Ecosystem Dynamics
Population: Group of individuals of the same species that live in the same place
Habitat: physical surrounding that individuals live in
Community: the sum of species that live in a habitat/location
Ecosystem: sum of all organisms and abiotic environment
Energy: is needed by all organisms to function, grow, reproduceEnergy enters the ecosystem, usually by photosynthesisEnergy is converted to chemicals -- storage, passing on (grazing)
Energy cannot be recycled -- all life depends on continuous harvest of energy
Biogeochemical cycles: the majority of substances are not within organisms but in the environment; biogeochemical cycles turn substances (elements) from one form to another ? organisms can take “turns” in utilizing elements (resources, e.g. nutrients)