Understanding Energy Flows and Matter Cycles in Living Systems

 
Energy Flows and Matter Cycles
 
Primary Producers –
autotrophs capable of
converting solar energy
into chemical energy
(plants, photosynthetic
protists, cyanobacteria
and chemosynthetic
bacteria
 
Primary Consumers –
herbivores that eat
primary producers
Secondary consumers –
primary carnivores that
eat primary consumers
Tertiary consumers –
secondary carnivores eat
the secondary consumers
 
Detritivores – consumers
that obtain their energy
by consuming dead
plants and animals
(detritus); the smallest
are called decomposers
and include fungi and
bacteria; others include
nematodes, earthworms
insects and scavengers
such as crabs, vultures,
and jackals
 
Ecological Pyramids – used
to show the relationship
between the tropic levels;
Horizontal bars or tiers are
used to represent the
relative size of the tropic
levels, each represented in
terms of energy
(productivity), biomass or
numbers of organisms;
tiers are stacked upon one
another in the order in
which energy is transferred
 
Ecological Efficiency –
describes the proportion of
energy represented at one
trophic level that is
transferred to the next
level; only about 
10% 
of the
productivity (energy) of
one trophic levels is
transferred to the next
level; 
90% 
of the energy is
consumed by the
individual metabolic
activities of the organism
 
Food Chain – linear flow
chart of who eats whom;
shows energy flow
Food Web – expanded,
more complete version of
food chain; Arrows
connect all organisms
that are eaten to the
animals that eat them in
the direction of the
energy flow
 
Biogeochemical Cycles –
describe the flow of
essential elements from
the environment to
living things and back to
the environment
Why do we need these
elements to be recycled?
What purpose do they
serve?
 
Hydrological cycle
Reservoirs – oceans, air (as
water vapor), groundwater,
glaciers, (evaporation,
wind and percipitation
move water from oceans to
lands
Assimilation – plants
absorb water from the soil
animals drink water or eat
other organisms (which
are mostly water)
Release – plants transpire;
animals and plants
decompose
 
Carbon Cycle
Reservoirs – atmosphere
(as CO2), fossil fuels (coal
and oil), peat, durable
organic material (i.e.
cellulose)
Assimilation – plants use
CO2 in photosynthesis;
animals consume plants or
other animals
Release – plants and
animals release CO2
through respiration and
decomposition; CO2 is
released when organic
material is burned
 
Nitrogen Cycle
Reservoirs – atmosphere
(N2); soil (NH4
ammonium, NH3
ammonia, NO2 nitrite,
or NO3 nitrate)
Assimilation – plants
absorb nitrogen either
as nitrate or
ammonium; animals
obtain nitrogen by
eating plants or other
animals
 
Nitrogen Assimilation
Nitrogen Fixation –
Nitrogen gas and
ammonium are fixed by
nitrogen-fixing
prokaryotes (in soil or
root nodules); nitrogen
gas is converted to
ammonia by lightening
and UV radiation
 
Nitrogen Assimilation
Nitrification –
ammonium converted to
nitrite and nitrite
converted to nitrate by
various nitrifying
bacteria; ammonium or
nitrate converted to
organic compounds by
plant metabolism
 
 
Nitrogen Cycle
Release – denitrifying
bacteria convert nitrate
back to nitrogen gas
(denitrification);
detrivorous bacteria
convert organic
compounds back to
ammonium
(ammonification); animals
excrete ammonium or
ammonia, urea or uric acid
 
Phosphorus Cycle
Reservoirs – rocks and
ocean sediments
Assimilation – plants
absorb inorganic
phosphate from soils;
animals obtain organic
phosphorous when then
eat plants or other animals
Release – plants and
animals release
phosphorous when they
decompose; animals
excrete phosphorous in
their waste products
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Interactions among living systems and their environment involve the movement of matter and energy. Energy flows through trophic levels, starting with primary producers like plants and autotrophs converting solar energy. It then progresses to primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers in a food chain. Detritivores play a crucial role in consuming dead plants and animals, while ecological pyramids and efficiency describe the transfer of energy between trophic levels.


