biogeographic principles and processes Flashcards
(29 cards)
the process of converting CO2 and H20 into carbohydrate and O2 using sunlight as the energy source
photosynthesis
photosynthesis occurs
in the cells of plants which contain chloroplasts, which contain the pigment chlorophyll
photosynthesis equation
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy —-> C6H12O6 + 6 H2O + 6 O2
(sunlight) (glucose)
photosynthesis equation is broken down into several steps, the major two being the:
Light reactions & the Dark reactions(Calvin Cycle)
limitations on photosynthesis: rate of respiration by the plant
(where the plant uses some of the energy-food created in photosynthesis; also involves glycolysis, & the Krebs Cycle)
if increase resp—>
then decrease efficiency of photosynthesis
if increase heat (temp)—->
then increase respiration
availability of water
if increase water—>then increase CO2 uptake by plant which increases photosyntheses
rate of evaporation & transpiration
if increase rate of evapotranspiration then decrease efficiency of photosynthesis
results of photosynthesis
creation of Biomass or useful chemical energy (plant & animal)
plant biomass
or phytomass is created directly by photosynthesis
animal biomass
is created indirectly by photosynthesis
highest amounts of Biomass created in ____
lowest amounts created in ________
warm, wet areas
cold and dry areas
net primary activity
the net photosynthesis for a given community; this considers all growth and reduction factors that affect the amount of biomass fixed in an ecosystem
NPP=
photosynthesis (the chem energy made by plants - respiration (the chem energy used by plants to grow, live, and reproduce)
energy flow
both within and between systems
within a system
the leaf uses some of the energy it converts from radiative to chemical form (this is respiration)
between
sunlight strikes a leaf of a plant, which turns radiative energy (sunlight) into chemical energy (carbohydrate), which is energy (food) for another organism, which may be the energy source (food) for yet another organism
food webs (food chains)
the pathways that energy may take from plants through various trophic levels (what eats what)
each step or stage of the food web is termed a __
trophic level
3 types of organisms in these pathways
autotrophs
hetertrophs
decomposers
autotrophs
those that make their own “food”, plants or primary consumers
heterotrophs
those that must consume other organisms to get the energy (food) they need, animals
3 types of hetertrophs
herbivores (primary consumers), carnivores(secondary consumers), omnivores