ENVS 1126 Chapter : Chapter 5
Document Summary
Plants (autotrophs- transform organic compounds to food eg produce organic matter)- trophic level 1 (plants are essential) Production of organic matter precedes consumption of organic matter (huge amt of matter under ground eg fossil fuels) accumulation of oxygen in air. Consumed organic matter goes to biomass, excretion, respiration. Primary production- production of organic mater form inorganic comp using sunlight (photsyn) or oxidation-reduction (chemosyn) (autotrophic) Secondary production- production of one kind of organic matter from some other kind of organic matter (heterotrophic) (gaining weight from eating) Ecological efficiency- efficiency with which energy transferred from one trophic level to the next. Majority of food (organic matter) consumed is either respired or excreted. More biomass at trophic level 1, passes about 20% each way. Because cold blooded and spend less energy to raise and less energy to support body weight. Recovery of disturbances: primary and secondary succession (resilience)
