Tracing Carbon Through Ecosystems in Environmental Literacy Project
Explore the movement of carbon in ecosystems through engaging activities, discussions, and reflections. Understand how carbon atoms flow among different organic matter pools and the role of producers in the carbon cycle. Discover patterns in carbon movement and the significance of various ecosystem components.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University Ecosystems Unit Activity 3.3 Tracing Carbon Through Ecosystems 1
Unit map You are here 2
Reviewing the Carbon Dice Game 2 In the Carbon Dice Game, we followed individual carbon atoms into and out of carbon pools. We found that the number of carbon atom visits to different organic matter pools followed the same pattern as the organic matter pyramid. 99 Carnivores organic carbon Atmosphere CO2 32 Herbivores organic carbon 19 70 Producers organic carbon Soil Organic Carbon 3
Carbon Movement Use your tracking sheet to trace your path as a carbon atom in the diagram. 6
Reflecting on Tracing Talk about the following questions with your partner: How were your paths similar? How did your carbon atom get to be in a carnivore? How did your carbon atom get to be in a decomposer? How do your paths relate to the widths of the arrows? 7
Class Discussion What are some patterns in how carbon moves through an ecosystem? What do the widths of the arrows represent? Why is it so rare for carbon atoms to go through a carnivore? 8
Reviewing Patterns So, to recap: 1. Producers are the only organisms that can change inorganic carbon to organic carbon. 2. All other organic pools are dependent organic carbon from the Producer pool to carry out their life processes, like eating, growing, defecating, and cellular respiration. 9
Reviewing Patterns 3. Life processes (photosynthesis, cellular respiration, eating, defecating, dying) move carbon from one pool to another. 4. This continual loss of carbon atoms from organic pools is one reason the organic matter pyramid looks the way it does. 10
