Ecosystem Part I Energy Flow

Summary:

Ecology is the study of the intricate relationships between living organisms and their environment, and it encompasses concepts such as food chains, food webs, energy flow, and ecological pyramids. The evolution of life on Earth, particularly the transition from anaerobic to autotrophic organisms, has shaped the composition of the atmosphere and ecosystems. Food chains represent the linear transfer of energy and compounds from producers (autotrophs) to consumers (heterotrophs) at different trophic levels, with decomposers recycling organic matter. The disruption of food chains can result from factors like population dispersion, unsuitable habitats, or resource scarcity.

Food webs are complex networks of interconnected food chains, reflecting the diverse interactions between species and trophic levels within an ecosystem. Energy flow within these systems originates from the Sun, where autotrophs capture solar energy through photosynthesis and store it as chemical energy. As energy is transferred through trophic levels, it dissipates due to metabolic processes and is not fully absorbed by consumers. Decomposers play a crucial role in recycling chemical elements and maintaining nutrient cycles.

Ecological pyramids provide graphical representations of ecosystem parameters. The pyramid of numbers illustrates the population size at each trophic level, while the pyramid of biomass quantifies the organic matter contained within organisms. The pyramid of energy demonstrates the diminishing energy transfer between trophic levels, highlighting the inefficiency of energy flow in ecosystems. These pyramids offer insights into ecological systems’ structure and dynamics, revealing species’ interconnectedness and interdependence.

Excerpt:

Ecosystem Part I Energy Flow

1. Food Chain
2. Food Chain Disruption
3. Food Web
4. Energy Flow
5. Ecological Pyramids

FOOD CHAIN

Ecology Introduction

Previously, we saw that the primitive atmospheric composition was nothing like nowadays, and this began with the process of evolution of the first anaerobe species (which don’t require oxygen to obtain energy), probably heterotrophic, that suffered mutations until they turned into autotrophic beings capable of photosynthesizing.

Photosynthesis is a physicochemical process that converts CO and water (two abundant reagents in Earth’s primitive condition) to organic matter and O, both vital products to the occurrence of aerobic organisms that were only able to exist once O was available.