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  1. EK 4.A.6 Interactions among living systems & with their environment result in the movement of matter & energy Energy Flows and Matter Cycles

  2. Energy Flows through Trophic Levels Primary Producers autotrophs capable of converting solar energy into chemical energy (plants, photosynthetic protists, cyanobacteria and chemosynthetic bacteria

  3. Energy Flows through Trophic Levels Primary Consumers herbivores that eat primary producers Secondary consumers primary carnivores that eat primary consumers Tertiary consumers secondary carnivores eat the secondary consumers

  4. Energy Flower through Trophic Levels Detritivores consumers that obtain their energy by consuming dead plants and animals (detritus); the smallest are called decomposers and include fungi and bacteria; others include nematodes, earthworms insects and scavengers such as crabs, vultures, and jackals

  5. Energy Flows through Trophic Levels Ecological Pyramids used to show the relationship between the tropic levels; Horizontal bars or tiers are used to represent the relative size of the tropic levels, each represented in terms of energy (productivity), biomass or numbers of organisms; tiers are stacked upon one another in the order in which energy is transferred

  6. Energy Flow through Trophic Levels Ecological Efficiency describes the proportion of energy represented at one trophic level that is transferred to the next level; only about 10% of the productivity (energy) of one trophic levels is transferred to the next level; 90% of the energy is consumed by the individual metabolic activities of the organism

  7. Energy Flows through Trophic Levels Food Chain linear flow chart of who eats whom; shows energy flow Food Web expanded, more complete version of food chain; Arrows connect all organisms that are eaten to the animals that eat them in the direction of the energy flow

  8. Matter is Recycled Biogeochemical Cycles describe the flow of essential elements from the environment to living things and back to the environment Why do we need these elements to be recycled? What purpose do they serve?

  9. Matter is Recycle Hydrological cycle Reservoirs oceans, air (as water vapor), groundwater, glaciers, (evaporation, wind and percipitation move water from oceans to lands Assimilation plants absorb water from the soil animals drink water or eat other organisms (which are mostly water) Release plants transpire; animals and plants decompose

  10. Matter is Recycle Carbon Cycle Reservoirs atmosphere (as CO2), fossil fuels (coal and oil), peat, durable organic material (i.e. cellulose) Assimilation plants use CO2 in photosynthesis; animals consume plants or other animals Release plants and animals release CO2 through respiration and decomposition; CO2 is released when organic material is burned

  11. Matter is Recycled Nitrogen Cycle Reservoirs atmosphere (N2); soil (NH4 ammonium, NH3 ammonia, NO2 nitrite, or NO3 nitrate) Assimilation plants absorb nitrogen either as nitrate or ammonium; animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants or other animals

  12. Matter is Recycled Nitrogen Assimilation Nitrogen Fixation Nitrogen gas and ammonium are fixed by nitrogen-fixing prokaryotes (in soil or root nodules); nitrogen gas is converted to ammonia by lightening and UV radiation

  13. Matter is Recycled Nitrogen Assimilation Nitrification ammonium converted to nitrite and nitrite converted to nitrate by various nitrifying bacteria; ammonium or nitrate converted to organic compounds by plant metabolism

  14. Matter is Recycle Nitrogen Cycle Release denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate back to nitrogen gas (denitrification); detrivorous bacteria convert organic compounds back to ammonium (ammonification); animals excrete ammonium or ammonia, urea or uric acid

  15. Matter is Recycled Phosphorus Cycle Reservoirs rocks and ocean sediments Assimilation plants absorb inorganic phosphate from soils; animals obtain organic phosphorous when then eat plants or other animals Release plants and animals release phosphorous when they decompose; animals excrete phosphorous in their waste products

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