Ecosystem Dynamics: Cycling and Energy Flow
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Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic feature of deciduous forests regarding seasons?

  • They have a constant climate throughout the year.
  • They experience only two seasons.
  • They do not have a winter season.
  • They have four distinct seasons. (correct)
  • Which organisms are primarily involved in the decomposition process in deciduous forests?

  • Birds and larger mammals.
  • Monoculture plants and pioneer species.
  • Fungi and invertebrates. (correct)
  • Humans and domesticated animals.
  • Which of the following challenges is unique to urban landscapes in plant communities?

  • Natural forest regeneration.
  • Seasonal changes in plant life.
  • Human contact and pollution. (correct)
  • Presence of high biodiversity.
  • How do aquatic biomes differ from each other primarily?

    <p>By whether they are freshwater or marine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which nutrient sources are significant for coral reefs?

    <p>Rainfall and coastal run-off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source of high primary production in coral reefs?

    <p>Dinoflagellate algae within corals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which types of organisms are primarily considered consumers in coral reefs?

    <p>Corals, anemones, and various marine species</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes rivers and streams in comparison to lakes and ponds?

    <p>Rivers and streams are distinguished by moving water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In freshwater streams, which organisms are important producers?

    <p>Eukaryotic algae and plants along river margins</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one way the carbon cycle overlaps between aquatic and terrestrial environments in rivers and streams?

    <p>Leaves enter the stream from terrestrial plants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main role of primary producers in an ecosystem?

    <p>They provide organic carbon to other organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly states the significance of the carbon cycle in ecosystems?

    <p>It shows how organisms move carbon between neighbors and surroundings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to carbon dioxide (CO2) during plant respiration and decomposition?

    <p>It is returned to the atmosphere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does energy not cycle through an ecosystem?

    <p>Energy must continually be harvested from the environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primarily limits the amount of biomass at higher trophic levels in a food web?

    <p>The efficiency of energy transfer between levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are considered primary consumers?

    <p>Herbivores that feed on primary producers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristics are typically seen in carnivorous animals?

    <p>They are usually recognized as predatory species.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor contributes to the adaptations seen in plants across different climates?

    <p>Convergent evolution to local environmental conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Element Cycling

    • Element cycling moves and transforms abiotic and biotic elements
    • Includes inputs, outputs, and internal cycling in an ecosystem
    • Obeys the first law of thermodynamics: matter cannot be created or destroyed

    Carbon Cycle

    • Interconnected network of biological and physical processes
    • Organisms move carbon between themselves and their surroundings
    • Demonstrates functioning and persistence of ecosystems over time

    Primary Producers

    • Base of the food web
    • Provide organic carbon to other organisms
    • Examples: Cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, plants

    Primary Consumers

    • Consume primary producers
    • Examples: Herbivores, grazers
    • Consumed by secondary consumers or carnivores/scavengers

    Decomposers/Detritivores

    • Break down remains of other organisms into basic compounds
    • Examples: Fungi, earthworms

    Energy Flow

    • Energy does not cycle through an ecosystem
    • New energy must be continuously harvested
    • A trophic pyramid (energy pyramid) forms because energy transfer is not 100% efficient
    • Energy is lost through heat and work
    • Biomass decreases from one trophic level to the next

    Plants and Adaptations

    • Plants have independently evolved adaptations (e.g., leaf shape, color changes) to adapt to climates
    • Plants provide physical structure to each terrestrial biome

    Aquatic Biomes

    • Tropical Reefs:
      • Reflect climate, nutrient and oxygen availability, and sunlight penetration depth
      • Depth often exposes benthos
      • Marine biome
    • Freshwater Streams:
      • Water chemistries vary with terrain and nutrient levels
      • Moving water, often well-oxygenated
      • River/stream ecosystems overlap with terrestrial environments
    • Both aquatic biomes have various producers and consumers
    • Nutrient levels in reefs can be low, but primary production is high and tied to producers

    Terrestrial Biomes

    • Temperate Deciduous Forests:
      • Moderate climate, hardwood deciduous trees, four distinct seasons
      • Nutrient-rich soils from annual leaf fall
      • High biodiversity (birds, small mammals)

    Urban Landscapes

    • Full of life despite human impact
    • Major primary producers: vascular plants
    • Major primary consumers: mammals, birds, and insects

    Biogeochemical Cycles

    • Coral reefs receive nutrients from freshwater, rain runoff, and open ocean
    • Coral reefs are a hotspot of life (high diversity and density)

    Trophic Levels/Food Chains/Consumer Groups

    • Consumers include corals, anemones, fish, crustaceans, bivalves, gastropods, worms, echinoderms, and various visiting vertebrates.
    • Animals (terrestrial and aquatic) eat each other, take prey from streams, and animals' waste and remains can enter water.

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    Related Documents

    Element Cycling PDF

    Description

    Explore the fundamental concepts of element cycling, the carbon cycle, and the roles of primary producers and consumers in ecosystems. This quiz delves into how energy flows and how matter is recycled within various biological and physical processes. Test your understanding of these essential ecological principles!

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