B17 - Organising an ecosystem Flashcards
What are plants and algae called in the food chain
- why
producers
- they produce their own food
How to producers get food
photosynthesis
What are the producers on land
green plants
What are the producers in the water
algae and phytoplankton
What are animals that eat producers called
- what type of animal are they
primary consumers
- usually herbivores
What is the general food chain
producer -> primary consumer -> secondary consumer -> …… -> apex predator
What are food chains models for
feeding relationships in a community
What is the main issue of primary consumers eating plants
cellulose is difficult to digest
- must eat lots to get necessary nutrients
What is the issue for secondary, tertiary … consumers
their prey moves about so it can be hard to catch
What is the cycle for the amounts of prey and predators
- lots of food means more prey
- therefore predators go up
- which causes prey number to drop
- making less food for predators, so predators drop
- which leads to increase in prey, and the cycle repeats
What do decomposers do
break down waste from dead animals/ plants and droppings, into the chemicals that make them up
What are detritivores
- what are some examples
start decay process by eating dead animals and producing waste. Bacteria and fungi digest all of this and release carbon dioxide, minerals, water as waste
- maggots, types of worms and beetles
What happens to the chemicals releasing by decomposing
recycled into atmosphere, cycle repeats
what is the decay cycle
- producers are eaten by consumers
- dead consumers / waste are broken down by decomposers
- they release carbon dioxide which goes back to producers via photosynthesis
- mineral ions also are released, which go into producer through roots
What is the water cycle
evaportation, transpiration, respiration release water into the atmosphere
- as the air rises it cols, condensing the water droplets into clouds
- as water droplets in clouds get bigger, they fall (precipitation) as rain, snow sleet or hail
- percolation - water goes into ground and into roots of plants
- surface run-off and percolation into bodies of water, which restarts the cycle
approximately how much carbon is cycled each year
1.66 x 10^11
What are carbon sinks
carbon that is locked up - in fossil fuels, oceans etc.
What is the carbon cycle
death of producers is consumed by decomposers
- animals feed on producers, when they die then they are also eaten by consumers
- respiration from plants and animals releases CO2 in the air
- decomposition of decomposers leads to CO2 in the air
- COmbustion leads to CO2 in the air
- photosynthesis results in CO2 from air going back into plant
What is the issue with the future of the carbon cycle
burning fossil fuels increases levels of CO2 in air, destroys balance of millions of years
What three conditions affect rate of decay
temperature, moisture, oxygen
How does temperature affect decomposition rate
the colder the temperature, the slower the rate
- if it is too hot, then enzymes denature and decay stops
How does moisture affect rate of decomposition
more microorganisms grow in moist conditions, meaning rate of decay is faster in moist conditions
How does oxygen level affect rate of decomposition
most decomposers respire aerobically, so decay is faster in aerobic conditions
How do we use the process of decay
to make compost for fertilisers
Around what temperature does decomposition stop
70 degrees
What is produced when bacteria decompose waste in anaerobic conditions
- what temperature is best for this
- what type of reaction is this
methane
- 30 degrees
- exothermic
approximately how much biogas would 10 kg of dung produce
3 metres cubed
