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Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
Quiz by Dan Thornton
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Escape from Unsuitable Conditions Some species can survive unfavorable environmental conditions by escaping from them temporarily. For example, desert animals usually hide underground or in the shade during the hottest part of the day. Many desert species are active at night, when temper- atures are much lower. A longer-term strategy is to enter a state of reduced activity, called dormancy, during periods of unfavorable conditions, such as winter or drought. Another strategy is to move to a more favorable habitat, called migration. An example of migration is the seasonal movements of birds, which spend spring and summer in cooler climates and migrate to warmer climates in the fall. THE NICHE Species do not use or occupy all parts of their habitat at once. The specific role, or way of life, of a species within its environment is its niche (NICH). The niche includes the range of conditions that the species can tolerate, the resources it uses, the methods by which it obtains resources, the number of offspring it has, its time of reproduction, and all other interactions with its environment. Parts of a lion’s niche are shown in Figure 18-6. Generalists are species with broad niches; they can tolerate a range of conditions and use a variety of resources. An example of a generalist is the Virginia opossum, found across much of the United States. The opossum feeds on almost anything, from eggs and dead animals to fruits and plants. In contrast, species that have narrow niches are called specialists. An example is the koala of Australia, which feeds only on the leaves of a few species of eucalyptus trees. Some species have more than one niche within a lifetime. For example, caterpillars eat the leaves of plants, but as adult butter- flies, they feed on nectar. Plants and animals are able to share the same habitats because they each have different niches. FIGURE 18-6 niche from the Old French nichier, meaning “to nest” Word Roots and Origins www.scilinks.org Topic: Niche/Habitats Keyword: HM61029 mb06se_iecs02.qxd 5/24/07 10:25 AM Page 365 366 CHAPTER 18 ENERGY TRANSFER All organisms need energy to carry out essential functions, such as growth, movement, maintenance and repair, and reproduction. In an ecosystem, energy flows from the sun to autotrophs, then to organisms that eat the autotrophs, and then to organisms that feed on other organisms. The amount of energy an ecosystem receives and the amount that is transferred from organism to organism affect the ecosystem’s structure. PRODUCERS Autotrophs, which include plants and some kinds of protists and bacteria, manufacture their own food. Because autotrophs cap- ture energy and use it to make organic molecules, they are called producers. Recall that organic molecules are molecules that con- tain carbon. Most producers are photosynthetic, so they use solar energy to power the production of food. However, some autotrophic bacteria do not use sunlight as an energy source. These bacteria carry out chemosynthesis (KEE-moh-SIN-thuh-sis), in which they use energy stored in inorganic molecules to produce carbohydrates. In terres- trial ecosystems, plants are usually the major producers. In aquatic ecosystems, photosynthetic protists and bacteria are usu-
Based on the provided sources, here is a comprehensive extraction of the information regarding the water cycle, energy transfer, and Earth's wind systems, organized into key points: The Water Cycle and Its Reservoirs • Definition: The water cycle is the continuous movement of water among various reservoirs on Earth. • Water Reservoirs: These are storage locations for water and include: ◦ Oceans, seas, and lakes. ◦ Rivers, glaciers, soil, and rocks. ◦ The atmosphere and living organisms. • Total Volume: The total amount of water on Earth does not change, even when it changes state, because it is constantly being replaced or recycled through the cycle. Main Processes and Energy Transfer The movement of water through the cycle is driven by energy (thermal energy from the Sun) and force (gravity and wind). • Energy Gain (Absorption): ◦ Melting: Water changes from a solid state (ice) to a liquid state and gains energy. ◦ Evaporation: Liquid water changes into a gas state (water vapor) by gaining thermal energy. ◦ Transpiration: A specialized type of evaporation occurring in plants where water vapor is released through tiny holes in leaves called stomata. Approximately 10% of water vapor in the air comes from transpiration. • Energy Loss (Release): ◦ Condensation: Water vapor (gas) cools down and changes back into liquid water, releasing energy. ◦ Freezing: Liquid water changes into a solid state (ice) and loses energy. • Other Key Steps: ◦ Precipitation: Water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail (snow pellets). ◦ Runoff: Water flows over Earth's surface into streams, rivers, and eventually larger bodies of water like oceans. ◦ Collection: Rainwater is collected in different water bodies to start the cycle again. Forces Driving Water Movement • Gravity: The main force that pulls water downward. It is responsible for: ◦ Bringing precipitation (rain and snow) from clouds to the surface. ◦ Moving ice in glaciers from higher to lower elevations. ◦ Causing liquid water to flow downhill into rivers and seas. ◦ Leakage: Pulling liquid water down into the ground to reach groundwater reservoirs. • Wind: Another force that affects water movement and transports water to different locations on Earth. Atmospheric Processes • Cloud Formation: Water vapor attaches to particles such as dust or smoke in the air and condenses into tiny droplets. When millions of these droplets join, they become heavy and fall as rain. • Convection: The transfer of heat in liquids and gases. ◦ Warm air/liquid: Becomes less dense, lighter, and rises upward. ◦ Cold air/liquid: Is more dense, heavier, and moves downward to replace the warm fluid. ◦ This process leads to convection currents, which help determine regional climates and drive wind and ocean currents. Solar Radiation and Climate The amount of solar energy reaching Earth differs from place to place, which affects the weather: • Hottest Regions (Equator): Sun rays fall perpendicular (vertical). Heat is concentrated on a small area, making the weather hot. • Moderate Regions: Sun rays fall semi-inclined. Heat is distributed over a larger area, making the weather warm. • Coolest Regions (Poles): Sun rays fall very slanted (inclined). Heat is spread over a very large area, making the weather very cold. Earth's Wind System • Wind Formation: Wind is generated when warm air (heated by the Sun) rises and is replaced by cooler air flowing from nearby areas. • Factors Affecting Wind: The amount of solar radiation and the rotation of Earth determine global wind directions. • Global Wind Cycle: Unequal heating between the equator and the poles generates a constant wind system. Warm air rises at the equator and moves toward the poles, while cold air from the poles moves toward the equator. • Importance: If there were no wind, the equator would become extremely hot, the poles would freeze solid, and many ecosystems would disappear. Practical Examples • Turkey’s Salt Lake: High evaporation in the summer can turn this large lake into a small puddle or dry it up completely. It is a critical site for flamingos, which migrate there to breed and feed on algae in the shallow, warm water.
All animals, most protists, all fungi, and many bacteria are het- erotrophs. Unlike autotrophs, heterotrophs cannot manufacture their own food. Instead, they get energy by eating other organisms or organic wastes. Ecologically speaking, heterotrophs are consumers. They obtain energy by consuming organic molecules made by other organisms. Consumers can be grouped according to the type of food they eat. Herbivores eat producers. An antelope that eats grass is a herbivore. Carnivores eat other consumers. Lions, cobras, and praying mantises are examples of carnivores. Omnivores eat both producers and consumers. The grizzly bear, whose diet ranges from berries to salmon, is an omnivore. Detritivores (dee-TRIET-uh-VAWRZ) are consumers that feed on the “garbage” of an ecosystem. This waste, or detritus, includes organisms that have recently died, fallen leaves, and animal wastes. The vulture shown in Figure 18-8 is a detritivore. Many bacteria and fungi are detritivores that cause decay by breaking down complex molecules into simpler molecules. So, they are specifically called decomposers. Some of the molecules released during decay are absorbed by the decomposers, and some are returned to the soil or water. Decomposers make the nutrients that were contained in detritus available again to the autotrophs in the ecosystem. Thus, the process of decomposition recycles chemical nutrients. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 368 CHAPTER 18 ENERGY FLOW When one organism eats another, molecules are metabolized and energy is transferred. As a result, energy flows through an ecosystem, moving from producers to consumers. One way to follow the pattern of energy flow is to group organisms in an ecosystem based on how they obtain energy. An organism’s trophic (TRAHF-ik) level indicates the organism’s position in a sequence of energy transfers. For exam- ple, all producers belong to the first trophic level. Herbivores belong to the second trophic level, and the predators belong to the third level. Most terrestrial ecosystems have only three or four trophic lev- els, whereas marine ecosystems often have more. Food Chains and Food Webs A food chain is a single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer. A food chain may begin with grass, which is a primary producer. The chain may continue with a consumer of grass seeds—a meadow mouse. Next, a carnivorous snake may kill and eat the mouse. A hawk then may eat the snake, as shown in Figure 18-9. The feeding relationships in an ecosystem are usually too com- plex to be represented by a single food chain. Many consumers eat more than one type of food. In addition, more than one species of consumer may feed on the same organism. Many food chains inter- link, and a diagram of the feeding relationships among all the organisms in an ecosystem would resemble a web, as shown in Figure 18-10. For this reason, the interrelated food chains in an ecosystem are called a food web.
