Environmental Science 1021F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Primary Production, Pinophyta, Detritivore
24 Mar 2016
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Well developed a horizon, due to season change. Needles don"t break down, not same input as deciduous forest. Very little organic matter being put into the system. Plants use energy to make leaves - not gonna drop them! Most nutrients in tropical system in canopy, or under story. Humidity, moisture therefore soil doesn"t hold nutrients well. Producers- take solar energy convert it into chemical energy. *food chains don"t go beyond 4 trophic levels. Some food chains are complex, consumers consume different levels! W/o producers no energy for any other organisms. Because consumers don"t get full energy when they eat. Gross primary productivity- rate at which producers convert solar energy to chemical. Plants are going to use some of this though! Net primary productivity- rate at which new energy is created that can be used by consumers. If you limit npp, limit # of organisms that can live. Humans waste 27% of earth"s npp just by existing.
