45 Questions
What is the source of energy for photosynthetic autotrophs?
Light
What is the source of carbon for chemosynthetic autotrophs?
Inorganic molecules
Which organisms are considered heterotrophs?
Fungi
What is the product of photosynthesis?
Glucose and oxygen
What is the function of visible light in photosynthesis?
Drive the light-dependent reactions
Why does the feeding rate increase slowly at low prey densities?
Food organisms may be better protected from predators at low densities
What contributes to the S-shaped curve of the functional response in Type III?
Prey-switching and learning time of predators
Why do animals often ignore uncommon foods at low densities?
Animals may require some learning to exploit food
What happens to the number of prey caught per predator at intermediate prey densities?
Increases fast
What are examples of Type III functional response in the text?
Birds and shrew feeding on sawflies
What percentage of the solar spectrum at sea level is made up of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)?
45%
How is PAR quantified?
Photon flux density measured in micromoles per square meter per second
What are the predominant elements in the chemical composition of organisms?
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
What do differences in photosynthetic response curves classify plants into?
Sun and shade species
How is type 1 functional response categorized?
A linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate
Autotrophs use organic molecules as a source of energy.
False
Photosynthetic autotrophs use carbon dioxide as a source of carbon.
True
Heterotrophs use organic molecules as a source of carbon and energy.
True
Respiration is the exact opposite of photosynthesis.
True
Visible light with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm carries sufficient energy to drive the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
True
Type III functional response produces an S-shaped curve attributed to predator behavioral characteristics such as prey-switching and learning time.
True
Feeding rate increases slowly at low prey densities because food organisms may be better protected from predators in relatively protected habitats or safe sites.
True
Animals often ignore uncommon foods and focus on more abundant foods at low densities.
True
The S shape of the functional response curve in Type III is attributed to predator behavioral characteristics.
True
The feeding rate increases fast at intermediate prey densities before leveling off at high densities in Type III functional response.
False
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) makes up 45% of the solar spectrum at sea level
True
Light intensity of 4.6 µmol/m^2/s is equivalent to about 1 watt per square meter
True
Plants have higher concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria
False
Tropical plants contain lower levels of toxic alkaloids compared to temperate plants
False
Type 1 functional response is a linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate
True
Explain the three main sources of energy used by organisms to obtain energy.
Organisms use one of the three main sources of energy: light, organic molecules, or inorganic molecules.
What is the difference between photosynthetic autotrophs and chemosynthetic autotrophs in terms of their sources of carbon and energy?
Photosynthetic autotrophs use carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and light as a source of energy, while chemosynthetic autotrophs use inorganic molecules as a source of carbon and energy.
Define heterotrophs and provide examples of organisms that are considered heterotrophs.
Heterotrophs are organisms that use organic molecules both as a source of carbon and source of energy. Examples of heterotrophs include bacteria, fungi, protists, animals, and parasitic plants.
Explain the process of photosynthesis in a simple equation.
Photosynthesis can be summarized by the equation: Carbon dioxide + water (absorbed by chlorophyll in the presence of sunlight) → glucose + oxygen.
What is the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration, and how do they contribute to the carbon cycle?
Photosynthesis and respiration are interrelated processes. Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, while respiration converts glucose and oxygen back into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. Together, they contribute to the carbon cycle.
What are the predominant elements in the chemical composition of organisms?
carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
How is Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) quantified?
as photon flux density, measured in micromoles (µmol) per square meter per second
What is the relationship between light intensity and photosynthesis at low and high light intensities?
photosynthesis increases linearly at low light intensities, while it levels off at high light intensities
What are the categories of functional responses and how are they characterized?
Type 1 functional response is a linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate, while type 2 functional response rises linearly at low food density, rises more slowly at intermediate food density, and then levels off at high densities
What is the chemical composition difference between plants and fungi, animals, and bacteria?
plants have lower concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria
Why does feeding rate increase slowly at low prey densities in Type III functional response?
Feeding rate increases slowly at low densities because food organisms may be better protected from predators in relatively protected habitats or safe sites, and animals often ignore uncommon foods and focus most on more abundant foods. Animals may require some learning to exploit food and develop their searching and handling skills.
What behavioral characteristics of predators contribute to the S-shaped curve in Type III functional response?
The S shape of the curve is attributed to predator behavioral characteristics such as prey-switching and learning time.
Provide an example of animals exhibiting Type III functional response in the text.
Birds and shrew feeding on sawflies are examples of animals exhibiting Type III functional response.
What happens to the number of prey caught per predator at intermediate prey densities in Type III functional response?
The number of prey caught per predator per unit time increases fast at intermediate densities before leveling off at high densities, producing an S-shaped curve.
What may animals require to exploit food and develop their searching and handling skills at low prey densities?
Animals may require some learning to exploit food and develop their searching and handling skills at low prey densities.
Study Notes
Photosynthesis, Chemical Composition, and Ecological Functions
- Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) makes up about 45% of the solar spectrum at sea level, with infrared light at 53% and UV light at 2%.
- PAR is quantified as photon flux density, measured in micromoles (µmol) per square meter per second, with 4.6 µmol/m^2/s equivalent to a light intensity of about 1 watt per square meter.
- Light quantity and quality change with seasons, weather, time of day, landscapes, water, and organisms.
- Organic molecules are used by organisms categorized as herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and detritivores.
- The chemical composition of organisms is predominantly made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, with plants having lower concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria.
- Plant chemical defenses include toxins and digestion-reducing substances, with tropical plants containing higher levels of toxic alkaloids compared to temperate plants.
- Despite higher levels of chemical defense, tropical plants experience higher levels of herbivore attack, suggesting more intense natural selection for chemical defense in tropical plant populations.
- The rate at which organisms can take in energy is limited by internal constraints, even if energy availability in the environment is not a limiting factor.
- Photosynthetic response curves show that at low light intensities, photosynthesis increases linearly, while at high light intensities, it levels off.
- Differences in photosynthetic response curves have been used to classify plants into sun and shade species, with shade plants showing higher photosynthetic rates at very low light intensities.
- Functional responses describe the relationship between an individual’s rate of consumption and food density, categorized into type 1 and type 2 functional responses.
- Type 1 functional response is a linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate, while type 2 functional response rises linearly at low food density, rises more slowly at intermediate food density, and then levels off at high densities.
Photosynthesis, Chemical Composition, and Ecological Functions
- Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) makes up about 45% of the solar spectrum at sea level, with infrared light at 53% and UV light at 2%.
- PAR is quantified as photon flux density, measured in micromoles (µmol) per square meter per second, with 4.6 µmol/m^2/s equivalent to a light intensity of about 1 watt per square meter.
- Light quantity and quality change with seasons, weather, time of day, landscapes, water, and organisms.
- Organic molecules are used by organisms categorized as herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and detritivores.
- The chemical composition of organisms is predominantly made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, with plants having lower concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria.
- Plant chemical defenses include toxins and digestion-reducing substances, with tropical plants containing higher levels of toxic alkaloids compared to temperate plants.
- Despite higher levels of chemical defense, tropical plants experience higher levels of herbivore attack, suggesting more intense natural selection for chemical defense in tropical plant populations.
- The rate at which organisms can take in energy is limited by internal constraints, even if energy availability in the environment is not a limiting factor.
- Photosynthetic response curves show that at low light intensities, photosynthesis increases linearly, while at high light intensities, it levels off.
- Differences in photosynthetic response curves have been used to classify plants into sun and shade species, with shade plants showing higher photosynthetic rates at very low light intensities.
- Functional responses describe the relationship between an individual’s rate of consumption and food density, categorized into type 1 and type 2 functional responses.
- Type 1 functional response is a linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate, while type 2 functional response rises linearly at low food density, rises more slowly at intermediate food density, and then levels off at high densities.
Photosynthesis, Chemical Composition, and Ecological Functions
- Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) makes up about 45% of the solar spectrum at sea level, with infrared light at 53% and UV light at 2%.
- PAR is quantified as photon flux density, measured in micromoles (µmol) per square meter per second, with 4.6 µmol/m^2/s equivalent to a light intensity of about 1 watt per square meter.
- Light quantity and quality change with seasons, weather, time of day, landscapes, water, and organisms.
- Organic molecules are used by organisms categorized as herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and detritivores.
- The chemical composition of organisms is predominantly made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, with plants having lower concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen compared to fungi, animals, and bacteria.
- Plant chemical defenses include toxins and digestion-reducing substances, with tropical plants containing higher levels of toxic alkaloids compared to temperate plants.
- Despite higher levels of chemical defense, tropical plants experience higher levels of herbivore attack, suggesting more intense natural selection for chemical defense in tropical plant populations.
- The rate at which organisms can take in energy is limited by internal constraints, even if energy availability in the environment is not a limiting factor.
- Photosynthetic response curves show that at low light intensities, photosynthesis increases linearly, while at high light intensities, it levels off.
- Differences in photosynthetic response curves have been used to classify plants into sun and shade species, with shade plants showing higher photosynthetic rates at very low light intensities.
- Functional responses describe the relationship between an individual’s rate of consumption and food density, categorized into type 1 and type 2 functional responses.
- Type 1 functional response is a linear increase in consumption rate as food densities rise until reaching a maximum consumption rate, while type 2 functional response rises linearly at low food density, rises more slowly at intermediate food density, and then levels off at high densities.
Test your knowledge of photosynthesis, chemical composition, and ecological functions with this quiz. Explore topics such as photosynthetically active radiation, organic molecule usage by different organisms, plant chemical defenses, photosynthetic response curves, and functional responses in ecological contexts.
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