Topic 2.2 Communities and Ecosystem - Photosynthesis and Respiration for the IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies Course.
The role of photosynthesis in the ecosystems
Limits to photosynthesis in the ecosystem
Respiration in the ecosystem
Foundation of energy flow in the ecosystem
2. Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.1:Species and Populations
Further Resources
Detailed revision and learning material for this topic is available at:
Four Corners Education Course page
http://fourcornerseducation.net/four-corners-online-courses/
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.1:Species and Populations
Topic 2.2 Communities and Ecosystems
Topic 2.2 Communities and Ecosystems
3. The interactions of species with their environment result in energy and nutrient flows.
Photosynthesis and respiration play a significant role in the flow of energy in communities.
The feeding relationships of species in a system can be modelled using food chains, food
webs and ecological pyramids
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Main ideas
4. The interactions of species with their environment result in energy and nutrient flows.
Photosynthesis and respiration play a significant role in the flow of energy in communities.
The feeding relationships of species in a system can be modelled using food chains, food
webs and ecological pyramids
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Main ideas
5. Community
A group of populations
living and interacting with
each other in a common
habitat
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
6. Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Community
Plant community at the base
of an Oak tee in a Western
Atlantic temperate woodland
7. Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Ecosystem
A Community and its abiotic environment
Or
An ecosystem is a community and the physical environment with which it interacts
Community
Physical
Environment
Ecosystem
8. The starting point of all energy in ecosystems is the sun.
But only organisms which photosynthesise can obtain energy directly from
the sun.
And as we have already seen not all of the planet receives the same
amount of solar energy
All other organisms obtain energy by eating
Energy in the Ecosystem
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
At the Poles the suns energy
is spread over a large area
At the Equator
the suns energy
is spread over a
small area
9. Inputs of Water,Carbon Dioxide
and Sunlight
Light energy is trapped
by the chlorophyll
inside the chloroplasts
Energy is released,splitting
water into hydrogen and
oxygen
Oxygen is realesed
to the atmosphere
The hydrogen combines with
carbon dioxide to make glucose
Photosynthesis Involves
Inputs
Processes
Outputs
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
11. Process
Chlorophyll traps sunlight
The energy splits water molecules
Combines the hydrogen liberated
with Carbon dioxide
Light energy is trapped
by the chlorophyll
inside the chloroplasts
Energy is released,splitting
water into hydrogen and
oxygen
Oxygen is realesed
The hydrogen combines with
carbon dioxide
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
12. Outputs
Glucose used as an energy source
by the plant
Oxygen released to the atmosphere Oxygen Released
Glucose produced
used as energy
source by whole plant
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
13. Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Glucose
Oxygen
Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide
Sunlight
Water
Inputs Process Outputs
14. Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Transformations: Photosynthesis
•Light energy
•To
•Stored chemical energy
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Howard T. Odum, Systems Ecology: an Introduction, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1983
System diagram for the transformation in photosynthesis based on Odum’s energese
Light energy
Photosynthesis
Biomass
15. What does it do?
Powers the whole ecosystem
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
16. What does it do?
Provides the building blocks to
produce all other biological
molecules
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
17. What does it do?
Provides the building blocks to
produce all other biological
molecules
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
carbon dioxide + water. ︎ glucose + oxygen
18. What does it do?
Provides the building blocks to
produce all other biological
molecules
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
carbon dioxide + water. ︎ glucose + oxygen
19. Photosynthesis produces the
raw material for producing
biomass. This becomes the
energy source for all other
organisms.
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
carbon dioxide + water. ︎ glucose + oxygen
20. The total amount of energy
available to all other
organisms in any ecosystem
depends on the amount of
photosynthesis
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
carbon dioxide + water. ︎ glucose + oxygen
21. Producers (plants) are
the starting point of all energy
available for an ecosystem
Producer
Primary Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Trophic Level 1
Trophic Level 3
Trophic Level 4
Trophic Level 2
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Photosynthesis and Respiration
in Ecosystems
22. Respiration
In plants Photosynthesis and
Respiration both occur
Animal depend on the
biomass produced by
photosynthesis as the energy
source for respiration
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
23. Respiration
the release of energy from
glucose or other organic
substances inside living
cells
Glucose
Conversion
process
(respiration)
Energy Released
Oxygen Carbon Dioxide
and Water
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
24. Respiration
Energy lost as Heat
Food in
Oxygen from
the atmosphere
Cellular respiration
Oxidation of Glucose
Releases energy to
drive life processes
Carbon dioxide
and water vapour released
Inputs of Glucose and Oxygen
Oxidation process in the cells
Release of energy for work and heat
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
25. Respiration dissipates energy
as heat
Increases entropy in the
ecosystem
But this allows organisms to
maintain order and a relatively
low internal entropy
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Heat
26. Transformations: Respiration
• Stored chemical energy
• To
• Kinetic energy and
• Heat
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Ecosystems
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Chemical Energy
Stored in biomass
Kinetic Energy
Work
Heat
27. Plants capture the suns energy and convert it to glucose,
herbivores eat plants and carnivores eat herbivores - different
feeding levels (Greek for food is trophe)
Trophic level 1 - producer
Trophic level 2 - herbivore (primary consumers)
Trophic level 3 - carnivore (secondary consumers)
Trophic level 4 - carnivore (tertiary consumer)
The first trophic level, the autotrophs supports the energy
requirements of all the other trophic levels above.
Trophic level 1
Trophic level 2
Trophic level 3
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
28. Trophic level:The position that an organism occupies in a food
chain, or a group of organisms in a community that occupy the
same position in food chains.
It is possible to classify the way organisms obtain energy
into two categories.
Producers or Autotrophs: These manufacture their own
food from simple inorganic substances (plants)
Consumers or Heterotrophs: Feed on autotrophs or
other heterotrophs to obtain energy (herbivores,
carnivores, omnivores, detrivores and decomposers
But within the consumers their is a feeding hierarchy of
feeding
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
29. Ecosystems have an hierarchy of
feeding relationships .
The energy flow in the ecosystem
can be illustrated as a Food chain.
The arrows show the direction
that energy flows
Producer
Primary Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Trophic Level 1
Trophic Level 3
Trophic Level 4
Trophic Level 2
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
Feeding relationships in ecosystems
30. Work cited:
Howard T. Odum, Systems Ecology: an Introduction, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1983
NB* Unless stated in the presentation all illustrations, figures and images are the property and copyright of N Gardner. sciencebitz.com
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
31. Extended resources and further reading
A very good online article using Odum’s work on the Silversprings catchment to illustrate how energy flows through an ecosystem.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-biology2/chapter/energy-flow-through-ecosystems/
Topic 2: Ecosystems and
Ecology
Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems