Ecology

Starter

• What is currently going on in the coastal ecosystems of Louisiana?

Tertiary Consumer

Secondary Consumer

Producer

Primary Consumer

Energy PyramidCarnivore

Carnivore/Omnivore

Herbivore

1000 units

10 units

1 unit

100 units

Where does the energy go?

• ~10% of the energy gets passed on to the next trophic level

• 90% is not passed on– Feces– Chemical energy used by the organism ends up

as heat• Nonuseable

– Chemical Energy used for growth• Useable for those species that are eaten

– However, not all are eaten so not all of it is passed on

Ecosystem Productivity

• Rate at which the organisms in the trophic level collectively synthesize new organic matter– Primary productivity

• Productivity of producers– Producers also use those organic molecules to go through cellular

respiration• Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

– Raw rate of production of organic matter• Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

– GPP minus the respiration of the producers» Available organic matter for herbivores

Static vs. Dynamic

• Dynamic– Continuous movement, constantly changing• Productivity

– Expressed as a rate because it is constantly happening

• Static– Stationary, a snapshot at a particular time• Standing crop biomass

– Amount of organic matter (biomass) present at a particular time

Other Pyramids

• Pyramid of numbers– Number of individuals within the trophic levels

Other Pyramids• Pyramid of biomass– Standing crop biomass• Dry weight

Top Down vs Bottom Up

• Graph Discussion– Graph Number 1:• Why do streams with trout have more algae?

– Graph Number 2:• Explain what the graph is telling you?• What might be the effect if snakes that prey on fish

were added to the enclosures?– Graph Number 3:• Compare all three graphs and explain what they are

telling you collectively.

What can we form from our pyramids?

• Food Chains!– Linear

Producer Prim.Cons. Sec.Cons. Tert. Cons.

Let’s Do an Activity!

Energy Flow• Producers

– Sun Energy• Consumers

– Energy feed on producers or other consumers– Herbivore

• Eats only producers– Carnivores

• Eats other consumers– Ominvores

• Eats both• Decomposers

– Energy breakdown wastes and dead organisms– Detritivores

• Energy enters and is released as heat• Producers must continue to receive energy to survive

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