GGR227H5- Final Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam ( 24 pages long!)
Document Summary
Open system: both energy and matter are exchanged with surroundings, ecosystems are open systems. Closed system: matter is not exchanged but energy is exchanged with surroundings. Isolated systems: no exchange of energy or matter with surroundings. Energy and ecosystems: kinetic energy, wind, flowing water, heat, electromagnetic radiation, potential energy, stored energy that can be changed into kinetic, chemical bonds - glucose or in batteries. Some energy is more useful than other energy: high-quality energy, high capacity to do work, concentrated - high density, high temperature heat, e. g. strong winds, fossil fuels, nuclear. Low quality energy: low capacity to do work, dispersed, e. g. heat. Importance of thermodynamics: organisms must continuously expend energy for maintenance and replenish energy lost as waste (heat) Food chains describe the flow of energy through ecosystems. Incoming energy from sun - processed by plants through photosynthesis - herbivores - omnivores/carnivores. Food web: better represents the many competing organisms and energy paths in ecological systems.
