ECOSYSTEMS 



Figure IX-16 — FLOW DIAGRAM OF A WET COASTAL TUNDRA ECOSYSTEM 



Numerals 

 replacing 

 flow lines 



1— To carcasses 

 2 — To feces 

 3— To plant litter 

 A — To saprovores 

 5 — To soil organic 



matter 

 6 — To available 



soil nutrients 



Snow 



Process names 



C— Consumption 



D — Leaching and decay 



M— Migration and dispersal 



P— Photosynthesis 



S— Solar heat 



T— Translocation 



U— Uptake 



•—To aquatic system 



Soil 



unfrozen 

 moisture 



Depth 



of 

 thaw 



Nonvascular 

 above 

 ground 



Nonvascular 



below 

 ground 



M - 

 1,2 ■ 



Dicots 

 above 

 ground 



Dicots 

 below 

 ground 



TTT 



1,2 



> 



Available 



soil 

 nutrients. 



Longspurs 



Saprovores 



Monocots 

 above 

 ground 



Monocots 

 below 

 ground 



i i 



Frozen 

 edible 



Standing 

 dead 



LF 



Soil 

 organic 

 matter 



M 

 1,2 



Carnivorous 

 arthropods 



7 



Plant 

 litter 



Soil 

 micro- 

 organisms 



II 



This is a rather detailed flow chart of a tundra ecosystem representative of the Point 

 Barrow area. The driving variables (shaded areas) are solar heating, moisture 

 availability, nutrient availability, and photosynthesis. The net result is seen as the 

 production and maintenance of such animal populations as weasels, shorebirds, etc. 

 Although the diagram is basically an energy-related chart, the rates of flow of 

 energy between points are not indicated. 



315 



