The Structure of Ecosystems
Refers to AQA A2 Geography (Ecosystems, Change and Challenge unit)
- Created by: Bethany
- Created on: 03-04-14 09:02
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- The Structure of Ecosystems
- BIOTIC components of an ecosystem
- Vegetation - Both living and decomposing
- Mammals, insects, birds and micro - organisms
- The mass of material in the bodies of animals and plants is called BIOMASS (mainly plant tissue)
- Living components of an ecosystem
- ABIOTIC components of an ecosystem
- Non-living, chemical and physical components of an ecosystem.
- Climate, in particular the seasonal pattern of temperature and precipitation.
- The nature of the soil
- Underlying parent rock type
- Relief of the land
- Drainage character- istics
- INPUTS
- Most important input is energy from the sun. It drives photosynthesis so enables plants to grow.
- Also animals arriving from elsewhere, and water from precipitations or rivers.
- OUTPUTS
- Nutrients transferred out of ecosystems.
- Animals can physically move out
- Water can be moved out of ecosystem in rivers, evap- otranspiration, and through throughflow and groundwater flow.
- Nutrients transferred out of ecosystems.
- FLOWS
- Within an ecosystem, nutrients can be transferred from one store to another, for example from soil to vegetation through roots.
- STORES
- Vegetation
- Plant litter
- All store nutrients
- Vegetation
- Soils
- All store nutrients
- Soils
- BIOTIC components of an ecosystem
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