Ecosystem Structure and Function Quiz
15 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What are the two main categories of ecosystems?

Terrestrial and Aquatic

What do you call the vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels in an ecosystem?

Stratification

The breakdown of complex organic matter into inorganic substances like carbon dioxide, water and nutrients is called ______.

decomposition

What is defined as the rate of formation of new organic matter by consumers?

<p>Secondary Productivity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Primary productivity depends solely on the availability of sunlight.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The amount of energy in an ecosystem always increases as you move up through the trophic levels.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of pyramid typically shows an inverted shape due to the large biomass of phytoplankton supporting a smaller biomass of zooplankton?

<p>Pyramid of Biomass (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the dark-colored amorphous substance formed during humus accumulation?

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

What is the process by which producers convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of organic matter?

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

In the context of ecosystems, what is the significance of decomposers?

<p>They break down dead organic matter, releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem for reuse by producers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main conduit for energy flow in aquatic ecosystems?

<p>Grazing Food Chain (GFC)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of standing crop?

<p>The amount of living material present at a particular time in a unit area.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The transfer of energy between trophic levels always follows the 10% rule, meaning that 10% of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are ecological pyramids?

<p>Graphical representations that show the relative number, biomass, or energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name three limitations of ecological pyramids.

<p>They don't account for food webs, the same species can occupy multiple trophic levels, and saprophytes are often excluded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Ecosystem

The functional unit of nature involving interactions between living organisms and their physical environment.

What makes an ecosystem self-sustaining?

A self-sustaining system that cycles energy and nutrients among its components.

Primary Productivity

The process of producing organic matter from inorganic materials using sunlight energy.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of organic matter produced per unit area over a given time by plants during photosynthesis.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The amount of organic matter left after plants use some for respiration, which becomes available for consumers.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Decomposition

The breakdown of complex organic matter into simpler inorganic substances by decomposers.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Humification

The process of converting dead organic matter (detritus) into humus, a stable and nutrient-rich soil component.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Mineralization

The release of inorganic nutrients from humus during decomposition, making them available to plants.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Energy Flow

The transfer of energy from one trophic level to another, with a loss of 90% at each level.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Food Chain

A series of organisms where energy is transferred from one organism to another through feeding relationships.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Food Web

The interconnected network of food chains in an ecosystem, showing complex feeding relationships.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Trophic Level

The position of an organism in a food chain based on its feeding relationship.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Standing Crop

The amount of living organisms (biomass) or the number of individuals in a specific area at a particular time.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Detritivore

The trophic level of an organism that eats dead organic matter (detritus).

Signup and view all the flashcards

Detritus Food Chain

The transfer of energy through a food chain starting with dead organic matter.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Omnivore

An organism that occupies multiple trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Ecological Pyramid

A diagram representing trophic levels in an ecosystem, showing how many individuals, biomass, or energy are in each.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Pyramid of Numbers

A type of ecological pyramid where the base represents producers and the top represents top predators, with diminishing numbers as you go up.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Pyramid of Biomass

A type of ecological pyramid where the base represents producers and the top represents top predators, with diminishing biomass as you go up.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Pyramid of Energy

A type of ecological pyramid where the base represents producers and the top represents top predators, with diminishing energy as you go up.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Inverted Pyramid of Biomass

A pyramid of biomass where the biomass of consumers is greater than the biomass of producers.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Nutrient Cycling

The cycling of nutrients through the various components of an ecosystem.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Nutrient Mineralization

The process by which nutrients are released from dead organic matter during decomposition.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Carbon Fixation

The process by which producers convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Carbon Respiration

The process by which decomposers break down organic matter and release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Phosphate Absorption

The process by which producers absorb phosphate from the soil during growth.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Phosphate Mineralization

The process by which decomposers release phosphate from dead organic matter back into the soil.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Ecosystem Services

The benefits humans receive from natural ecosystems, such as clean air, water, and food.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Ecology

The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Resilience

The ability of a system to resist change or disturbances.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Study Notes

Ecosystem Structure and Function

  • An ecosystem is a functional unit of nature, encompassing living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
  • Ecosystems vary greatly in size, from small ponds to large forests or seas.
  • The biosphere is considered a global ecosystem, a composite of all local ecosystems.
  • Studying entire ecosystems is complex, thus they are classified into terrestrial and aquatic categories (e.g., forests, grasslands, deserts; ponds, lakes, wetlands).
  • Man-made ecosystems include crop fields and aquariums.

Ecosystem Components

  • Ecosystem components include abiotic (non-living: air, water, soil) and biotic (living: producers, consumers, decomposers).
  • Producers (plants and photosynthetic bacteria) capture solar energy to produce organic matter.
  • Consumers (herbivores and carnivores) obtain energy by consuming producers or other consumers.
  • Decomposers (fungi and bacteria) break down dead organisms and waste materials into inorganic substances.

Productivity

  • Primary productivity is the rate of biomass production by producers during photosynthesis.
  • Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total rate of primary production.
  • Net primary productivity (NPP) is GPP minus the energy used by producers in respiration.
  • Secondary productivity is the rate at which consumers produce new organic matter.

Decomposition

  • Decomposition is the breakdown of complex organic matter into simpler inorganic substances (carbon dioxide, water, nutrients).
  • Detritivores (e.g., earthworms) fragment detritus.
  • Nutrient leaching.
  • Catabolism (decomposing detritus into simpler compounds) occurs by bacteria and fungi.
  • Humification builds up the dark, colloidal humus.
  • Mineralisation releases inorganic nutrients back into the ecosystem.
  • Decomposition rates vary based on detritus composition and environmental factors (temperature, moisture).

Energy Flow

  • The sun is the primary energy source for most ecosystems.
  • Photosynthetic organisms capture a small portion of solar energy for food production.
  • Energy flows unidirectionally through ecosystems, from producers through various trophic levels (producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers).
  • Energy is lost as heat at each trophic level.
  • The detritus food chain begins with dead organic matter, and decomposers are responsible for breaking it down.

Ecological Pyramids

  • Ecological pyramids depict the relationship between trophic levels.
  • Pyramids of numbers, biomass, and energy are used to represent the structure of an ecosystem.
  • Pyramids of numbers show the number of organisms at each level; pyramids of biomass depict the total mass of organisms at each level; pyramids of energy show the energy flow.
  • Ecological pyramids are generally upright in most ecosystems, but they can be inverted in certain situations, such as aquatic ecosystems where the biomass of producers is smaller than that of secondary consumers.

Important Concepts

  • Standing crop: The total mass of living organisms at a particular trophic level at a given time.
  • Ecosystem Services: Processes that occur in an ecosystem, for example, purification of air and water by forests.

Studying That Suits You

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

Quiz Team

Related Documents

Ecology PDF

Description

Test your knowledge on the structure and function of ecosystems. This quiz covers the components of ecosystems, including abiotic and biotic factors, as well as the classification of ecosystems into terrestrial and aquatic categories. Explore the relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers within various ecosystems.

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Open
Browser
Browser