Ecosystem respiration is the sum of all

respiration Respiration may refer to: Biology * Cellular respiration, the process in which nutrients are converted into useful energy in a cell ** Anaerobic respiration, cellular respiration without oxygen ** Maintenance respiration, the amount of cellul ...

occurring by the living organisms in a specific

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

. The two main processes that contribute to ecosystem respiration are

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

and

cellular respiration Cellular respiration is the process by which biological fuels are oxidised in the presence of an inorganic electron acceptor such as oxygen to produce large amounts of energy, to drive the bulk production of ATP. Cellular respiration may be des ...

. Photosynthesis uses carbon-dioxide and water, in the presence of sunlight to produce glucose and oxygen whereas cellular respiration uses glucose and oxygen to produce carbon-dioxide, water, and energy. The coordination of inputs and outputs of these two processes creates a completely interconnected system, constituting the underlying functioning of the ecosystems overall respiration. It is the operation in which the organisms within a specified ecosystem use the process of respiration to convert organic carbon to carbon dioxide. While the amount of respiration is varied upon the type of ecosystem and the community abundance, the mechanism occurs in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Overview

Cellular respiration is the overall relationship between

autotrophs An autotroph or primary producer is an organism that produces complex organic compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) using carbon from simple substances such as carbon dioxide,Morris, J. et al. (2019). "Biology: How Life Works", ...

and

heterotrophs A heterotroph (; ) is an organism that cannot produce its own food, instead taking nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter. In the food chain, heterotrophs are primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, but ...

. Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis, whereas heterotrophs are organisms that cannot prepare their own food and depend on autotrophs for nutrition. These two categories of living things work in coordination between photosynthesis and respiration as they both produce products that the other process utilizes.

Cellular respiration Cellular respiration is the process by which biological fuels are oxidised in the presence of an inorganic electron acceptor such as oxygen to produce large amounts of energy, to drive the bulk production of ATP. Cellular respiration may be des ...

happens when a cell takes glucose and oxygen and uses it to produce carbon dioxide, energy, and water. This transaction is important not only for the benefit of the cells, but for the carbon dioxide output provided, which is key in the process of

. Without respiration, actions necessary to life, such as metabolic processes and photosynthesis, would cease. Ecosystem respiration is typically measured in the natural environment, such as a

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

, rather than in the laboratory. Ecosystem respiration is the production portion of

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

in an ecosystem's

carbon flux The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth. Carbon is the main component of biological compounds as well as a major componen ...

, while

typically accounts for the majority of the ecosystem's carbon consumption. Carbon is cycled throughout the ecosystem as various factors continue to uptake or release the carbon in different circumstances. Ecosystems take in carbon through photosynthesis, decomposition, and ocean uptake. Ecosystems return this carbon through animal respiration, and plant respiration. This constant cycle of carbon through the system is not the only element being transferred. In animal and plant respiration these living beings take in glucose and oxygen while emitting energy, carbon dioxide, and water as waste. These constant cycles provide for a influx of oxygen into the system and carbon out of the system.

Importance

In natural ecosystems, the greatest utilization of carbon is through the uptake of carbon in photosynthesis and the second greatest utilization of carbon is through the release of carbon in cellular respiration. minute changes to these two fluxes can have a larger effect on the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These two processes have a significant effect on the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, making their correct functioning essential to sustaining life. Without carbon dioxide, plants would not be able to carry out photosynthesis, in turn not producing oxygen, affecting all forms of life on earth. Without the presence of ecosystem respiration throughout earth's systems, it is safe to say the basic idea of "life" would be lost. Prior to these processes in earth's early years of formation, the air and oceans were anoxic. An

anoxic The term anoxia means a total depletion in the level of oxygen, an extreme form of hypoxia or "low oxygen". The terms anoxia and hypoxia are used in various contexts: * Anoxic waters, sea water, fresh water or groundwater that are depleted of diss ...

environment is one without the presence of oxygen, majorly consisting of anaerobic microbes. The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis in the atmosphere amplified the productivity of the biosphere, increasing biodiversity. With the presence of photosynthesis providing oxygen to the atmosphere, respiration soon evolved to provide the necessary components photosynthesis demanded to function. This coevolution of photosynthesis and respiration processes has led us to the biodiverse and fruitful ecosystems we know today.

References

External references

*https://web.archive.org/web/20100612133703/http://face.env.duke.edu/projpage.cfm?id=38 *http://eco.confex.com/eco/2008/techprogram/P10688.HTM *''Biogeochemistry''. Heinrich D. Holland, William H. Schlesinger, Karl K. Turekian. 702 pp. Elsevier, 2005. {{ISBN, 0-08-044642-6 *Yvon-Durocher, Gabriel; Caffrey, Jane M.; Cescatti, Alessandro; Dossena, Matteo; Giorgio, Paul del; Gasol, Josep M.; Montoya, José M.; Pumpanen, Jukka; Staehr, Peter A. (2012-06-20). "Reconciling the temperature dependence of respiration across timescales and ecosystem types". ''Nature''. 487 (7408): 472–476. doi:10.1038/nature11205.

ISSN An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit serial number used to uniquely identify a serial publication, such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs ...

0028-0836 *

Overview

Importance

See also

References

External references