Ecosystem Productivity and Energy Transfer

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Questions and Answers

Which factors influence net primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems?

  • Soil composition, altitude, biodiversity
  • Light, temperature, amount of rainfall (correct)
  • Water pH, oxygen levels, predation
  • Wind speed, salinity, atmospheric pressure

In aquatic ecosystems, light and the availability of nutrients are the only factors limiting productivity.

True (A)

What is the approximate percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next?

10%

At each trophic level, some energy will be lost to the environment in the form of _____ during cellular respiration.

<p>heat</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match each statement with its corresponding concept:

<p>Gross Primary Productivity = Total amount of organic matter produced Net Primary Productivity = Gross productivity minus energy used for respiration Ecological Pyramid = Diagram showing energy or matter within trophic levels Trophic Levels = Levels in a food chain or food web</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Terrestrial Ecosystem Productivity

  • Factors affecting productivity:
    • Light
    • Temperature
    • Rainfall
  • Increased levels of these factors generally result in increased photosynthesis and productivity.

Aquatic Ecosystem Productivity

  • Factors affecting productivity:
    • Light
    • Nutrient availability

Energy Transfer Between Trophic Levels

  • Ecological pyramid: A diagram representing energy or matter distribution across trophic levels in a food chain/web.
  • Energy transfer between trophic levels is approximately 10%.
  • Energy loss reasons:
    • Organisms use energy for life processes like respiration, movement, and reproduction.
    • Not all organisms at one level are consumed by predators.
    • Some consumed molecules are unusable by the predator.
    • Cellular respiration energy cannot be passed on.
    • Energy loss as heat during energy transformations.
  • Limited energy transfer explains why food chains have few trophic levels.

Ecosystem Productivity

  • Measured by:
    • Gross primary productivity (GPP): Rate at which producers capture light energy, converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis.
    • Net primary productivity (NPP): Energy stored in producer biomass, available to consumers.
  • NPP = GPP - Respiration
  • NPP variations:
    • Tropical rainforests have significantly higher NPP than deserts.
    • Rainforests cover 5% of Earth's surface but account for 30% of global NPP.

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