1. energy transfer in ecosystems

Question 1

ecosystem

Answer 1

all organisms living (biotic) in a particular area and all non living (abiotic) conditions

Question 2

biomass

Answer 2

chemical energy stored in a plant

Question 3

measuring biomass

Answer 3

mass of carbon OR
dry mass per area per time
burn in calorimeter - heat given off = energy given off

Question 4

GPP

gross primary production

Answer 4

total amount of chemical energy converted from light energy by plants
(given area, given time)

Question 5

NPP

net primary production

Answer 5

= GPP - R
chemical energy in plant after respiratory loss (heat)
available for growth and reproduction

Question 6

how is 90% of the total available energy lost from producer to consumer
(trophic levels)

Answer 6

1. not all of food is eaten (bones/plant roots)
2. some parts indigestible so lost as faeces
3. some is lost to the environment through respiration or urine

Question 7

net primary production of consumer

Answer 7

N= I - (F+R)
I ingested
F faeces / urine
R respiration

Question 8

calculating efficiency of energy transfer

Answer 8

net production / what they receive x 100