Summary
Summary 13 Energy and ecosystems
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Concise energy and ecosystems summary notes for the new linear A-level biology 7401/7402
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Carbohydrates
-
Carbohydrates - Mono/Di-Saccharides
-
AQA A-Level Biology Summary Notes: 3.1.3 Lipids
Seller
Follow
biostudent_
Content preview
Energy and EcosystemsFood chains
Producers: photosynthetic organisms that use light energy, H2O, CO2 and mineral ions to get
organic substances.
Consumers: get energy from feeding on other organisms.
- Primary consumers eat producers
- Secondary consumers eat primary consumers
- Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers
Decomposers: when a producer or consumer dies, decomposers break them down using
their energy to convert complex substances into simple components – these minerals and
elements are then released into the soil.
Biomass: total mass of living material in a specific area at a given time.
Gross production
Total quantity of energy that plants convert to organic matter
® Gross Primary Production (GPP) = the total amount of energy captured
® Net Primary Production (NPP) = the amount of energy stored by the producers and
potentially available to consumers and decomposers
® 20-50% of energy captured is lost during respiration, therefore:
NPP = GPP - Respiration
How is energy lost?
Not all of organism is eating or fully digested
Excretion
Heat loss
Respiration
Maintain body temperature
The Nitrogen Cycle
Importance of nitrogen:
- Proteins, amino acids etc.
- Few organisms can use pure nitrogen from the air
- Those who can will use nitrogen gas to make ammonium ions, then proteins
- Other life forms rely on these organisms
Nitrate levels are restored through recycling of nitrogen-containing compounds, but can be
increased using fertilisers and through decomposition.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller biostudent_. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.47. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
48072 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 15 years now