Figure 18-11 represents the amount of energy stored as organic material in each trophic level in an ecosystem. The pyramid shape of the diagram indicates the low percentage of energy transfer from one level to the next. On average, 10 percent of the total energy consumed in one trophic level is incor- porated into the organisms in the next. Why is the percentage of energy transfer so low? One reason is that some of the organisms in a trophic level escape being eaten. They eventually die and become food for decomposers, but the energy contained in their bodies does not pass to a higher trophic level. Even when an organism is eaten, some of the molecules in its body will be in a form that the consumer cannot break down and use. For example, a cougar cannot extract energy from the antlers, hooves, and hair of a deer. Also, the energy used by prey for cellu- lar respiration cannot be used by predators to synthesize new bio- mass. Finally, no transformation or transfer of energy is 100 percent efficient. Every time energy is transformed, such as during the reactions of metabolism, some energy is lost as heat. Limitations of Trophic Levels The low rate of energy transfer between trophic levels explains why ecosystems rarely contain more than a few trophic levels. Because only about 10 percent of the energy available at one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level, there is not enough energy in the top trophic level to support more levels. Organisms at the lowest trophic level are usually much more abundant than organisms at the highest level. In Africa, for exam- ple, you will see about 1,000 zebras, gazelles, and other herbivores for every lion or leopard you see, and there are far more grasses and shrubs than there are herbivores. Higher trophic levels con- tain less energy, so, they can support fewer individuals.A population is a group of organisms that belong to the same species and live in a particular place at the same time. All of the bass living in a pond during a certain period of time make up a pop- ulation because they are isolated in the pond and do not interact with bass living in other ponds. The boundaries of a population may be imposed by a feature of the environment, such as a lake shore, or they can be arbitrarily chosen to simplify a study of the population. The humans shown in Figure 19-1 are part of the pop- ulation of a city. The properties of populations differ from those of individuals. An individual may be born, it may reproduce, or it may die. A population study focuses on a population as a whole—how many individuals are born, how many die, and so on. Population Size A population’s size is the number of individuals that the population contains. Size is a fundamental and important population property but can be difficult to measure directly. If a population is small and composed of immobile organisms, such as plants, its size can be determined simply by counting individuals. Often, though, individ- uals are too abundant, too widespread, or too mobile to be counted easily, and scientists must estimate the number of individuals in the population. Suppose that a scientist wants to know how many oak trees live in a 10 km2 patch of forest. Instead of searching the entire patch of forest and counting all the oak trees, the scientist could count the trees in a smaller section of the forest, such as a 1 km2 area. The scientist could then use this value to estimate the population of the larger area. SECTION 1 OBJECTIVES ● Describe the main properties that scientists measure when they study populations. ● Compare the three general patterns of population dispersion. ● Identify the measurements used to describe changing populations. ● Compare the three general types of survivorship curves. VOCABULARY population population density dispersion birth rate death rate life expectancy age structure survivorship curve FIGURE 19-1 A population can be widely distributed, as Earth’s human population is, or confined to a small area, as species of fish in a lake are. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 382 CHAPTER 19 If the small patch contains 25 oaks, an area 10 times larger would likely contain 10 times as many oak trees. A similar kind of sampling technique might be used to estimate the size of the pop- ulation shown in Figure 19-2. To use this kind of estimate, the sci- entist must assume that the distribution of individuals in the entire population is the same as that in the sampled group. Estimates of population size are based on many such assumptions, so all esti- mates have the potential for error. Population Density Population density measures how crowded a population is. This measurement is always expressed as the number of individuals per unit of area or volume. For example, the population density of humans in the United States is about 30 people per square kilome- ter. Table 19-1 shows the population sizes and densities of humans in several countries in 2003. These estimates are calculated for the total land area. Some areas of a country may be sparsely popu- lated, while other areas are very densely populated. Dispersion A third population property is dispersion (di-SPUHR-zhuhn). Dispersion is the spatial distribution of individuals within the popu- lation. In a clumped distribution, individuals are clustered together. In a uniform distribution, individuals are separated by a fairly con- sistent distance. In a random distribution, each individual’s location is independent of the locations of other individuals in the popula- tion. Figure 19-3 illustrates the three possible patterns of dispersion. Clumped distributions often occur when resources such as food or living space are clumped. Clumped