2.2 Communities and Ecosystems

Question 1

The first law of thermodynamics (the principle of conservation of energy)

Answer 1

Energy in an isolated system can be transformed but cannot be created or destroyed

Question 2

a series of reactions in which energy is released from glucose

Answer 2

Respiration

Question 3

a process where green plants convert light energy into chemical energy that can then be used to make a variety of different molecules

Answer 3

Photosynthesis

Question 4

How is energy wasted in a living organism?

Answer 4

• respiration and heat loss

- feces

Question 5

the gaseous form of Nitrogen (N2) is converted in forms used by living organisms

Answer 5

Nitrogen fixation

Question 6

a process that is carried out by denitrifying bacteria. It involves the removal of nitrogen and nitrogen compounds from dead organic matter and often involves the loss of nitrogen back into the atmosphere

Answer 6

Denitrification

Question 7

The second law of thermodynamics states that

Answer 7

the entropy of a system increases over time

Question 8

Entropy

Answer 8

a measure of the amount of disorder in a system

Question 9

show the rate of flow of energy or biomass through each trophic level

Answer 9

Pyramids of Productivity (Energy)

Question 10

Biomass

Answer 10

Material that comes from living organisms, such as plants and animals

Question 11

Ecological Pyramids

Answer 11

A pyramid of biomass can be constructed to represent the relative amount of biomass at each trophic level in a food chain

Question 12

refers to the build-up of a toxic chemical in the body of a living organism

Answer 12

Bioaccumulation

Question 13

when a toxic chemical increases in amount each time it moves up a food chain

Answer 13

Biomagnification