BIOB50H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Net Energy Gain, Pinus Contorta
16 Jan 2012
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Introduction y energy is the most basic requirement for all organisms and without energy, inputs, biological functioning ceases. Enzyme systems fail w/o replacement proteins, cell membranes degrade, and organelles cease to operate w/o energy to maintain and repair them. Sources of energy y organisms obtain energy from sunlight, from inorganic chemical compounds, or through the consumption of organic compounds y energy exists in many forms in the environment. Light from the sun, a form of radiant energy. Objects that are cold or warm to out touch have different amounts of kinetic energy, associated w/ motion of the molecules that make up the objects. Chemical energy is stored in bonds of food molecules. Include organisms that organisms that consume nonliving organic matter, like earthworms and fungi and organisms that consume live hosts, but don t necessarily kill them, as well as consumers (predators) that capture and kill their food source (prey)
