BIOLOGY 1M03 Lecture 54: Chapter 54
22 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
An ecosystem has four components: (1) the abiotic environment, (2) primary producers, (3) consumers, and (4) decomposers. These components are linked by the movement of energy and nutrients. The productivity of terrestrial ecosystems is limited by warmth and moisture, while nutrient availability is the key constraint in aquatic ecosystems. As energy flows from producers to consumers and decomposers, much of it is lost. To analyze nutrient cycles, biologists focus on the nature of the reservoirs where elements reside and on how quickly elements move between reservoirs. Humans are causing large, global changes in the abiotic environment. The burning of fossil fuels has led to rapid global warming. Extensive fertilization is increasing productivity and causing pollution. Ecosystems have four components: the abiotic environment, primary producers, consumers, and decomposers. These components are linked by a flow of energy. A primary producer, or autotroph, is an organism that can synthesize its own food from inorganic sources.
