Biology: Nutrient & Energy Flow, Biotic/Abiotic Factors

• Study Guide: Biology - 2nd Trimester

Nutrient and Energy Flow

• Food chains illustrate energy flow within ecosystems.
• Producers (plants) transform solar energy into nutrients.
• Consumers (herbivores and carnivores) gain energy by feeding on other organisms.
• Decomposers (fungi and bacteria) break down organic matter and recycle nutrients.
• Energy flow is unidirectional.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Biotic factors consist of living organisms (animals, plants, bacteria) within an ecosystem.
• Abiotic factors include water, solar light, temperature, and minerals.
• Both factors interact to maintain ecological balance.

Interpopulation Relationships

• Predation involves one organism hunting and consuming another, like a wolf and rabbit.
• Competition occurs when organisms compete for resources such as food or territory.
• Commensalism benefits one species without harming the other.
• Parasitism benefits one organism at the expense of another.
• Symbiosis provides benefits to both species involved.

Biogeochemical Cycles

• Carbon Cycle involves photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
• Water Cycle includes evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.
• Nitrogen Cycle involves bacteria converting nitrogen for plant use.

Adaptations and Evolution

• Species evolve to adapt to their environments.
• Natural selection favors beneficial traits.
• Monarch butterflies migrate to survive extreme conditions.
• Polar bears evolved to survive in extreme cold.

Human Impact and Sustainability

• Pollution and poor waste management affect ecosystems.
• The 5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink, Responsibilize) aid in conserving the environment.
• Species can become extinct due to human activity.