2.3 Flows of energy and matter

Question 1

when solar radiation (insolation) enters our atmosphere, wha are the two things that can happen to it?

Answer 1

it can absorb or reflect.

Question 2

what is the relationship between ecosystems and reflected solar radiation?

Answer 2

the reflected solar radiation is completely unavailable to the ecosystem.

Question 3

what is another word for reflected?

Answer 3

Albido

Question 4

what is the relationship between absorbed solar radiation and an ecosystem?

Answer 4

only some solar radiation is available to an ecosystems as some gets absorbed by inorganic matter.

Question 5

can you give an example of inorganic matter?

Answer 5

concreate

Question 6

what are three different ways solar radiation can be reflected?

Answer 6

reflected by scatter
reflected by clouds
reflected by ground.

Question 7

what are three different ways solar radiation can be absorbed?

Answer 7

absorption by molecules and dust
absorption through clouds
absorption through ground.

Question 8

when solar energy is absorbed into an ecosystem there are four ‘pathways’ that could happen to it, could you list them?

Answer 8

conversion of light energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis.

transfer of chemical energy from one trophic level to anything with varying efficiencies.

overall conversion of ultraviolet and visible light to heat energy by an ecosystem.

re-radiaiton of heat energy to the atmosphere.

Question 9

what is productivity a measure for?

Answer 9

the conversion of energy into biomass for a given period of time. (gaining of weight basically)

Question 10

how do we measure Net primary productivity?

Answer 10

Net primary productivity is measure as

Gross primary productivity- respiratory loss

Question 11

what is primary productivity?

Answer 11

the rate at which solar energy is converted to PLANT biomass. It is done by AUTOTROPHS

Question 12

what is secondary productivity?

Answer 12

the rate at which consumers (heterotrophs) cover chemical energy into their own biomass.

Question 13

what is a term sometimes used instead of secondary productivity?

Answer 13

assimilation

Question 14

what is the link between sustainable yield and productivity?

Answer 14

Maximum sustainable yields are equivalent to the net primary or net secondary productivity of a system.

Question 15

what is the equation of efficiency?

Answer 15

(original-new)
——————- x 100
original

Question 16

how do you calculate gross secondary productivity?

Answer 16

gross secondary productivity=

food eaten- feral loss

Question 17

what is gross secondary productivity?

Answer 17

it is the total energy or biomass assimilated by consumers and is calculated by substrating the mass of feral loss from the mass of food consumed.

Question 18

how do you calculate net secondary productivity?

Answer 18

nett secondary productivity= grosss secondary productivity- respiratory loss.

Question 19

what is the definition for maximum sustainable yield?

Answer 19

Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is the largest crop/catch that can be taken from the stock of a species without depleting the stock

Question 20

what happens when matter flows through ecosystems?

Answer 20

it links them together?

Question 21

can you give two examples where matter flows through ecosystems and how this is demonstrated?

Answer 21

the nitrogen and carbon cycle illustrate the flow of matter between ecosystems using a flow diagram.

Question 22

what two parts make up a flow digram, and what doe they show?

Answer 22

sinks and flows, they show where the element can be found.

Question 23

what is the role of a flow?

Answer 23

moves matter between sinks.

Question 24

an you give examples of a sink in the carbon cycle?

Answer 24

organisms and forests (both organic) or the atmosphere, soil, fossil fuels and oceans (non organic)

Question 25

can you give examples of flows in the carbon cycle?

Answer 25

consumption, death and decomposition, photosynthesis, respiration, dissolving and focialstion.

Question 26

can you give examples of sinks in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 26

organisms, soil, fossil fuels atmosphere and waterbodies

Question 27

can you give examples of flows in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 27

nitrogen fixation by bacteria, lighting, absorption, assimilation, consumption, death and decomposition, and denitrification by bacteria in waterlogged soils.

Question 28

can you list human activities that impact energy flows s well as the carbon and nitrogen cycle?

Answer 28

urbanisation, during of fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture.

Question 29

what is the impact of urbanisation on the carbon cycle?

Answer 29

stores such as vegetation are covered up, congestion caused by unappropiratly manages cities burins hight rates of fossil fuels into the atmosphere.

Question 30

what is the impact of deforestation on the carbon cycle?

Answer 30

distraction on vegetation stores leads to less flows of energy such as photosynthesis, feeding, death and fossilisation.

Question 31

what is the impact of agreculture on the carbon cycle?

Answer 31

Carbon dioxide is emitted by farm equipment moving across the farm’s fields during tilling, planting, the application of pesticides and fertilizers and harvest. The more passes across the farm field, the more carbon that is emitted. Controlled consumption of autotrouphs by carnivores effects the natural flow pattern.