3.1-3.3 - ecology & energy, producers, & consumers

Question 1

What does the biosphere consist of?

Answer 1

All life on Earth, everywhere where life exists.

Question 2

The biosphere extends _ kilometers above earth surface to __ kilometers below Earth’s surface.

Answer 2

8; 11

Question 3

What is ecology? (Hint: the scientific study of interactions among what and between what?)

Answer 3

the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their physical environment

Question 4

What is an environment?

Answer 4

The conditions, or factors, surrounding an organism.

Question 5

Describe the interaction between organisms and their environments. (Hint: what do organisms do to their environment? What do they also do? What do organisms produce as a result of this?)

Answer 5

Organisms respond to their environment and can also change their environment, producing an ever changing or dynamic biosphere.

Question 6

What are biotic factors?

Answer 6

Biological influences on organisms.

Question 7

What is an example of a biotic factor?

Answer 7

Tadpole eats algae, bullfrog eats insects, horn eats bullfrogs —> competition between species for frog.

Question 8

What are abiotic factors?

Answer 8

the physical components of an ecosystem

Question 9

What is an example of an abiotic factor?

Answer 9

It is a physical, outside, external condition. Like how water availability will affect the bullfrog.

Question 10

What do organisms rely on?

Answer 10

energy

Question 11

What is the main source of energy?

Answer 11

sunlight

Question 12

How do autotrophs acquire energy?

Answer 12

they use chemical (solar) energy to produce “food” by assembling inorganic compounds into complex inorganic molecules

Question 13

Are autotrophs producers or consumers?

Answer 13

Autotrophs are primary producers. They store energy for other organisms.

Question 14

How do heterotrophs acquire energy?

Answer 14

Most heterotrophs acquire energy from other organisms.

Question 15

Are heterotrophs producers or consumers?

Answer 15

Heterotrophs are consumer organisms that rely on other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Question 16

What is a primary producer? (Hint: An autotroph that stores what?)

Answer 16

An autotroph that stores energy in forms that make it available for other organisms.

Question 17

What is a carnivore?

Answer 17

Carnivores kill and eat other animals. Catching and killing prey can be difficult and requires energy, but meat is generally rick in nutrients and energy is easy to digest.

Question 18

What is a herbivore?

Answer 18

Herbivores obtain energy and nutrients by eating plant leaves, roots, seeds, or fruits. Common herbivores include cows, caterpillars, and deer.

Question 19

What is a decomposer?

Answer 19

Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, “feed” by chemically breaking down organic matter, The decay caused by decomposers is part of the process that produces detritus—small pieces of dead and decaying plant and animal remains.

Question 20

What is an omnivore?

Answer 20

Omnivores are animals whose diets naturally include a variety of different foods that usually include both plants and animals.

Question 21

What is a scavenger?

Answer 21

Scavengers are animals that consume the carcasses of other animals that have been killed by the predators or have died of other causes.

Question 22

What is a detritivore?

Answer 22

Detritivores feed on detritus particles, often chewing or grinding them into even smaller pieces. Many types of mites, snails, shrimp, and crabs are detrivores. Detritivores commonly digest decomposers that live on, and in, detritus particles.

Question 23

Energy in an ecosystem always flows from _______ _________ to ______ _______.

Answer 23

primary producers to various consumers

Question 24

What is a food chain (hint: a series of ____)?

Answer 24

a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.

Question 25

What is a food web? (Hint: It’s a network of complex what?)

Answer 25

A network of complex feeding relationships within any given ecosystem.

Question 26

What is the importance of decomposers?

Answer 26

Decomposers convert dead material to “detritus,” which is going to be eaten by detritivores recycling nutrients in the food web.

Question 27

Are decomposers consumers or producers?

Answer 27

consumers

Question 28

What is detritus?

Answer 28

dead material converted into usable material to be eaton by detritivores.

Question 29

Why is it impossible to predict the outcome when a food chain suffers a significant loss of any of the species? (Hint: What will happen to some organisms in the food chain?)

Answer 29

If you disrupt the balance of a food chain, some organisms in the food chain will go extinct or starve. It’s hard to determine how al the other species will be impacted.

Question 30

The drop of one species in a food web can often cause…

Answer 30

a disruption in the food chain. It can create instability in the whole ecosystem.