Ecosystem Ecology
Essential Questions:
Why are big fierce animals rare? (Explained in terms of energy flow in ecosystems)
Compare and contrast respiration and photosynthesis and explain the role of each in ecosystems
What is the difference between a food chain and food web?
How do you quanitify ecosystem productivity?
How does carbon move through the biosphere and how do humans help move it around?
How does Nitrogen move through ecosystems?
Why is nitrogen a limiting factor for plant growth?
How do human actions interact with each of the biochemical cycles?
How do you distinguish between ecosystem resistence and resiliance?
VIDEO about energy flow
VIDEO about biochemical cycles
Vocabulary:
Energy flow
producers (autotrophs), consumers ((heterotrophs), decomposers, scavengers, detritivores, trophic levels, trophic pyramid, food chain, food web, GPP (gross primary productivity, NPP (net primary productivity)
First and second laws of thermodynamics
Biochemical cycles
Nitrogen cycle
fixation, assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification
leaching, ammonia, nitrite , nitrate, nitrous oxide, atmospheric nitrogen, protein, limiting factor, algal bloom, eutrophication, dead zones
hydrologic cycle
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, run-off, transpiration, watershed,
Carbon cycle
carbon sinks , combustion, respiration, photosynthesis, decay, diffusion, burial, cement manufacturing, burning fossil fuels
Phosphorus cycle
excretion, decomposition, weathering, phosphate fertilizer
Sulfur cycle
Sulfur dioxide, acid rain, volcanism
Disturbances
Restoration Ecology, Resilience, Resistance, intermediate disturbance hypothesis
Media:
Crash Course video (nitrogen and phosphate cycles)
Assignment:
Nitrogen cycle poster
Bio-fuels essay
Answers to end of module questions in chapter 3 of the textbook:
Module 6 - Energy
a
c
a
c
b
d
Module 7 - Matter
c
b
a
a
d
c
c
Module 8 - Disturbance
b
b
c
d
c