1. The document discusses how energy from the sun is transferred through ecosystems via various processes like photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and cellular respiration. It moves from autotrophs to heterotrophs through food chains and webs. 2. As energy moves up trophic levels from producers to primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers, 90% less energy is available at each level. Marine ecosystems tend to have more microscopic autotrophs while terrestrial ecosystems rely more on plant autotrophs and large herbivores. 3. Key biogeochemical cycles like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus are outlined as well as how pollutants can biomagnify up food chains. Biodiversity and human impacts

1. ECOLOGY 2
Energy &
Biodiversity
ppt. by Robin D. Seamon

2. ENERGY TRANSFER
VOCABULARY:
thermal radiation carnivore
chemical energy decomposer
photosynthesis herbivore
chemosynthesis omnivore
autotroph terrestrial
heterotroph marine
food chain freshwater
food web detritus
producer macrophytes
orders of consumers grazers
productivity biotic magnification

3. E N E R G Y T R A N S F E R
The Sun's Energy moves throughout Earth's
systems…
Thermal radiation: the means of energy transfer
between the Sun and the Earth as heat & light
Chemical energy: autotrophs use solar energy to
begin the process of chemical energy transfer
throughout the biosphere via photosynthesis
3

4. 4
autotroph organism that produces its own
food/sugar to live
EXAMPLES: cyanobacteria & plants in the presence
of sunlight; bacteria at hot vents on ocean floor
1. photosynthesis- process by which organisms
(plants & cyanobacteria) use sunlight to
synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water
1. chemosynthesis- use energy derived from
reactions involving inorganic chemicals, typically
in the absence of sunlight
VIDEO: The simple story of photosynthesis & food (4 min)

5. 5

6. 6
heterotroph organism that must consume food
for the energy it needs to live
EXAMPLES: animals, fungi, zooplankton

7. C Y C L I N G O F
E N E R G Y
• Food chain- flow of
energy from one
organism to another
as they are eaten
• Food web- diagram
showing the possible
flow of energy in an
ecosystem; multiple
possibilities of flow
7

8. http://mcdowellscienceexam.weebly.com/ecology.html
8
VIDEO: A guide to the energy of the Earth (4:45 min)

9. Primary producer-
plant or bacteria
Primary consumer-
herbivore
Secondary consumer-
carnivore
Tertiary consumer-
Quaternary consumer
T R O P H I C L E V E L S :
9

10. 1. The # of organisms goes down.
2. The amount of energy (biomass) is less (by
about 90% at each “jump”).

12. MARINE
ECOSYSTEMS:
Most autotrophic
production and grazing
is controlled by
microscopic organisms
rather than the larger
predators in the food
web
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEMS:
Most autotrophic
production is done by
plants and grazing done
by large herbivores on
land
A U T O T R O P H S
12

13. ~ Energy is used by
the organism below
it on the pyramid.
~ 10% of Energy is
passed to the next
organism
Decomposers return molecules
to soil and atmosphere
13
VIDEO: Why isn’t the world covered in poop? (5 min)

14. 14VIDEO: Dead Stuff: Secret Ingredient (5 min)

15. MOST PRODUCTIVITY IS WHERE?
MARINE
ECOSYSTEMS:
-estuaries & ecosystems
closest to shore: most
productive
-open ocean: less
productivity except at
upwellings
-bottom ocean:
dependent upon
surface detritus
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEMS:
-ecosystems with warm
climates and adequate
resources including
water: Rainforest
15

16. MARINE
ECOSYSTEMS:
-detritus supports
microbes & bacteria
-macrophytes (large
algae) support first
order consumers
-grazers eat algal
blooms
-predators keep fish
population in check
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEMS:
Most autotrophic
production is done by
plants and grazing done
by large herbivores on
land
-predators keep
herbivores in check
B A L A N C E S
16
Invasive Species (5 min

18. C Y C L E S
Carbon cycle- cycling of the element C throughout
the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and
hydrosphere using the following processes:
• Photosynthesis- autotrophs use sunlight to
convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose
• Cellular respiration- all cells use this process of
converting glucose into usable energy ATP
• Decomposition- breaking down of organic
matter back into smaller elements/molecules
• Combustion- burning of organic matter, creating
a chemical reaction producing heat 18

19. photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition, combustion
19
CC VIDEO #1 : Why Carbon
is a Tramp (12 min)VIDEO Crash Course Hydrologic & Carbon Cycles (10 min)

20. C Y C L E S
Nitrogen Cycle- cycling of the element N
throughout the biosphere, lithosphere,
atmosphere, and hydrosphere using the following
processes:
• Nitrogen fixation- process by which bacteria
convert atmospheric N into a usable form for
plants to uptake; lightning strikes can also do it
• Denitrification- process by which bacteria
convert N into atmospheric N2
20

21. Nitrogen fixation, Nitrification, Assimilation
Ammonification, Denitrification
21

22. C Y C L E S
Phosphorus Cycle- cycling of the element P
throughout the biosphere, lithosphere,
atmosphere, and hydrosphere through
assimilation of it by plants from the soil,
throughout the energy web, and decomposition
into the lithosphere again
22

23. plant assimilation
energy web transfer
decomposition
23
VIDEO Crash Course:
Nitrogen & Phosphorus (9
min)

24. Biotic magnification-
increasing
concentration of a
substance, such as a
toxic chemical, in the
tissues of tolerant
organisms at
successively higher
levels in a food
chain.
24
VIDEO: Biomagnification &
the Trouble with Toxins (6:38)

25. MERCURY IN FISH
• Coal burning and mining of iron, can
contaminate water sources
• mercury levels increase through predation
with each order of the energy pyramid
• We eat fish!!!

