How do matter and energy move in different ecosystems and how does matter and energy flow across the Earth's subsystem?
Matter and Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Ecosystems are complex systems where matter and energy are constantly moving and cycling. Here's a breakdown of how it happens:
Producers:
- Plants and other organisms that can capture energy from sunlight through photosynthesis are called producers.
- They use this energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic matter (sugars, carbohydrates, etc.), which becomes the foundation of the food chain.
📷Opens in a new window📷en.wikipedia.org
Photosynthesis process in plants
Consumers:
- Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on eating producers or other consumers for energy.
- Herbivores are primary consumers that eat plants directly.
- Carnivores are secondary consumers that eat herbivores.
- Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
📷Opens in a new window📷earthhow.com
Food chain with producers, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores
Decomposers:
- Decomposers are organisms that break down dead organic matter from producers and consumers.
- They release nutrients back into the soil, making them available for producers to use again.
- Examples of decomposers include bacteria, fungi, and worms.
📷Opens in a new window📷www.nationalgeographic.org
Decomposers breaking down dead organic matter
Energy Flow:
- Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from the sun to producers to consumers to decomposers.
- At each step in the food chain, some energy is lost as heat, so there are fewer and fewer organisms at higher trophic levels.
- This is why food chains are typically limited to 4-5 levels.
📷Opens in a new window📷en.wikipedia.org
Energy pyramid showing energy loss at each trophic level
Matter and Energy Flow Across Earth's Subsystems
- The Earth's subsystems, like the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, are all interconnected.
- Matter and energy flow between these subsystems through various processes.
Examples:
- The water cycle: Water evaporates from the oceans and land, condenses into clouds, and falls back to Earth as precipitation. This cycle transports water and dissolved nutrients around the globe.📷Opens in a new window📷nasa.govWater cycle
- The carbon cycle: Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere through respiration, volcanic eruptions, and human activities. Plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, and it is also stored in the ocean and soil.📷Opens in a new window📷byjus.comCarbon cycle
- The nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted into usable forms by bacteria in the soil. Plants take up nitrogen from the soil and use it to build proteins and other molecules. Animals get nitrogen by eating plants or other animals. Decomposers break down dead organisms and release nitrogen back into the soil or atmosphere.📷Opens in a new window📷unacademy.comNitrogen cycle
Human Impact:
- Human activities can disrupt the natural flow of matter and energy in ecosystems.
- For example, deforestation reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that can be stored in plants, and pollution can contaminate water and soil.
It's important to understand how matter and energy flow in ecosystems so that we can manage our activities in a way that sustains these vital systems.