ENVIRSC 2EI3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Edaphic, Primary Succession, Germination
16 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
What are the laws of thermodynamics: describe how energy transformations occur. Low quality energy: most energy available for use is low quality energy, total energy of all moving atoms = heat, ocean tides = low quality. High quality energy: fire provides an intense high quality energy, easy to use and harness, disperses quickly. Instead we use high quality towers and factories: the source of this high quality energy is generally derived from nuclear energy. Fossil fuel and entropy: 10% of the gas energy is actually converted into mechanical energy, rest is dispersed into environment as low quality energy, results in entropy and energy that cannot be easily recycled. Consumers: heterotrophs: organisms that obtain their energy by eating other organisms, herbivores eat producers, carnivores: herbivores are the higher level energy source for carnivores, omnivores: can receive energy from multiple trophic levels.
