Tracing Carbon Atoms in Ecosystems: Understanding the Organic Matter Pyramid

 
 
Ecosystems 
Unit
Activity 3.3 Supplement
1
2
 
100
 
1
 
10
 
Herbivores
 
Soil Carbon
 
Atmosphere
 
Carnivores
 
Producers
The organic matter
pyramid: 
Comparing the organic
matter of producers, herbivores,
and carnivores.
How can we explain the organic
matter pyramid by tracing carbon
atoms through the ecosystem?
How can we explain the organic
matter pyramid by tracing carbon
atoms through the ecosystem?
Let's follow 500 carbon atoms
through the ecosystem.
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers of
atoms are different.
In these slides we are counting individual
carbon atoms, but real ecosystems have far
too many carbon atoms to count.  For
example, the organic matter of a small
meadow contains more than
10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
carbon atoms!
 
100
3
 
Carnivores
 
Herbivores
Producers
 
Soil Carbon
 
Atmosphere
What happens to carbon atoms
in producers?
300 carbon atoms
become part of
the plant through
biosynthesis.
100 carbon atoms
stay in the living
plants.
 
10
 
20
 
30
 
40
 
50
 
60
 
70
 
80
 
90
 
100
 
110
 
120
 
130
 
140
 
150
 
160
 
170
 
180
 
190
 
200
 
210
 
220
 
230
 
240
 
250
 
260
 
270
 
280
 
290
 
300
 
310
 
320
 
330
 
340
 
350
 
360
 
370
 
380
 
390
 
400
 
410
 
420
 
430
 
440
 
450
 
460
 
470
 
480
 
490
 
500
500 carbon
atoms become
part of sugar
molecules
through
photosynthesis.
200 carbon atoms
go back to the
atmosphere
when plants use
the sugar for
cellular
respiration.
 
10
 
20
 
30
 
40
 
50
 
60
 
70
 
80
 
90
 
100
100 carbon atoms go to
herbivores when they
eat plants.
 
10
 
20
 
30
 
40
 
50
 
60
 
70
 
80
 
90
 
100
100 carbon atoms go
to the soil when
plants or leaves die.
 
0
 
10
 
20
 
30
 
40
 
50
 
60
 
70
 
80
 
90
 
100
 
110
 
120
 
130
 
140
 
150
 
160
 
170
 
180
 
190
 
200
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers of
atoms are different.
- Photosynthesis
- Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis
- Being Eaten/Death
 
10
 
20
 
30
 
40
 
50
 
60
 
70
 
80
 
90
 
100
 
110
 
120
 
130
 
140
 
150
 
160
 
170
 
180
 
190
 
200
 
210
 
220
 
230
 
240
 
250
 
260
 
270
 
280
 
290
 
300
 
310
 
320
 
330
 
340
 
350
 
360
 
370
 
380
 
390
 
400
 
410
 
420
 
430
 
440
 
450
 
460
 
470
 
480
 
490
 
500
What happens to carbon atoms
in producers?
100
 
10
4
 
Carnivores
 
Herbivores
 
Producers
 
Soil Carbon
 
Atmosphere
What happens to carbon atoms
in herbivores?
100
 
100
 
200
 
210
 
220
 
230
 
240
 
250
100 carbon atoms
stay in the living
plants.
34 carbon atoms
become part of
the herbivore
through
biosynthesis.
50 carbon atoms
go back to the
atmosphere
when herbivores
use the food for
cellular
respiration.
16 carbon atoms go
to the soil when
herbivores defecate.
10 carbon atoms
stay in the living
herbivores.
 
1
 
2
 
3
 
4
 
5
 
6
 
7
 
8
 
9
 
10
 
11
 
12
 
13
 
14
 
15
 
100
 
101
 
102
 
103
 
104
 
105
 
106
 
107
 
108
 
109
 
110
 
111
 
112
 
113
 
114
 
115
 
116
 
117
 
118
 
119
 
120
 
121
 
122
 
123
 
124
 
125
100 carbon atoms go
to the soil when
plants die.
9 carbon atoms go to
the soil when
herbivores die.
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers
of atoms are different.
 
99
 
98
 
97
 
96
 
95
 
94
 
93
 
92
 
91
 
90
 
89
 
88
 
87
 
86
 
85
 
84
 
74
 
64
 
54
 
44
 
34
 
33
 
32
 
31
 
30
 
29
 
28
 
27
 
26
 
25
 
24
 
23
 
22
 
21
 
20
 
19
 
18
 
17
 
16
 
15
 
14
 
13
 
12
 
11
 
10
100 carbon atoms go to
herbivores when they
eat plants.
- Undigested food/Defecation
- Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis
- Being Eaten/Death
15 carbon atoms
go to carnivores
when they eat
herbivores.
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers
of atoms are different.
What happens to carbon atoms
in herbivores?
100
 
1
10
5
 
Carnivores
 
Herbivores
 
Producers
 
Soil Carbon
 
Atmosphere
What happens to carbon atoms
in carnivores?
100
 
250
8 carbon atoms go
back to the
atmosphere when
carnivores use the
food for cellular
respiration.
9 carbon atoms go to
the soil when
herbivores die.
10 carbon atoms
stay in the living
herbivores.
 
15
10
 
125
4 carbon atoms go to
the soil when
carnivores defecate.
1 carbon atom
stays in the living
carnivores.
 
