Ecology and Energy Flow Quiz

Study Notes

Ecology

Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment
Biosphere encompasses all life on Earth: land, water, air, atmosphere
Species are groups of organisms capable of breeding and producing offspring
Populations are groups of the same species living in the same area
Communities are different populations living together in a defined area
Ecosystems consist of all organisms and nonliving components in a particular place
Biomes are groups of ecosystems with similar climates and dominant communities

Energy Flow

Sunlight is the primary energy source for life
Autotrophs (producers) capture energy from sunlight or chemicals to produce food
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and cyanobacteria use sunlight to produce carbohydrates
Chemosynthesis uses inorganic chemicals to produce carbohydrates, found in extreme environments
Heterotrophs (consumers) rely on other organisms for food and energy
Herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat other animals, omnivores eat both (plants and animals)
Detrivores consume dead organic matter, decomposers break down organic matter

Food Chains and Food Webs

Food chains show the transfer of energy through eating and being eaten
Food webs represent complex feeding relationships between organisms
Trophic levels are steps in food chains and food webs
Producers are the first level, consumers are subsequent levels

Ecological Pyramids

Ecological pyramids represent the relative amounts of energy or matter at each trophic level
Energy pyramids show that only 10% of energy is transferred to the next level, the rest is lost as heat
Biomass pyramids represent the amount of living tissue at each level
Pyramid of numbers represents the number of individual organisms at each level

Ecological Succession

Ecological succession is the predictable change in a community over time
Primary succession occurs on land without soil, for example, volcanic rock
Pioneer species are the first to colonize a new area
Secondary succession happens after a disturbance, restoring the ecosystem to its original condition
Climax community is the stable, mature ecosystem

Description

Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of ecology and the flow of energy within ecosystems. This quiz covers key concepts such as biospheres, species, and the roles of autotrophs and heterotrophs in energy production. Explore how different populations and communities interact within their environments.