distributions may also occur because of a species’ social behavior, such as when animals gather into herds or flocks. Uniform distributions may result from social behavior in which individuals within the same habitat stay as far away from each other as possible. For example, a bird may locate its nest so as to maximize the distance from the nests of other birds. These migrating wildebeests in East Africa are too numerous and mobile to be counted. Scientists must use sampling methods at several locations to monitor changes in the population size of the animals. FIGURE 19-2 TABLE 19-1 Population Size and Density of Some Countries Population size Population density Country (in millions) (in individuals/km2) China 1,289 135 India 1,069 325 United States 292 30 Russia 146 8 Japan 128 337 Mexico 105 54 Kenya 32 54 Australia 20 3 dispersion from the Latin dis-, meaning “out,” and spargere, meaning “to scatter” Word Roots and Origins Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. POPULATIONS 383 The social interactions of birds called gannets, which are shown in Figure 19-3b, result in a uniform distribution. Each gannet chooses a small nesting area on the coast and defends it from other gannets. In this way, each gannet tries to maximize its distance from all of its neighbors, which causes a uniform distribution of individuals. Few populations are truly randomly dispersed. Rather, they show degrees of clumping or uniformity. The dispersion pattern of a population sometimes depends on the scale at which the popu- lation is observed. The gannets shown in Figure 19-3b are uni- formly distributed on a scale of a few meters. However, if the entire island on which the gannets live is observed, the distribution appears clumped because the birds live only near the shore. POPULATION DYNAMICS All populations are dynamic—they change in size and composition over time. To understand these changes, scientists must know more than the population’s size, density, and dispersion. One important measure is the birth rate, the number of births occur- ring in a period of time. In the United States, for example, there are about 4 million births per year. A second important measure is the death rate, or mortality rate, which is the number of deaths in a
Make a test, with answers best on the following: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells. Supporting Content LS1.A: Structure and Function • All living things are made up of cells, which is the smallest unit that can be said to be alive. An organism may consist of one single cell (unicellular) or many different numbers and types of cells (multicellular). (MS-LS-1.1) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on developing evidence that living things are made of cells, distinguishing between living and non-living things, and understanding that living things may be made of one cell or many and varied cells. In multicellular organisms, the body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems. These subsystems are groups of cells that work together to form tissues and organs that are specialized for particular body functions. (MS-LS-1.3) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on the conceptual understanding that cells form tissues and tissues form organs specialized for particular body functions. Examples could include the interaction of subsystems within a system and the normal functioning of those systems. Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring. (MS-LS-1.4) • Living things share certain characteristics. (These include response to environment, reproduction, energy use, growth and development, life cycles, made of cells, etc.) (MS-LS1.4) Further Explanation: Examples should include both biotic and abiotic items, and should be defended using accepted characteristics of life. Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use. (MS-LS-1.5) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on tracing movement of matter and flow of energy. Supporting Content LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms • Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions (cellular respiration) in which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, to support growth, or to release energy. (MS-LS-1.6) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on describing that molecules are broken apart and put back together and that in this process, energy is released and on understanding that the elements in the products are the same as the elements in the reactants. Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors. (MS-LS-2.1) • In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction. (MS-LS-2.1) • Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources. (MS-LS-2.1) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on cause and effect relationships between resources and growth of individual organisms and the numbers of organisms in ecosystems during periods of abundant and scarce resources. Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared. (MS-LS-2.2) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on predicting consistent patterns of interactions in different ecosystems in terms of the relationships among and between organisms and abiotic components of ecosystems. Examples of types of interactions could include competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial. Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy is transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem. Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level. Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil in terrestrial environments or to the water in aquatic environments. The atoms that make up the organisms in an ecosystem are cycled repeatedly between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. (MS-LS-2.3) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on describing the conservation of matter and flow of energy into and out of various ecosystems, and on defining the boundaries of the system. Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations. (MSLS-2.5) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on recognizing patterns in data and making warranted inferences about changes in populations, and on evaluating empirical evidence supporting arguments about changes to ecosystems. Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. (MS-LS-2.6) Supporting Content LS4.D: Biodiversity • Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling. (MS-LS-2.6) Supporting Content ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions • There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem. (MS-LS-2.6) Further Explanation: Examples of ecosystem services could include water purification, nutrient recycling, and prevention of soil erosion. Examples of design solution constraints could include scientific, economic, and social considerations. Genes are located in the chromosomes of cells, with each chromosome pair containing two variants of each of many distinct genes. Each distinct gene chiefly controls the production of specific proteins, which in turn affects the traits of the individual. Structural changes to genes (mutations) can result in changes to proteins, which can affect the structures and functions of the organism and thereby change traits. (MS-LS-3.1) Supporting Content LS3.B: Variation of Traits • In addition to variations that arise from sexual reproduction, genetic information can be altered because of mutations. Though rare, mutations may result in significant changes to the structure and function of proteins. Changes can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral to the organism. (MS-LS-3.1) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on conceptual understanding that changes in genetic material may result in making different proteins. Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring. (MS-LS-3.2) Supporting Content LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits • Variations of inherited traits between parent and offspring arise from genetic differences that result from the subset of chromosomes (and therefore genes) inherited. (MS-LS-3.2) Supporting Content LS3.B: Variation of Traits • In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes half of the genes acquired (at random) by the offspring. Individuals have two of each chromosome and hence two alleles of each gene, one acquired from each parent. These versions may be identical or may differ from each other. (MS-LS-3.2) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on using models such as simple Punnett squares and pedigrees, diagrams, and simulations to describe the cause and effect relationship of gene transmission from parent(s) to offspring and resulting genetic variation. The collection of fossils and their placement in chronological order is known as the fossil record and documents the change of many life forms throughout the history of the Earth. Anatomical similarities and differences between various organisms living today and between living and once living organisms in the fossil record enable the classification of living things. (MS-LS-4.1, MS-LS-4.2) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on finding patterns of changes in the level of complexity of anatomical structures in organisms and the chronological order of fossil appearance in the rock layers. The collection of fossils and their placement in chronological order is known as the fossil record and documents the change of many life forms throughout the history of the Earth. Anatomical similarities and differences between various organisms living today and between living and once living organisms in the fossil record enable the classification of living things. (MS-LS-4.1, MS-LS-4.2) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on explanations of the relationships among organisms in terms of similarity or differences of the gross appearance of anatomical structures. Scientific genus and species level names indicate a degree of relationship. (MS-LS-4.3) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on inferring general patterns of relatedness among structures of different organisms by comparing diagrams, pictures, specimens, or fossils. Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others. (MS-LS-4.4) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on using concepts of natural selection, including overproduction of offspring, passage of time, variation in a population, selection of favorable traits, and heritability of traits. In artificial selection, humans have the capacity to influence certain characteristics of organisms by selective breeding. One can choose desired parental traits determined by genes, which are then passed to offspring. (MS-LS-4.5) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on identifying and communicating information from reliable sources about the influence of humans on genetic outcomes in artificial selection (such as genetic modification, animal husbandry, gene therapy), and on the influence these technologies have on society as well as the technologies leading to these scientific discoveries. Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes. (MS-LS-4.6) Further Explanation: Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time. Examples could include Peppered Moth population changes before and after the industrial revolution.
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