ENVS 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Photosynthesis
3 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Ecosystems and Nutrient Cycles
September 23, 2014
Ecosystems function through two fundamental processes: nutrient cycles and
energy flow.
Nutrients are matter that is essential for life. Energy is essential to transform
matter into usable forms for living beings.
Biomass is the sum off all organic material (plant and animal matter) that make up
an ecosystem.
Earth as a Closed System
• Systems may exchange energy, matter and information with surroundings
• Open vs. closed systems
• Earth is a closed system: energy moves in and out but matter is fixed
• Ecosystems are open systems: energy and matter come in and out
• Biomass cannot leave nor enter the system
• Plant biomass is produced via photosynthesis
Cycling of Matter
Biosphere – consists of all living things; total of all Earth’s ecosystems
Ecosystem – all the organisms in a given area and the physical environment in
which (and with which) they interact
Ecosphere – interactions between biosphere and the hydrosphere/ atmosphere/
geosphere
Matter – all material in the universe that has mass and occupies space
Law of Conversation of matter – matter cannot be created, stored or…
Energy – underlies every process in Environmental Science; the ability to do
work/move matter; can change the position, physical composition or temperature
of matter
Energy Flow – the one-way passage of energy through an ecosystem
Matter cycles while energy flows through the ecosystems.
Thermodynamics:
1st Law – energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be shifted into different
states
2nd Law – the transfer of energy is never completely efficient (always losing energy)
Solar energy drives all major processes on Earth
• Allows ecosystems to function
• Climate
• Ocean currents
• Photosynthesis (food)
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Ecosystems function through two fundamental processes: nutrient cycles and energy flow. Nutrients are matter that is essential for life. Energy is essential to transform matter into usable forms for living beings. Biomass is the sum off all organic material (plant and animal matter) that make up an ecosystem. Cycling of matter which (and with which) they interact geosphere. Biosphere consists of all living things; total of all earth"s ecosystems. Ecosystem all the organisms in a given area and the physical environment in. Ecosphere interactions between biosphere and the hydrosphere/ atmosphere/ Matter all material in the universe that has mass and occupies space. Law of conversation of matter (cid:498)matter cannot be created, stored or (cid:499) Energy underlies every process in environmental science; the ability to do. Energy flow the one-way passage of energy through an ecosystem. 1st law energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be shifted into different.
