Energy input in ecosystem, Biology

Assignment Help:

Energy Input in Ecosystem

Survival and functioning of ecosystem is dependent on the input of energy. Continuous availability of energy is essential for supporting diverse ecosystem processes. For any ecosystem, the ultimate source of energy is sunlight. And as you know, it enters the ecosystem through the producers. When a primary consumer (herbivore) eats a producer, and is itself eaten by secondary consumers, we can say that energy is flowing through the ecosystem. The information provided therein, would serve you as a base material for understanding this and the subsequent sections of this unit. As you already know that the amount of solar energy received at the outer boundary of earth's atmosphere is at the rate of 2cal/cm2/min. This quantity is fixed and known as solar constant. You have also learnt that about 30 per cent often sunlight reaching the earth's atmosphere is reflected back into space, about 51 per cent is absorbed as heat by ground, vegetation or water, and about 19 per cent is absorbed by the atmosphere.

Only a small fraction of sunlight, that is, about 0.b2 per tent reaching the atmosphere is used in photosynthesis. Nevertheless; it is this small fraction on which all the organisms of the ecosystem depend. The actual amount of solar flux' received at the surface of the earth is dependent on various climatic, geographic and other environmental factors. On an average the total amount of solar energy that reaches the earth's surface is about 3,400 kcal/m2/day. It varies significantly from one place to another, for example, it decreases with latitude and its input also varies during different seasons at any given location.


Related Discussions:- Energy input in ecosystem

Testes (testicles), TESTE S (TESTICLES) - 2 in number (Diarchic). P...

TESTE S (TESTICLES) - 2 in number (Diarchic). Pinkish in colour. Oval shaped. 4-5 cms long, 2.5 cm wide and 3 cm thick. Mesodermal. In embryonic stage attached to kid

Two things that enter the cell for cellular respiration, What are two thing...

What are two things that enter the cell for cellular respiration? Carbohydrate molecules and oxygen enter the cell during cellular respiration.

Define drug effects on vitamin and mineral metabolism, Define Drug effects ...

Define Drug effects on Vitamin and mineral metabolism? Vitamin and mineral metabolism: Micronutrients are required as cofactors or coenzymes in many metabolic pathways, includi

Extinction, EXTINCTIO N  - It refers to disappearance of a species from...

EXTINCTIO N  - It refers to disappearance of a species from earth when its last surviving member dies. Organic evolution not only creats new sps. but also eliminates some ol

Echinoderms, What is the classification scheme for echinoderms?

What is the classification scheme for echinoderms?

Isolating mechanism, In this section we are to discuss the means by which p...

In this section we are to discuss the means by which populations get separated or isolated from each other, first gain the status of'Sub-species and finally evolve mechanisms which

Define the biochemical analysis, Biochemical analysis A basic metabolic...

Biochemical analysis A basic metabolic panel measures sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), magnesium, creatinine, and glucose. It also sometimes

Determine the nature and degree of abnormality, Determine the Nature and De...

Determine the Nature and Degree of Abnormality The nature and degree of abnormality will effect normal neural growth and maturational outcome. For example, in an adult damage t

Chemical properties of carbohydrates, CHEMICA L PROPERTIES Monosacchar...

CHEMICA L PROPERTIES Monosaccharides have two special chemical properties (i) Reducing Nature. All the monosaccharides are reducing sugars. It can reduce Cu2

What is crossing over, What is crossing over? In which period of meiosis do...

What is crossing over? In which period of meiosis does this event occur? Crossing over is the eventual exchange of chromosomal fragments among homologous chromosomes. The pheno

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd