Carbon Cycle

Ecology - 10SCIE

Finn Le Sueur

2024

Akoranga 13 Mahi Tuatahi

  1. Collect a whiteboard from the front
  2. In pairs, name and describe the process through which decomposers gain nutrients from the surroundings
  3. Extra: Quickly explain why it is important!

Te Whāinga Ako

  1. Describe the carbon cycle and its importance.

Write the date and te whāinga ako in your book

Recall: Decomposers

  • They break down dead organic matter at each trophic level
  • They do this through extracellular digestion where they excrete enzymes, which can break down all kinds of things.
Source

Source
  • Some of the nutrients is used by the decomposers for growth,
  • but most is left back into the soil to be used by producers for growth and repair!

Carbon-Based Life

  • Every living thing on Earth that we have discovered is made of essentially long chains of carbon atoms!
  • We can follow the carbon cycle to find out about life processes, just like we can follow the energy cycle!
Source

The Carbon Cycle

Source

Sketch this cycle into your book.

Photosynthesis

The process of turning light energy and carbon dioxide into sugar.

  • Recall from Year 9 the equation for photosynthesis (write it in your book if you remember)
  • \(water + \text{carbon dioxide} \xrightarrow{\text{Light}} sugar + oxygen\)
  1. Where does photosynthesis occur?
  2. What could happen to disrupt the amount of photosynthesis occurring?
  3. Why is photosynthesis important?

Answer these questions in pairs on your whiteboards.

Respiration

The process of turning sugar into energy for life.

  • Write the equation in your book if you remember!
  • \(sugar + oxygen \rightarrow \text{carbon dioxide} + water + energy\)
  1. Where does respiration occur?
  2. Why is \(CO_{2}\) in the atmosphere relevant to us?
  3. What could occur to change the amount of \(CO_{2}\) in the atmosphere in good/bad ways?

Answer these questions in pairs on your whiteboards.

Ngohe: Annotate Your Diagram

For each arrow in your carbon cycle diagram, write 2-3 sentences explaining why/how/the importance of what is happening.

If you need to research on your device, that is allowed.

Work individually.

EP Task

  1. Open the Composting and the Carbon Cycle task on Education Perfect
  2. Work individually to complete the task
  3. Make notes in your exercise book about any new information you encounter
  4. Once done, open the vocabulary Quizlet and get practicing!

Te Whāinga Ako

  1. Be able to use habitat, niche, and community in an Ecology context.

Write the date and te whāinga ako in your book

Quizlet

Get ready to play!