Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Ecosystem Flow Analysis
Brian D. Fath
Glossary
Consumer
Heterotrophic organism that consumes other organisms for
their energy requirements.
Cycling
The process by which energy or matter returns from its com-
partment of origin before exiting the system boundary.
Ecological goal
function
Tendency observed in the orientation or directional develop-
ment of ecological systems.
Flow The transfer of energy or matter from one compartment in the
system to another by active (feeding) or passive (death, eges-
tion) means.
Network analysis A mathematical tool to study objects as part of a connected
system and to identify and quantify the direct and indirect
effects in that system.
Primary producer
Photosynthesizing organism that captures external energy
sources and brings it into the system as the basis for all
subsequent thermodynamic activity.
Thermodynamic
system
A bounded system defined by the quantities of energy and
matter flowing through it.
