Ecosystem Energy Flow Quiz

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which organisms are at the beginning of a food chain?

Consumers

Carnivores

Lions

Primary producers (correct)

What happens when one organism eats another?

Energy moves from the eater to the eaten

Energy is lost

Energy moves from the eaten to the eater (correct)

Energy is created

What is a food chain?

A series of organisms in which energy is transferred from one organism to another (correct)

A network of feeding interactions

A group of primary producers

A group of consumers

In Gorongosa National Park, what feeds on primary producers like grass?

Antelope Signup and view all the answers

In aquatic ecosystems, what are the primary producers?

Phytoplankton Signup and view all the answers

How many steps removed from the primary producers are lions in Gorongosa National Park?

Two steps Signup and view all the answers

Why are feeding relationships in most ecosystems more complicated than a simple chain?

Because animals eat more than one kind of food Signup and view all the answers

What is a food web?

A network of feeding interactions Signup and view all the answers

What do raccoons and moorhens eat?

Several species of plants Signup and view all the answers

What do alligators and panthers often prey upon?

Raccoons and moorhens Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to a network that includes all the food chains in an ecosystem?

Food web Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of decomposers and detritivores in food webs?

They convert dead material to detritus, which is eaten by primary producers Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms primarily feed on primary producers, but most producers die without being eaten?

White-tailed deer, raccoons, shrimp, and flagfish Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for each step in a food chain or food web?

Trophic level Signup and view all the answers

What is the shape of a pyramid of energy in a food chain or food web?

Triangle Signup and view all the answers

On average, how much of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level?

10 percent Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level?

Biomass Signup and view all the answers

What does a pyramid of biomass illustrate?

The relative amount of living organic matter in each trophic level Signup and view all the answers

What is a pyramid of numbers used to represent in an ecosystem?

The relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level Signup and view all the answers

In some cases, the normal pyramid of numbers may be turned upside down, but the pyramid of biomass usually has the normal orientation.

True Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Food Chains

Food chains are a sequence of organisms that feed upon each other.
Producers, or autotrophs, are at the beginning of a food chain. They make their own food from sunlight.
When one organism eats another, energy is transferred from the consumed organism to the consumer.
Herbivores, such as zebras and elephants, feed on primary producers such as grasses.

Primary Producers in Ecosystems

In aquatic ecosystems, algae and phytoplankton are primary producers.
In Gorongosa National Park, primary producers such as grass are consumed by herbivores.

Food Webs

Feeding relationships in most ecosystems are more complicated than a simple chain.
Food webs are a network of interconnected food chains.
Raccoons eat a wide variety of food, including insects, fruits, and small animals.
Moorhens are omnivores, feeding on plants and small animals.
Alligators and panthers often prey on fish, reptiles, and mammals.

Roles within a Food Web

Decomposers and detritivores play a critical role in breaking down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Most primary producers die without being eaten, providing food for decomposers.
Each step in a food chain or food web is known as a trophic level.

Energy Flow

The shape of a pyramid of energy in a food chain or food web is a pyramid, with a wide base representing producers and a narrow top representing top predators.
On average, about 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level.
The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level is called biomass.

Ecological Pyramids

Pyramids of biomass illustrate the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level.
Pyramids of numbers represent the number of organisms at each trophic level.
In some cases, the normal pyramid of numbers may be reversed, but the pyramid of biomass usually retains its typical pyramid shape.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on how energy flows through an ecosystem! Learn about the transfer of energy from primary producers to consumers and understand the one-way direction of energy flow. Explore the variations in feeding relationships across different ecosystems.