BIOS10117 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Carrying Capacity
22 Jan 2016
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Have boundaries such as internal processes like nutrient cycling and exchange with other ecosystems. Thermodynamically open- need constant input energy from the sun to function. Biotic structure of organized sub systems such as food webs. Energy flows through an ecosystem, nut nutrients can be recycled and reused o o o. Need constant inputs of energy from the sun o. Exploitative interactions- predation: lions eat prey which gets energy from plants o. 10% rule- efficiency of energy transformation between each trophic level limits number of trophic levels because transfer of energy from one to the next is usually 5-20% If an island is inhabited by elk and wolves, eventually there will be more elk than wolves because the lower trophic level always has to be bigger than the higher trophic level due to the 10% rule. Higher trophic levels are more vulnerable to extinction than lower trophic levels o.
