The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems

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The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems
Dr. Jeffrey R. Corney, Managing Director of the
University of Minnesotas Cedar Creek Ecosystem
Science Reserve
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Global Net Primary Productivity
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Key to Productivity Energy Water
(and Nutrients)
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Eco-Regions of Earth
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Total Global Net Productivity
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Global Net Productivity per Unit Area
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THE BIG IDEA Solar Energy
Builds Organisms, Powers Life Functions, and
Drives Earths Water, Carbon, Oxygen Nutrient
Cycles
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Food Chain vs. Food Web
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Trophic Levels
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Trophic Levels as Food Web
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Trophic Level Pyramids
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Trophic Pyramid to Eltonian Energy Transfer
Pyramid
The starting point is PHOTOSYNTHESIS
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Energy Flow
Photosynthesis Cellular Level
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Energy Flow
Photosynthesis in Chloroplasts
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Energy Flow
Site of Photosynthesis Chlorophyll
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Energy Flow
The Calvin Cycle
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Energy Flow
Product of Photosynthesis
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Energy Flow
Transfer of Energy from Sun to Cell
From here
to here!
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Energy Flow
Biological Energy Storage Release
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Conversion of Photon Energy to Work
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Where It All Begins
NOTE 1 Watt 1 Joule/second 1 Joule 0.00024
kcal 1kcal 1 Calorie
The Sun Radiates 63,000,000 W/m2 of Energy from
Its Surface into Space
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Then, On to Earth (93 Million Miles in about 8
Minutes)
1,367 W/m2 or 0.002 of the Suns Total Energy
Output Reaches Earths Orbit
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Earths Sphere Intercepting Energy
343 W/m2 or 0.0005 of the Suns Total Energy
Output Enters Earths Atmosphere
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Earths Gross Solar Insolation
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Earths Energy Budget
175 W/m2 or 0.00025 of the Suns Total Energy
Output Is Absorbed by Earths Surface
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Energy Flow
Solar Spectrum Reaching Earth
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Net Solar Insolation at Surface
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Energy Flow
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)
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Cross-Section of Energy for 1-m2 (4-month Summer
Growing Season)
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Energy Flow Into an Ecosystem
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Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem
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Energy Flow Through a Trophic Level
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Primary Productivity
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) uses available
(PAR) Solar Energy, Water, and Carbon Dioxide to
produce Glucose Range 0.01 - 5 of PAR (2.5
average) 0.00000005 of Total Solar Output
Net Primary Productivity (NPP) Glucose
produced during photosynthesis (GPP) Glucose
used during plant Respiration (R) Range 20
60 of GPP (40 average)
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Secondary Productivity
GSP ranges from 20 to 90 of Incoming Food Energy
NSP ranges from 1 to 40 of Incoming Food Energy
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Efficiency of Energy Transfer
INGESTION EFFICIENCY Energy Consumed as
Food Herbivores 5 - 50 (25
average) Carnivores 25 - 100 (60
average) ASSIMILATION EFFICIENCY Energy
Digested Absorbed (- feces) Herbivores 20 -
50 (30 average) Carnivores 70 - 90 (80
average) PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY Energy Used to
Grow Biomass Invertebrates 30 - 40 (35
average) Vertebrates Ectotherms 5 - 15 (10
average) Vertebrates Endotherms 1 - 2 (1.5
average)
TROPHIC-LEVEL ENERGY TRANSFER EFFICIENCY
Available for Next Consumer Trophic-Level Energy
Transfers 2 - 24 (10 average) gt The 10
Rule
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Energy Transfer Eltonian Pyramid
0.010 of GPP available
Tertiary Consumers
0.0025 of PAR
Secondary Consumers
0.10 of GPP available
0.025 of PAR
Primary Consumers
0.25 of PAR
10 of GPP available
Net Primary Productivity (NPP) 1.0 of PAR or
40 of GPP
Primary Producers
Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) 2.5 of PAR
Solar Energy Available for Photosynthesis (PAR)
100 Photosynthetically Active Radiation
(PAR) 40 of Net Surface Solar Insolation
J. Corney
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Example from Actual Temperate Forest
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Example from a Sub-tropical Ecosystem
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Examples from Other Ecosystems
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Examples of Actual Efficiencies
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Then Theres the Carbon Cycle
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Carbon Cycling Through an Ecosystem
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Energy Flow Carbon Cycling
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Nitrogen Cycle Linked to Carbon Cycle
WHATS GOING ON IN THE SOIL?
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Trophic-Level Energy Transfer Eltonian Pyramid
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