26. POPULATIONS
VOCABULARY:
extinction immigration
endangered emigration
adaptation migration
acclimation
US Endangered Species Act
population density exponential curve
carrying capacity logistic curve
restricted growth
unrestricted growth
death/birth rate
migration

27. R E S P O N D I N G T O C H A N G E
Environments change, therefore
populations change:
US Endangered Species Act (1973) defines:
endangered- a species in danger of extinction
throughout all or significant portions of its range
threatened- a species likely to become endangered
within the forseeable future
extinction- termination of a species; there are no
more
27

28. R E S P O N D I N G T O C H A N G E
There are constant fluctuations in environment
(light, temperature, moisture, pH, salinity,)
How do organisms avoid death or extinction of
species?
1. Adaptation- genetic change in species or
population that occurs over many generations
OR
2. Acclimation- occurs within the lifetime of the
individual; not heritable
28VIDEO: Crash Course: Ecological Succession Change is Good (10 min)

29. P O P U L A T I O N S
carrying capacity- the number of organisms an
area can support without environmental
degradation
Restricted growth
• low food supply
• lack of space
Unrestricted growth- how a population grows
when there is unlimited resources
VIDEO Carrying Capacity 1:45 min

30. Population density- number of organisms in an
area divided by the amount of area
1. Death/birth rate
- used to help calculate population size
2. Migration is the movement of individuals of a
species from one place to another
• Immigration- influx of individuals into an area
• Emigration- exit of individuals from one region
to another

31. Exponential Curve-
(J-curve) occurs when there is
no limit to population size
Logistic Curve-
(S-curve) occurs when there is a
limiting factor to population
growth
unrestricted
growth
restricted
growth

32. BIODIVERSITY
VOCABULARY:
biodiversity soil leaching
sustainability contour farming
acid rain monoculture
global warming light pollution
ozone hole noise pollution
eutrophication
pesticide run-off
urbanization
deforestation
groundwater contamination
thermal
habitat degradation

33. Human population
• Modern humans have lived on Earth for
about 200,000 years.
• The earliest human populations were
nomadic hunter/gather populations of no
more than 15,000 people
• About 9,000 years ago: agriculture settled
populations; longer lives & more kids
• 1800 CE population was about 1 billion
• Today: about 7 billion people
How have humans affected the biosphere?
VIDEO: Crash Course Ecology #10 (10 min)
VIDEO: Overpopulation (6:39 min)

34. Biodiversity- variety of life in the world or in a
particular habitat or ecosystem.
Why is it important?
Each species no matter how big or small has a
role to play in the ecosystem. Less diversity
causes connections between species to weaken
or break, disrupting the natural harmony in
which all biotic organisms participate.
VIDEO Biodiversity: Amoeba Sisters 5 min

36. Sustainability - avoidance of the depletion of
natural resources in order to maintain an
ecological balance.
LABsheet: Why is it important?
VIDEO: How long will human impacts last? (5min)

37. BIODIVERSITY & HUMAN IMPACTS
Air pollution
acid rain- rainfall made acidic
due to industrial burning
of coal/fossil fuels
global warming- gradual increase
in global temperature
causing melting of ice caps
& rising sea levels, & more
ozone hole- depletion of the
atmospheric layer that
protects from UV rays: from industrial
burning
Labsheet:
HOW does this
affect
biodiversity?
How does this
alter the
population
balance?
Sustainable
practice?
VIDEO: Climate Change… Tetras (3 min)

38. BIODIVERSITY & HUMAN IMPACTS
Water pollution
eutrophication- runoff from farms
adds fertilizer to waters; HABs
pesticide run-off-
poisons aquatic ecosystems
urbanization- clearing of land: loss of
habitat; deforestation increase;
more pollutants; plastics
deforestation- causes muddy
run-off; warms waters, stops
photosynthesis
groundwater contamination
thermal- Power Plants & deforestation warm
waters; lowers DO content
Labsheet:
HOW does this
affect
biodiversity?
How does this
alter the
population
balance?
Sustainable
practice?
VIDEO: Disappearing Frogs (4 min)
VIDEO: What really happens to the
plastic you throw away (4 min)

39. BIODIVERSITY & HUMAN IMPACTS
Habitat Degradation
Urbanization
-Noise Pollution
-Light Pollution
-Habitat fragmentation
-Introduced/native species
-Farming practices: soil leaching,
contour farming, monoculture
Labsheet:
HOW does this
affect
biodiversity?
How does this
alter the
population
balance?
Sustainable
practice?
VIDEO: From the top of the food chain down; Rewilding our
world (5 min)
VIDEO Invasive Species (5 min
VIDEO: Urbanization & the future of cities (4 min)
VIDEO: Habitat Loss (2 min)