UNIT 10.

MATTER AND ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS

1. WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM?
The BIOTOPE is the physical part of an ecosystem consisting of soil, humidity,
water, temperature, and so on.
The BIOCENOSIS is the set of living things that inhabit an ecosystem.
The ECOSYSTEM is the set of biotope and biocenosis and relationships
established between them.

2. ABIOTIC FACTORS
These are physical factors that determine an ecosystem. Most important are:
a) TEMPERATURE: it is very important, because life isnt possible under or
above certain limits.
b) LIGHT: It is essential for autotrophic organisms that perform
photosynthesis. In an aquatic environment, light penetrates with difficulty, so
the algae are on the surface.
c) HUMIDITY: This varies widely in the terrestrial environment and
determines the distribution of living things.
Other factors are pressure, salinity, soil chemistry, etc..
It's called tolerance limit, the limit value and acts to hinder the growth of a
population.
3. WATER A FUNDAMENTAL ABIOTIC FACTOR
The functions performed by the water within the ecosystem are many and
varied, and are related to its properties:
For photosynthesis it is necessary for plants to absorb water and salts
through their roots.
Animals transport nutrients and gases through the blood or endolymph,
and expel waste substances through urine.
Water heats and cools more slowly than land or air, therefore,
temperature changes are smaller in coastal areas.
Its maximum density occurs at 4 C, therefore, under icy water there is
life, as the frozen water is less dense and floats.
Shapes many aquatic creatures such as jellyfish.

4. BIOTIC FACTORS
Living things relate to each other in different ways:
a) FAMILY: formed by the ratio of one male and one female of the same species
whose goal is to have descendants.
b) POPULATION: all individuals of the same species that occupy a given space.
If all individuals are linked together they are called colonies. If individuals are
together for a common purpose they are called gregarious populations. If
among individuals there are clear anatomical and physiological differences and
divisions are at work, they are called state populations.
c) SYMBIOSIS: occurs when two individuals of different species come together
for a common benefit, but can no longer live alone. E.g. a lichen formed by a
photosynthetic alga surrounded by a fungus.
d) MUTUALISM: This occurs when two individuals of different species are
mutually beneficial, for example, the weaverbird and the ox.
e) COMMENSALISM: Occurs when an individual will benefit from another, but for
the other individual is indifferent. For example, the clownfish and the anemone.
f) COMPETITION: occurs when two individuals of different species compete for
the same benefit, which can be a territory, food, etc..
g) PARASITISM: occurs when an individual uses another as food, and this is
impaired. For example, the tick that feeds on the blood of the dog.
f) PREDATION: occurs when an individual eats another, serving as prey. In this
type of relationship is the regulation of the two populations periodically, so that
the survivals of both are closely related. For example, the relationship between
a population of lions and gazelles.
The following chart shows the related growth of both populations.

5. THE CYCLE OF MATTER AND ENERGY IN THE ECOSYSTEM.

When an herbivore eats a plant, it passes the matter of the animal, and when
the herbivore is eaten by a carnivore, herbivore matter goes to the carnivore. If
the carnivore is not eaten by any other animal when it dies, it decomposes, it
returns to the soil as mineral salts that plants take when it returns to

photosynthesis. Therefore, the material circulates in a cyclic manner by the

ecosystem.
However, energy doesnt circulate in a cyclic manner, as for example, the
energy in cellular respiration, from the nutrients, some part of energy is lost as
heat which passes to the atmosphere, and therefore cannot return used.

6. TROPHIC LEVELS
It's called trophic level when all living things get energy and matter in the
ecosystem of the same manner.
We find three trophic levels, which are:
a) PRODUCERS: are plants and algae. They do not need other living things for
food, do photosynthesis and make their own food.
b) CONSUMERS are living organisms that obtain food from others, are
therefore heterotrophic beings. They can be:
Primary consumers: these are herbivores which feed directly from producers.
Secundary Consumers: or carnivorous which feed directly from herbivores.
Tertiary consumers: eat the secondary consumers.
c) DECOMPOSERS: are bacteria and fungi that break down organic and
inorganic remains (corpses, excrement, etc.) and transform them into useful
matter for producers.

7. TROPHIC or FOOD CHAINS, WEBS AND PYRAMIDS:

A food chain is a linear representation of feeding relationships that exist
between different trophic levels. For example:

The flower is eaten by grasshopper, and this one is eaten by the frog, and this
one by the snake and finally this one by owl.
A food web is a graphical representation of interlinked chains that occur in
an ecosystem. E.g.

Also trophic pyramids are graphical representations of the different

trophic levels. At the base is the level producer, above is the level of primary
consumers, above is the level of secondary consumers and above all, the
tertiary consumers. Trophic pyramids are of two types:
Pyramid of numbers: in this is represented the number of individuals in
each trophic level. Generally, the number of individuals decreases when we

ascend about the pyramid.

Pyramid of biomass: in this case the amount of organic matter of each
trophic level is represented. Sometimes, the pyramid is not normal, is inverted.
This is the case of the pyramid of aquatic ecosystems, where the producer,
trophic level represented by marine phytoplankton, is lower than the primary
consumers (whales). But, the phytoplankton has a tremendous capacity to
regenerate in a short time.