how does a grassland follow conservation of mass
The law of conservation of matter and energy states that matter is neither created nor destroyed but conserved. So organisms consume other organisms the food they eat either will be stored for later use or broken down into energy. Whatever is left will become fecal material. Energy is never produced or destroyed it is used or stored. It can be stored as fats, carbohydrates or sugars. When organisms break them down into simpler structures energy is released.
Although both mass and energy are conserved here, there are no nuclear reactions so they are conserved separately and no mass is converted to energy (ignoring relativistic (E = m c^2) effects.
Carbon Dioxide from the air is used to create carbohydrates etc as Awesome pointed out. Other nutrients are withdrawn from the soil such as nitrogen compounds and must be replaced by fertilizer or legume type plants that fix nitrogen from the air. After plants die, their remains become sources of nitrates (fertilizer).
The conservation of mass states that the mass of an isolated system remains constant over time, meaning that mass cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed. In the context of a grassland ecosystem, the conservation of mass can be observed in several ways:
1. Nutrient cycling: In a grassland, plants, animals, and microorganisms constantly exchange nutrients with the soil. The decomposed organic matter and waste products from animals contribute to the nutrient content of the soil, which in turn is absorbed by plants. When plants are consumed by herbivores, the nutrients are transferred up the food chain. Through this cycling process, the mass of nutrients remains relatively constant within the ecosystem.
2. Energy flow: Grasslands, like all ecosystems, rely on the transfer of energy through trophic levels. Plants convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis, which is then passed on to herbivores when they consume the plants. These herbivores, in turn, provide energy to predators when they are consumed. Throughout these energy transfers, the overall mass of the system remains constant even though energy is being constantly exchanged.
3. Decomposition: When plants and animals die in a grassland, they contribute to the cycle of decomposition. Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, break down organic matter into simpler molecules, releasing nutrients back into the soil. This decomposition process ensures that mass, in the form of organic matter, is effectively recycled within the ecosystem.
Understanding and studying the conservation of mass in a grassland involves analyzing the nutrient cycles, energy flow, and decomposition processes within the ecosystem. It requires measuring and tracking the inputs and outputs of key components, such as biomass, nutrients, and energy, to determine if there is a balance and conservation of mass within the system.