levels • available energy and biomass decrease at each trophic level • Gross primary productivity - rate at which energy is captured and stored in plant tissues • Net primary productivity - energy after plant’s requirements
Major ecosystems • Biomes - large distinct ecosystem • tundra • tiaga or boreal forest • temperate rainforest • temperate deciduous forest • temperate grasslands • chaparral
Biomes • Deserts • savanna • tropical rainforests
Aquatic ecosystems • lakes and ponds • littoral zones - nearest to shore • limnetic zones - open water • profundal zone - no light • marine • intertidal - very productive • pelagic - open ocean • euphotic - light is present (100m) • neritic - 100m to 200m • oceanic - no light
Stratification in water • In summer warm layers on top, colder at the bottom, separated by thermocline • in fall, water turns over and some mixing between layers occurs • in winter cold at top, warmer at bottom • in spring another turnover! • Spring turnover stimulates algae growth...
Environmental Issues • Habitat destruction • pollution • foreign or exotic species • deforestation • global warming • ozone depletion