Energy from the Sun

30% reflected back into space

69% is absorbed
1% is available to plants

Of that 1% some is
Reflected by the leaves
Is not captured because its not the proper wavelength
Is lost due to lack of efficiency (not ideal conditions)
Does not strike the chloroplast

Energy flow diagrams

Arrows show flows of matter or energy

The width of the arrow can represent the quantities of matter or energy in th
Boxes show storages

PRODUCTION is the incorporation of energy and

biomass (matter) into the bodies of organisms.

PRODUCTIVITY

is production per unit time.

energy per unit area per unit time (J/m2/yr1)

Or
biomass added per unit area per unit time (g/m2/yr1)
BIOMASS is the mass of organic
material found in an
organisms/population/community/or
trophic level of an ecosystem.
Standing crop = ecosystem biomass.

GROSS PRODUCTIVITY (GP)

is the total intake of
energy or biomass per
unit time.
Could be through
photosynthesis in
plants or absorption
(eating) in consumers.

NET PRODUCTIVITY (NP)

The gain in energy or biomass per unit
time remaining after all losses.
Losses through Entropy, more specifically
METABOLISM.
RESPIRATORY ENERGY

NP = GP (respiration and metabolism)

(for both producers and consumers)

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) =

The amount of energy from the sun
absorbed by the plants
Net Primary Productivity (NPP) =
The amount of energy from the
sun that is made into plant
biomass

NPP = GPP (respiration and metabolism)

Gross Secondary Productivity (GSP) =
The amount of plant or animal mass
eaten by consumers faecal loss
Net Secondary Productivity (NSP) =
The amount of energy from the
plants or animals that is made into
animal biomass

NSP = GSP(food eaten-fecal loss) (metabolism+respiration)

In a food web you can

usually assume that:
The energy input into
an organism = GP.
The energy output to
the next trophic level =
NP.
The difference between
GP and NP =
Respiration,
metabolism, and/or
loss to fecal matter or
decomposers .

Measuring Primary
Productivity

1. Harvest method - measure biomass and

express as biomass per unit area per unit
time.
2. CO2 assimilation - measure CO2 uptake
in photosynthesis and release by
respiration.
3. O2 production - Measure O2 production
and consumption.

Measuring Primary Productivity

4. Radioisotope method - use C14 tracer in
photosynthesis.
5. Chlorophyll measurement - assumes a
correlation between amount of chlorophyll and
rate of photosynthesis.

What affects productivity?

1. Solar radiation
2. Temperature
3. CO2
4. H2O
5. Nutrients
6. Herbivory

Therefore
The least productive ecosystems are
those with limited heat and light
energy, limited water and limited
nutrients.
The most productive ecosystems are
those with high temperatures, lots of
water, light and nutrients.

Biome Productivity
Estuaries
Swamps and marshes
Tropical rain forest
Temperate forest

Northern coniferous forest (taiga)

Savanna
Agricultural land
Woodland and shrubland
Temperate grassland
Lakes and streams
Continental shelf
Open ocean
Tundra (arctic and alpine)
Desert scrub
Extreme desert

800 1,600 2,400 3,200 4,000 4,800 5,600 6,400 7,200 8,000 8,800 9,600
Average net primary productivity (kcal/m2/yr)

Three years of satellite data on the earths GP.

LAND: high = dark green low = yellow
OCEAN: high = red low = blue

Sustaina
ble Yield

stainable Yield (SY) = (annual growth

ainable Yield (SY) = (annual growth

and immigration)

ainable Yield (SY) = (annual growth

and immigration)

(annual death

inable Yield (SY) = (annual growth

and immigration)

(annual death and

emigration)

inable Yield (SY) = (annual growth

and immigration)

(annual death and

emigration)

Sustainable Yield (SY) = (how much it grows

_
how many
and how many guys
move in)

(how many die and

How to calculate

= (total biomass at time 2) (total biomass at time 1)

Final

initial

guys leave)

Thermodynami
cs

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental
systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and selfregulating mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system
-will be able to create a model of an ecosystem of their choice

Ecosystems involve interrelationships among climate, geology, soil,

vegetation, and animals. These components are linked
together transfers of energy and or matter.

Thermodynami
cs

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental
systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and selfregulating mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Two basic processes occur in an ecosystem:

1. The cycling of matter
2. A flow of energy

Thermodynami
cs

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental
systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and selfregulating mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of

nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:

Thermodynami
cs

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental
systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and selfregulating mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of

nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Carbon Cycle

http://
www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=OByqdUhWERk

Thermodynami
cs

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental
systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and selfregulating mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of

nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Nitrogen Cycle

http://
www.youtube.com
/watch?v=w03iO_
Yu9Xw