19 Questions
What is the source of energy for photosynthetic autotrophs?
Light
Which organisms are considered heterotrophs?
Fungi
What is the product of photosynthesis?
Glucose
Which type of light carries sufficient energy to drive the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis?
Visible light
Why does the feeding rate increase slowly at low prey densities in Type III functional response?
Food organisms may be better protected from predators at low densities
What behavioral characteristic of predators contributes to the S-shaped curve in Type III functional response?
Prey-switching and learning time
Why do animals often ignore uncommon foods and focus more on abundant foods at low prey densities?
Animals may require some learning to exploit food and develop their searching and handling skills
What percentage of the solar spectrum does Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) make up?
45%
How is PAR quantified?
Photon flux density
What are the major categories of organic molecules mentioned in the text?
Herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and detritivores
What are the primary chemical elements that make up the chemical composition of organisms?
C, O, H, N, and P
What do plant tissues contain lower content of compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria?
Nitrogen
What influences the photosynthetic potential of plants?
Nutrient and water abundance, temperature, and light intensity
What divides plants into sun and shade species?
Differences in photosynthetic curves
What are the types of functional responses mentioned in the text?
Type 1 and Type 2
What do tropical plants contain more of compared to temperate plants?
Toxic alkaloids
What is the rate at which organisms can take in energy limited by?
Internal constraints
What do plant chemical defenses include?
Toxins and digestion-reducing substances
What is the ratio used to express the nitrogen content in plant tissues compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria?
Carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio
Study Notes
Ecological Concepts and Principles
- Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) makes up about 45% of the solar spectrum, while infrared light accounts for 53% and UV light for 2%.
- PAR is quantified as a photon flux density, expressed as micromoles (µmol) striking a square meter surface each second, with 4.6 µmol / m2/s equaling a light intensity of about 1 watt per square meter.
- Light changes in quantity and quality with seasons, weather, time of day, landscapes, water, and organisms.
- Major categories of organic molecules include herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and detritivores, with examples such as worms, millipedes, and dung flies.
- The chemical composition of organisms is primarily made up of C, O, H, N, and P, with plants having a lower concentration of P and N compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria.
- Plant tissues contain lower nitrogen content compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria, expressed as the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N).
- Plant chemical defenses include toxins and digestion-reducing substances, with more tropical plants containing toxic alkaloids than temperate plants.
- Tropical plants experience higher levels of herbivore attack, suggesting more intense natural selection for chemical defense in tropical plant populations.
- The rate at which organisms can take in energy is limited by internal constraints, regardless of energy availability in the environment.
- Photosynthetic potential of plants is influenced by environmental factors such as nutrient and water abundance, temperature, and light intensity, leading to different photosynthetic response curves.
- Differences in photosynthetic curves divide plants into sun and shade species, with shade plants showing higher photosynthetic rates at very low light intensities.
- The relationship between an individual’s rate of consumption and food density is described by functional responses, which can be categorized as type 1 or type 2, with examples such as whales and sharks for type 1 and wolves feeding on deer for type 2.
Test your knowledge of ecological principles with this quiz covering topics such as photosynthetically active radiation, organic molecules, chemical composition of organisms, plant defenses, photosynthetic potential, and functional responses in ecology.
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