ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Biogeochemical Cycle, Photic Zone, Transpiration

• School: UTM
• Department: Environment
• Course: ENV100Y5
• Professor: Barbara Murch

Document Summary

Energy converted by primary producers: growth, maintenance (respiration), reproduction. Net primary productivity (npp) = gross primary productivity (gpp) - respiration by autotrophs. * npp = energy available to consumers & decomposers: terrestrial ecosystems: max npp in wet tropics, marine ecosystems: max npp along coastlines. Limits to productivity in terrestrial ecosystems: annual total precipitation, average annual temperature. Limits to productivity in aquatic ecosystems: coastlines more productive than open ocean, depth of photic zone; nutrients. Generalized biogeochemical cycle: transformation from organic to inorganic forms, movement through biotic and abiotic reservoirs. The hydrologic cycle influences all other cycles: water is both a participant in and the main transport medium for environment processes. The hydrologic cycle influences all other cycles: water is both a participant in and the main transport medium for environment. The hydrologic cycle: major reservoir = oceans (97%, most freshwater: icecaps, groundwater, moves between 3 states. Aquifers: underground reservoir, recharged by precipitation & surface water flows.