251
 
252
 
253
 
254
 
255
 
256
 
257
 
258
 
126
 
127
 
128
 
129
 
130
 
131
2 carbon atoms go to
the soil when
carnivores die.
 
14
 
13
 
12
 
11
 
10
 
9
 
8
 
7
 
6
 
5
 
4
 
3
 
2
 
1
15 carbon atoms
go to carnivores
when they eat
herbivores.
- Undigested food/Defecation
- Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis
- Death
3 carbon atoms
become part of
carnivores
through
biosynthesis.
What happens to carbon atoms
in carnivores?
100
1
10
6
 
Carnivores
Herbivores
Producers
 
Soil Carbon
 
Atmosphere
What happens to carbon atoms
in the soil?
100
10
6 carbon atoms go to
the soil when
carnivores die.
1 carbon atom
stays in the living
carnivores.
1
 
131
66 carbon atoms
go back to the
atmosphere when
decomposers use
the soil carbon for
cellular
respiration.
65 carbon atoms
stay in the soil.
 
130
 
120
 
110
 
100
 
90
 
80
 
70
 
65
 
258
 
259
 
269
 
279
 
289
 
299
 
309
 
319
 
324
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers
of atoms are different.
- Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis
7
100
1
10
Herbivores
Soil Carbon
Atmosphere
Carnivores
Producers
How can we explain the organic
matter pyramid by tracing carbon
atoms through the ecosystem?
Plants, animals, and
decomposers create the organic
matter pyramid through their
carbon-transforming processes--
when they photosynthesize, eat,
grow, live, and die.
Note: The pathways of carbon
atoms are the same in all
ecosystems, but the numbers
of atoms are different.
Slide Note

Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

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Explore the journey of 500 carbon atoms through producers, herbivores, and carnivores in an ecosystem. Discover how carbon atoms move through photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and biosynthesis, ultimately contributing to the organic matter pyramid. Follow the pathways of carbon atoms as they cycle between the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms, highlighting the interconnectedness of carbon in ecosystems.


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  1. Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University Ecosystems Unit Activity 3.3 Supplement 1

  2. How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon atoms through the ecosystem? atoms through the ecosystem? Let's follow 500 carbon atoms How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon The organic matter pyramid: Comparing the organic matter of producers, herbivores, and carnivores. through the ecosystem. Carnivores 110 In these slides we are counting individual carbon atoms, but real ecosystems have far too many carbon atoms to count. For example, the organic matter of a small meadow contains more than Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 carbon atoms! Atmosphere Herbivores 100 Producers Soil Carbon 2

  3. What happens to carbon atoms in producers? - Photosynthesis Carnivores - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 200 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when plants use the sugar for cellular respiration. 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0 - Being Eaten/Death Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. Atmosphere 100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Herbivores 500 carbon atoms become part of sugar molecules through photosynthesis. 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 100 carbon atoms go 100 carbon atoms go to herbivores when they eat plants. 300 carbon atoms become part of the plant through biosynthesis. 100 carbon atoms stay in the living plants. 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 100 Soil Carbon to the soil when plants or leaves die. Producers 3

  4. Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. 15 carbon atoms go to carnivores when they eat herbivores. What happens to carbon atoms in producers? in herbivores? What happens to carbon atoms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 - Undigested food/Defecation Carnivores - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 10 200 210 220 230 240 250 - Being Eaten/Death 34 carbon atoms become part of the herbivore through biosynthesis. herbivores. Atmosphere 50 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when herbivores use the food for cellular respiration. herbivores defecate. herbivores die. 10 carbon atoms stay in the living 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 74 64 54 44 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 Herbivores 9 carbon atoms go to 16 carbon atoms go to the soil when the soil when 100 carbon atoms go to herbivores when they eat plants. 100 carbon atoms stay in the living plants. 100 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 100 carbon atoms go 100 Soil Carbon to the soil when plants die. Producers 4

  5. Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. atmosphere when carnivores use the food for cellular respiration. What happens to carbon atoms in herbivores? in carnivores? What happens to carbon atoms 8 carbon atoms go back to the 1 carbon atom stays in the living carnivores. when they eat herbivores. 15 carbon atoms go to carnivores 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 - Undigested food/Defecation 3 carbon atoms Carnivores become part of carnivores through - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 110 biosynthesis. 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 - Death Atmosphere 10 carbon atoms stay in the living herbivores. 10 4 carbon atoms go to the soil when carnivores defecate. carnivores die. 2 carbon atoms go to the soil when Herbivores 9 carbon atoms go to the soil when herbivores die. 100 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 100 Producers Soil Carbon 5

  6. Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. What happens to carbon atoms in carnivores? in the soil? What happens to carbon atoms 1 carbon atom stays in the living carnivores. 1 - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis Carnivores 110 258 259 269 279 289 299 309 319 324 Atmosphere 66 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when decomposers use 10 6 carbon atoms go to the soil when carnivores die. the soil carbon for cellular respiration. Herbivores 100 131 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 65 100 65 carbon atoms stay in the soil. Producers Soil Carbon 6

  7. Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon atoms through the ecosystem? Carnivores 110 Plants, animals, and decomposers create the organic matter pyramid through their carbon-transforming processes-- when they photosynthesize, eat, grow, live, and die. Atmosphere Herbivores 100 Producers Soil Carbon 7

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