ecosytem ecology

Question 1

heart of ecosystem ecology

Answer 1

fluxes of energy and matter

Question 2

major energy source

Answer 2

photons of the sun absorbed by photosynthetic organisms

Question 3

first law of thermodynamics

Answer 3

conservation of energy:
energy changes “states” (wood burns and transforms chemical to heat energy)
energy can move

Question 4

rate at which autotrophs convert co2 in carbonic compounds

Answer 4

primary productivity

Question 5

types of autotroph

Answer 5

chemo- : energy from chemical compounds
(oxydation of molecules)

photo- : energy from the sun

Question 6

organism that only consumes anorganic matter

Answer 6

autroph

Question 7

organism that only consumes organic matter

Answer 7

heterotroph

Question 8

secondary production

Answer 8

allocation of biomass in heterotrophs

Question 9

total rate of photosyn. by autotrophs

FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 9

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

Question 10

rate of energy storage as organic molecules

FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 10

Net primary productivity (NPP)
NPP=GPP-R

R… cellular respiration

Question 11

NPP as function of biomass

Answer 11

NPP= deltaB + D + C

deltaB = B(t2) - B(t1)

D = death of plants

C = consumption of plants

Question 12

light bottle vs dark bottle method

Answer 12

bottles filled from lake oä.
light bottle estimates NPP (photosyn. + respi)
dark bottle estimate R (only respi)
GPP can be measured!

Question 13

effects on NPP

Answer 13

NPP increases with precipitation and with temperature (solar radiation)
higher temperature -> longer growing season
more percipitation -> more water can be transpired by stomatal activity

Question 14

warm and cold on NPP

Answer 14

warm and dry -> low NPP
warm and wet -> high NPP (tropics)
cold and anything -> low NPP

Question 15

combined value of evapo and transpiration

Answer 15

AET = actual evapotranspiration

Question 16

terrestial: impact of nutrients to NPP

Answer 16

generally increases NPP when nutrients in soil

Question 17

marine: NPP distribution

Answer 17

shallow and coastal water have highest productivity
upwelling supplies nutrientsfrom bottom sediments
coastal areas receive nutrients from terrestial ecosystems

Question 18

effects of nutrients in marine

Answer 18

nitrogen stimulates phystoplankton
iron stimulating growth
phosphorus only limiting in coastal and open ocean) -> where not much impact by human

Question 19

compensation depth

Answer 19

where GPP = R and NPP = 0

Question 20

NPP in stream ecosystems (limiting?)

when best?

Answer 20

limited by light and nutrients
light is limiting in summer -> tree canopies

nutrients limiting during fall and spring when canopy open and light increases

greatest biomass allocation when light and nutrients enhanced

Question 21

organic carbon produced in ecosystem

FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 21

AUTOCHORUS CARBON

by plants algea ect

Question 22

organic carbon “imported” in ecosystem

FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 22

ALLOCHTHONOUS CARBON

dead organic matter transported by river oä

Question 23

freshwater ecosystem (carbon)

Answer 23

allochthonous carbon dominates (from sorrounding trees ect) dead plant material…

Question 24

marine ecosystem (carbon)

Answer 24

autochorus input dominates (phytoplankton)

Question 25

small vs big lake ecosystem (carbon)

Answer 25

small: allochthonous carbon (50%) big: autochorus carbon (varies seasonaly -> inflow in the lake)

Question 26

effect of carbon allocation plant

Answer 26

when in leaves -> positive feedback -> more photosynth. -> more carbon ect.

Question 27

precipitation effect on NPP

Answer 27

less water less carbon alocation to leaves but to roots

Question 28

ratio roos and shoots

Answer 28

Root-to-shoot (R:S): 0.2 in rainforests, 4.5 in deserts

Question 29

``` biomass gain per unit of plants mass (FACHBEGRIFF) examples temperate forest "" grassland open ocean ```

Answer 29

RNPP = relative net primary production = grams / gram plants mass / unit time TF: NPP = 1200 ; RNPP = 0.04 TG: NPP = 550 ; RNPP = 0.031 OO: RNPP = 42

Question 30

RNPP terrestial vs marine

Answer 30

in terestial much energy has to be used for biomass allocation for stability ect in marine everything can be dedicated to photosynthesis and reproduction

Question 31

primary to secondary production

Answer 31

herbivores produce waste (feces), much is used for metabolism for maintenance and acquiring food and performing work remaining for growth of tissues and reproduction

Question 32

prim to second in terestial

Answer 32

primary constrains secondary -> bottom up control | primary increase -> secondary increase

Question 33

prim to second in aquatic

Answer 33

phytopl. productivty is coupled to zoopl. activity | bottom up control

Question 34

what happens with primary produced shit? schema... efficiencies

Answer 34

I = A + W I... the food ingested A... assimilated in gut W... waste A = R + P R... respiration P... production assimlilation efficiency = A/I efficiency of extracting energy from food production efficiency = P/A efficiency of incorporating food into secondary production

Question 35

comparing efficiencies of animals endo vs ecto herbi vs carni inverte vs verte

Answer 35

endo more than ecto carni more than herbi (herbis mus eat non stop to sustain metabolism) inverte more tha vert

Question 36

two major food chains | FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 36

grazing (GREEN) food chain: primary prod. -> herbivores -> carnivores detrital (BROWN) food chain: detrius (compost) -> decomposer herbivores -> carnivores BUT THESE CHAINS ARE VERY INTERCONNECTED!!! waste of primary -> detrius ect... carnivores feed on both foodchains

Question 37

energy diagram trophic levels

Answer 37

available: production of next lower trophic level losses: respiration and waste rest is given to next trophic level

Question 38

efficiencies aquatic vs terestial what used by second?

Answer 38

much much higher efficiency in water as energy is not used for rooting and defense ect.... BOUYANCY!!! in marine secondary can eat everything -> in terestial wood is not eaten ect. ... algea 70% consumed macrophytes 30% terestial only 17%

Question 39

measure of transfer of energy between trophic levels | trend? FACHBEGRIFF

Answer 39

TE = trophic efficiency TE = P(n)/P(n-1) production of level n-1 used for production of level n every trophic level looses much muich energy

Question 40

biomass of trophic levels

Answer 40

normally gets smaller with each level but plankton inversed: because zooplankton live much longer than phytoplankton -> therefore more biomass