1.3 Energy and Equilibria

Question 1

Positive Feedback Loop

Answer 1

a process in which the end product of an action causes more of that action to occur in a feedback loop, leading to an amplification of the original effect

Question 2

Examples of positive feedback in ecology

Answer 2

• stampeding cattle
• eutrophication
• desertification

Question 3

Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 3

a process in which an outcome acts to reduce or dampen the effects of the initial stimulus, leading to stabilization or regulation of the original effect.

Question 4

Examples of negative feedback in ecology

Answer 4

• predator/prey relationship
• competition for resources

Question 5

Static equilibrium

Answer 5

a stable state of an ecosystem where species composition and population sizes remain relatively constant over time, with only minor fluctuations due to natural processes

Question 6

Stable equilibrium

Answer 6

refers to a condition where an ecosystem, after a disturbance, tends to return to its original state due to the inherent resilience and interactions among its components

Question 7

Unstable Equilibrium

Answer 7

a state in which a small disturbance or change can lead to a significant shift or departure from the original state, leading to a new equilibrium

Question 8

Steady State Equilibrium

Answer 8

a dynamic balance where the input and output of energy and matter in an ecosystem are equal, allowing the system to maintain its structure and functions over time despite ongoing processes and disturbances

Question 9

First Law of Thermodynamics

Answer 9

Law of conservation or energy.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

Question 10

How does the 1st law of thermodynamics relate to a food chain?

Answer 10

When a rabbit eats grass, the chemical energy stored in the grass is transferred to the rabbit and transformed into kinetic energy for movement, and thermal energy for body heat.

Question 11

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Answer 11

The total entropy, or disorder, of an isolated system can never decrease over time, and is only constant if all processes are reversible.

Question 12

Entropy

Answer 12

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system,

Question 13

How does the 2nd law of thermodynamics relate to a food web.

Answer 13

energy flows from producers to consumers, with each transfer resulting in increased entropy due to energy being lost as heat (a less-useful and un retrievable form of energy), leading to less energy available for work at each successive trophic level