Ch 4 energy Flow in Ecosystems

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Questions and Answers

Which nutrient is often a limiting factor in streams, lakes, and freshwater environments?

Oxygen

Phosphorus (correct)

Potassium

Nitrogen

Which component of fertilizers benefits crop growth in poor soil by providing an essential element for plant development?

Magnesium

Calcium

Nitrogen (correct)

Sulfur

What process have German chemists developed that affects the global nitrogen cycle?

Increasing atmospheric nitrogen levels

Reducing nitrogen emissions from industrial processes

Decreasing nitrogen fixation by plants

Transforming nitrogen gas into usable forms for fertilizer (correct)

Why is phosphorus essential for living organisms?

It is a component of DNA and RNA Signup and view all the answers

What is a nutrient called that limits productivity when in short supply?

Limiting nutrient Signup and view all the answers

Which type of primary producer uses chemical energy to produce carbohydrates?

Bacteria Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following categories of consumers is involved in the chemical breakdown of organic matter?

Decomposers Signup and view all the answers

Which type of consumer consumes both plant and animal matter?

Omnivores Signup and view all the answers

In what way do autotrophs primarily obtain their energy?

From sunlight Signup and view all the answers

Which type of consumer specifically chews or grinds detritus into smaller pieces?

Detritivores Signup and view all the answers

Which group of organisms is most likely to engage in chemosynthesis?

Bacteria near volcanic vents Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes in the carbon cycle is responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

What is formed when dissolved carbon dioxide in oceans combines with calcium and magnesium?

Carbonates Signup and view all the answers

Which process in the nitrogen cycle converts nitrogen gas into ammonia?

Nitrogen fixation Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of bacteria in the process of denitrification?

Converting nitrates into nitrogen gas Signup and view all the answers

How does human activity impact the carbon cycle?

Burning fossil fuels releases stored carbon Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are products or results of natural geological processes in the carbon cycle?

Sedimentary rocks like limestone and dolomite Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a cycle that carries vital nutrients through the environment?

Water cycle Signup and view all the answers

What is a common factor between biological and chemical processes in the carbon cycle?

Both involve the exchange of carbon dioxide Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of energy available within one trophic level is typically transferred to the next trophic level?

10% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following models plots the relative number of living organisms in each trophic level?

Pyramid of numbers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes is NOT considered part of the biogeochemical processes?

Flow of energy Signup and view all the answers

During which stage of the water cycle does water become groundwater?

Seepage Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way in which groundwater is released back into the atmosphere?

Transpiration Signup and view all the answers

Which element is NOT part of the biogeochemical cycles as mentioned?

Oxygen Signup and view all the answers

What process is included in physical and chemical processes but not in biogeochemical processes?

Action of lightning Signup and view all the answers

What is the flow of energy between trophic levels an example of?

Cycles of matter Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes a food chain?

A series of organisms in which energy is transferred from one organism to another. Signup and view all the answers

What primarily causes the conversion of dead material into nutrients useful to primary producers?

Decomposers Signup and view all the answers

Why is there a loss of energy and matter at each trophic level in a food web?

Organisms use energy for life processes like respiration and movement Signup and view all the answers

Which concept illustrates the interconnectedness of different food chains in an ecosystem?

Food web Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem's energy flow?

They break down dead material to release nutrients back to the ecosystem Signup and view all the answers

How are food webs affected by environmental changes?

Their complexity makes it difficult to predict responses to changes Signup and view all the answers

What is an ecological pyramid?

A model showing relative amounts of energy or matter within each trophic level Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about energy levels in a trophic pyramid is correct?

A small portion of the energy in each trophic level is transferred to the next level. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from primary production to various consumers.
A food chain is a series of organisms in which energy is transferred from one organism to another.
Food webs are networks of interconnected food chains, showing the overall flow of energy and matter through an ecosystem.
Energy and matter are lost at each level of feeding, with decomposers playing a crucial role in recycling nutrients.

Ecological Pyramids

Ecological pyramids model the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web.
The pyramid of energy shows that only a small portion of energy is available to organisms at the next trophic level.
On average, 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level.
Pyramids of biomass and numbers measure the total amount of living tissue and the relative number of living organisms in each trophic level, respectively.

Cycles of Matter

Matter flows between trophic levels of a system and among ecosystems through recycling, biogeochemical processes, physical and chemical processes, and human activities.
The water cycle involves the circulation of water among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere.
Nutrients are essential for life and circulate through organisms and the environment through biogeochemical cycles.

Nutrients and Cycles

The carbon cycle involves the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere, oceans, and land through biological, geological, chemical, and physical processes, as well as human activities.
The nitrogen cycle involves the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia and nitrates through natural processes and human activities such as industrial fertilization.
The phosphorus cycle involves the cycling of phosphorus through the environment, with phosphorus being essential for life but not cycling through the atmosphere.

Primary Producers and Consumers

Primary producers are autotrophs that capture energy from nonliving sources and convert it into forms living cells use.
Energy from the sun is used by algae and plants to build living tissues through photosynthesis.
Chemosynthesis is a process used by bacteria to produce energy in the absence of light.
Consumers are heterotrophs that acquire energy from other organisms, and can be classified into different types such as carnivores, scavengers, decomposers, detritivores, herbivores, and omnivores.

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Description

Explore energy flow through food chains and webs in ecosystems, understanding the interconnectedness of feeding relationships.