In the last Module we examined the role of energy in an ecosystem. Recall the phrase introduced in the last Lecture, “Energy Flows and Nutrients Cycle.” We saw how energy takes a one way path through a food web, and that energy constantly has to be replenished. Nutrients on the other hand are easily recycled, and follow a reoccurring cycle in and out of an ecosystem. You will learn the details of four major nutrients in this Module: Carbon, Nitrogen, Water, and Phosphorus.
Module Outcomes:
Name the key biotic and abiotic factors that might shape an ecosystem, why a particular ecosystem might occur in a particular place, and describe how one might go about studying the ecosystem and the factors shaping it.
Describe human impacts on our environment and populations of organisms.