Symposium Introduction

Thus, the amount of energy accumulated by green plants, the chains power is rapidly running out. Therefore food chain usually includes only 4-5 links. Lost in power supply circuits can be filled only arrival of its new portions. Therefore, the ecosystem can not be cycling energy, similar cycles of substances. Ecosystem functioning only by a directional flow of energy, a steady flow from the outside in the form solar radiation or ready stocks of organic matter. Trophic chain that starts with photosynthetic organisms, called chains vyedaniya (or chains of consumption, grazing chains), and chains, which begin with the remnants of dead plants, dead bodies and animal excrement -- detrital chain decomposition. Thus, the flow of energy entering into ecosystem, divided further, as it were two main channel, reaches Consumer's through living tissue of plants or stockpiles of dead organic substance, which is also the source of photosynthesis.

Different types Ecosystem power energy flows through the chain vyedaniya and decomposition vary: in aquatic communities, most of the energy fixed by unicellular algae, comes to feed on phytoplankton and animals further - to predators, and much less included in the chain of decomposition. Most terrestrial ecosystems, the opposite ratio: in the forests, for example, over 90% annual growth of plant matter comes through the shedding of detrital chain.