Earth

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Earths Systems
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Earths Systems

1. Nutrient Cycles
2. Energy Transfers
3. Self-Sustaining Systems
4. Human Impacts

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Nutrient Cycles

• A Nutrient Cycle is the passage of a nutrient or
  element through an ecosystem.
• Carbon
• Nitrogen
• Hydrologic
• These are closed systems, with a fixed supply
  that is continually recycled through biotic and
  abiotic parts of ecosystems.

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Nutrient Cycles - Carbon
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Nutrient Cycles - Nitrogen
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Nutrient Cycles - Hydrologic
Condensation
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Energy Transfers

• Energy flows from species to species in a food
  chain. Within a typical food chain, there are
  producers, consumers, and decomposers.

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Energy Transfers
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Energy Transfers
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Energy Transfers
A Food Web in Lake Huron
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Energy Transfers

• Bio-Accumulation of Chemicals

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Role of Species in Ecosystems

• Endemic- normally live and thrive
• Exotic- are introduced deliberately or accidently
  by humans or migrate into an ecosystem
• Indicator- species that provide early warning of
  environmental damage
• Specialist- relies on a very small range of
  conditions to survive (narrow niche)
• Generalist- live in many different places as they
  can tolerate a wide range of environments

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Keystone Species

• Play a critical role in an ecosystem- they
  support the ecosystem and connect it together
• Extinction of species that depend on the keystone
  species can send ripple effects through an entire
  ecosystem

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Self-Sustaining Systems

• A spacesuit, out of necessity, is a
  self-sustaining system.

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Self-Sustaining Systems

• Biosphere 2 is a structure built in an attempt to
  build an Earth-like system to sustain life
• Located in the Arizona desert outside of Tucson

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Self-Sustaining Systems

• The Earth is a self-sustaining system.

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Human Impacts on Ecosystems

• Homework- Research and explain a specific example
  of how human activity has impacted an ecosystem.

Asian Carp threaten the Great Lakes