Ecosystem 35

2.7 THERMODYNAMICS PRINCIPLES& ECosYSTEM

Energy is defined as the ability to do work. There are two laws of thermodynamics.
1. Ist Law of thermodynamics: Energy is neither created nor destroyed but it can be
transformed from one form to another. Light energy for example can be transformed
into work. heat (solar energy), or potential energy of food (as green plants do) but none
of it is destroyed.
2. lInd Law of thermodynamics: No process involving an energy transformation will

spontaneously occur unless there is degradation of energy from a concentrated fom into
a dispersed form. For example heat from the hot object tends to become dispersed n
the cooler surrounding. It also be stated as because some amount of energy 1s
can
of
always dispersed into unavailable heat energy, no spontaneous transformation energy
into potential energy is 100% efficient.

2.8 ENERGY FLOW MODEL IN ECOSYSTEM

in any ecosystem existing in biosphere.
There are two model that explain the flow of energy

2.8.1 Linear Energy Flow Model a

because man himself occupies
The food chains are familiar to everyone in a sort of way
food chain. Example:
at or near the end of the trophic level of the
position Man
Zooplanktons Small fish Big fish
Phytoplanktons
(primary ptoducers).
produced from green plants that fix the light energy
Man grains
eats
also occupies the
intermediate
which feed on plants. Man
herbivores
He also eats beef of diet is composed of both plants
consumers when his
and secondary
position between primary is fixed by plants, the primary
consumers

only a small part of

sun energy chain.
and animal food. Since depend upon the length of the food
primary production
be supported by a given one order (10) magnitude
that the available energy by
can
food chain decreases
Each trophic level in the
or Lindmann
Principle). can be
(10 % Rule of the two laws of thermodynamics
food chain and the working level and the pipe depict
the
The principle of trophic
box representstMe
clarified by energy
flow diagram. The balances the energy
outflows as
level. Energy inflow intoo
flow in and out, of each trophic accompanied by dispersion of energy
energy transfer is
the First law and cach energy second law of
thermodynamics.
required by as required by
unavail ble heat energy
(respiration)
three trophic level (box
1, 2 and 3)
2.9) depicting plants
flow diagram (figure LA- Light absorbed by
A-total assimilation,
Simplified energy
chain I-Total energy
input P-Secondary productivity,
NU
in a linear food Net primary productivity,
Productivity.|PN-
PG- Gross primary assimilated by consumer,
R- respiration.
not
not used,
NA- Energy
Energy
 36 Basic Environmental Snudies

Consumers
Producers
Trophic Levels 1 Carnivores
Green Plants Herbivores

NU NA4

Total Light

and La Pa or A PN
A
T P

Heat

1.5 0.3
3000-15000- 15- Pa
PN P2
L LA
kcal/mday
Source: Odum, E.P (1971)

Fig. 2.9. Linear energy flow model in the Ecosystem

The energy flow is greatly reduced at successive trophic level from producers to herbivores
to carnivores. Thus at each transfer of energy from one trophic level to another, major part of
energy is lost in the form of heat or any other form. There is successive reduction in the energy
flow whether we consider it in term of totalflow (l+A) or secondary productivity and respiration
component. For e.g. when a total of 3000 Kcal of light falling upon green plants, only 50% is
absorbed (1S00 KCal) and 1% is converted at first trophic level (1SKCal) Secondary productivity
tends to be about 10% at successive consumer level. Although efficiency may be upto 20% at
the carnivore's level due to more efficient utilization of food.

2.8.2 Y-shaped or Two Channel Energy Flow Model

In Y-shaped energy flow, grazing and detritus food chain are sharply separated. It is more
practical than simple channel because
i) It confirms to the basic stratified structure of
ecosystem.
It
i) separates the grazing and detritus food chain (direct
consumption of living
utilization of dead organic matter, respectively) in both time and plants and
space.
i) Macroconsumer and micrOConsumers differ in greatly
size-metabolism relations.
In Y-Shaped model (figure 2.10) arm represent the herbivore food chain and the other
one
arm represent the detritus food chain. The two arms
differ fundamentally the
way in which they
can influence primary producers. For example, in marine
bay, the energy flow via grazing food
 Ecosystem 37

chain is larger than via detritus food chain, whereas reverse is true for
forest food chain where
90% or more of net primary production is normally utilized in detritus food chain.
Thus, in
marine ecosystem the grazing food chain is the major pathway of energy flow and in the forest
ecosystem, the detritus food chain is more important.
In heavily grazed grassland, 50% or more of the net
production may pass down the grazing
pathway but many aquatic systems like shallow water operate as detritus system. Since all the
food is not assimilated by the grazers, some is diverted to the detritus route. So the impact of
grazers the community depends
on on the rate of removal of living plant and the amount of energy
in the food that is assimilated.
Marine zooplanktons commonly graze more phytoplanktons than they can assimilate, the
excess being egested to the detritus food chain. Thus energy flow along different path is dependent
on the rate of removal of living plant material by herbivores as well as on the rate of assimilation
in their bodies.

Detritus Predator

Grazing Food
Plants Chain

Sunlight
----

Detritus Food
Chain

Detritus Predator
Fig. 2.10. Y-Shaped energy flow model showing linkage between grazing
and detritus food chain.