Ecosystems and their Functions

Web of Nature

• Organisms, including humans, rely on ecosystems.
• A Japanese proverb states: "When the wind blows, the barrel maker profits" (風が吹けば桶屋が儲かる).
• Ecosystems consist of living and non-living things.
• Ecosystem function relies on photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) to produce oxygen (O2) and glucose.
• Photosynthesis allows plants to grow.
• Photosynthesis is vital for the ecosystem.
• The carbon cycle occurs in nature.
• The nitrogen cycle is part of natural processes.

Ecosystem Variety

• Ecosystems come in global and local scales.
• Local examples may include a sloth's back.
• Globally, ecosystems involve large environments.

Food Chain/Web

• Food chains track the flow of energy through living organisms.
• Organisms can act as producers (plants) or consumers (animals).
• Consumers can be carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores (plant eaters), omnivores (both eaters)
• Food webs show interconnected relationships within ecosystems.

Decomposers

• Decomposers are organisms that break down organic materials into inorganic compounds.
• Soil organisms decompose organic material.
• Examples of decomposers include fungi, bacteria, and some soil animals.
• Scavengers are a type of decomposer.
• Decomposers recycle nutrients in ecosystems.

Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis in plants results in oxygen as a byproduct.
• Plants use carbon in photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis converts carbon into plant material.

Carbon Cycle

• Summary of the carbon cycle in ecosystems.
• Carbon moves between living and non-living matter.
• Photosynthetic organisms play a crucial role in the carbon cycle.
• Consumers take in carbon-containing matter from plants.
• Decomposers contribute to the carbon cycle, breaking down organic matter.
• Storage of carbon also occurs in different forms, such as in forests.
• Conversion of organic matter into carbon-based fuels, such as coal, is one natural process.

Nitrogen Cycle

• Summarizing the nitrogen cycle process.
• Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to usable forms.
• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen to a usable form for plants.
• Plants use this fixed nitrogen to make proteins, other compounds used by ecosystems.
• In the cycle, decomposers are essential for transforming nitrogen-containing organic compounds into simpler forms for reuse.
• Industrial processes like the Haber-Bosch process play a large role converting nitrogen gases into ammonia used in fertilizer production.

Problems caused by Excess Nutrients

• Algae blooms and plankton blooms are problems caused by excess nutrients.
• Excess nutrients can harm ecosystems.

Planetary Boundaries

• Limits to human activities on ecosystems.
• Specific examples of boundaries relate to concentrations of CO2 and nutrient flows that negatively affect processes in the ecosystem.

Conclusion

• Photosynthetic organisms are central to ecosystems.
• Nutrients and carbon are important in maintaining stable ecosystems.