foundation.2.1 A tree as a system
Sort each component of the tree system into the correct category. Ask yourself: does it cross the system boundary coming in (input) or going out (output)? Is it held within the tree (store)? Does it move without changing (flow/transfer)? Or does it change in form or state (process/transformation)?
INPUTS
into the tree system
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STORES
what the tree holds
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OUTPUTS
from the tree system
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FLOWS / TRANSFERS
movement without change
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PROCESSES / TRANSFORMATIONS
changes in form/state
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Unsorted Cards
(39)Solar radiation (light energy)
Heat from the environment
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere
Oxygen from the atmosphere for cellular respiration
Water (H₂O) from soil via roots
Nutrients from soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium etc.)
Pollen (from other trees)
Pollinators (bees, birds, wind)
Mycorrhizal fungi (root partnerships)
Water (in all tissues)
Leaf biomass
Woody biomass (trunk, branches)
Carbohydrates (sugars, starch, cellulose)
Nutrients (in tissues)
Oxygen (O₂) from photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from cellular respiration
Water vapour (transpiration)
Heat (metabolic waste)
Reflected solar radiation
Fallen leaves (leaf litter)
Dead branches and bark
Fruits and seeds
Pollen (released by this tree)
Water transport (roots → leaves via xylem)
Sugar transport (leaves → roots via phloem)
Nutrient transport (roots → leaves)
Pressure flow in xylem
Gas exchange through stomata
Water vapour through stomata
Heat radiation from surfaces
Hormones and signals
Photosynthesis: light energy + CO₂ + H₂O → glucose + O₂
Cellular respiration: glucose + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + ATP
Transpiration: liquid water → water vapour
Synthesis: simple sugars → complex carbohydrates
Decomposition: dead tissue → soil organic matter
Nutrient cycling: organic matter → available nutrients
Absorption: soil nutrients → dissolved ions
Seasonal changes: leaf production / senescence
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