Ecosystems Unit Activity 3.3 Supplement

1. Ecosystems UnitActivity 3.3 Supplement Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy Environmental Literacy ProjectMichigan State University

2. The organic matter pyramid: Comparing the organic matter of producers, herbivores, and carnivores. How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon atoms through the ecosystem? How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon atoms through the ecosystem? Let's follow 500 carbon atoms through the ecosystem. Carnivores 1 10 In these slides we are counting individual carbon atoms, but real ecosystems have far too many carbon atoms to count.  For example, the organic matter of a small meadow contains more than 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 carbon atoms! Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. Atmosphere Herbivores 100 Producers Soil Carbon

3. What happens to carbon atoms in producers? - Photosynthesis Carnivores - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 200 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when plants use the sugar for cellular respiration. 200 120 190 100 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 170 130 150 160 140 110 90 180 70 90 80 20 10 50 30 40 60 200 190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 430 340 350 450 440 470 480 460 210 110 220 400 240 490 380 370 390 410 420 360 230 100 500 320 310 300 290 280 270 260 250 330 0 - Being Eaten/Death Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. Atmosphere 100 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 90 Herbivores 500 carbon atoms become part of sugar molecules through photosynthesis. 100 carbon atoms go to herbivores when they eat plants. 300 carbon atoms become part of the plant through biosynthesis. 100 carbon atoms stay in the living plants. 490 480 470 440 360 350 390 380 300 280 270 230 220 200 120 190 100 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 210 240 170 160 150 140 130 110 90 500 450 420 430 410 370 330 320 180 260 290 250 310 100 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 460 400 340 90 100 100 carbon atoms go to the soil when plants or leaves die. Producers Soil Carbon

4. What happens to carbon atoms in producers? What happens to carbon atoms in herbivores? Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. 15 carbon atoms go to carnivores when they eat herbivores. 15 14 13 10 11 12 6 7 9 8 2 3 4 5 1 - Undigested food/Defecation Carnivores - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 10 230 220 200 240 210 250 - Being Eaten/Death 34 carbon atoms become part of the herbivore through biosynthesis. Atmosphere 50 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when herbivores use the food for cellular respiration. 10 carbon atoms stay in the living herbivores. 95 88 99 98 97 96 87 85 89 90 91 94 92 93 84 86 100 27 28 23 24 25 26 20 19 21 30 31 32 33 22 29 44 74 64 54 34 11 10 12 13 18 15 17 16 14 Herbivores 9 carbon atoms go to the soil when herbivores die. 16 carbon atoms go to the soil when herbivores defecate. 100 carbon atoms go to herbivores when they eat plants. 100 carbon atoms stay in the living plants. 100 100 114 125 124 123 121 119 118 117 116 115 113 120 122 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 111 112 100 100 carbon atoms go to the soil when plants die. Producers Soil Carbon

5. What happens to carbon atoms in carnivores? What happens to carbon atoms in herbivores? Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. 8 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when carnivores use the food for cellular respiration. 15 carbon atoms go to carnivores when they eat herbivores. 1 carbon atom stays in the living carnivores. 1 2 10 6 3 5 4 7 9 8 11 12 13 14 15 - Undigested food/Defecation 3 carbon atoms become part of carnivores through biosynthesis. Carnivores - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis 1 10 250 253 252 251 257 254 255 256 258 - Death Atmosphere 10 carbon atoms stay in the living herbivores. 10 4 carbon atoms go to the soil when carnivores defecate. 2 carbon atoms go to the soil when carnivores die. Herbivores 9 carbon atoms go to the soil when herbivores die. 100 129 128 126 127 131 130 125 100 Producers Soil Carbon

6. What happens to carbon atoms in the soil? What happens to carbon atoms in carnivores? Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. 1 carbon atom stays in the living carnivores. 1 - Cellular Respiration/Biosynthesis Carnivores 1 10 289 299 309 319 259 269 324 279 258 Atmosphere 66 carbon atoms go back to the atmosphere when decomposers use the soil carbon for cellular respiration. 10 6 carbon atoms go to the soil when carnivores die. Herbivores 100 131 120 110 100 130 70 80 90 65 100 65 carbon atoms stay in the soil. Producers Soil Carbon

7. How can we explain the organic matter pyramid by tracing carbon atoms through the ecosystem? Note: The pathways of carbon atoms are the same in all ecosystems, but the numbers of atoms are different. Carnivores 1 Plants, animals, and decomposers create the organic matter pyramid through their carbon-transforming processes--when they photosynthesize, eat, grow, live, and die. 10 500 Atmosphere Herbivores 100 Producers Soil Carbon