Biomass, Energy Transfer and Decay Flashcards
What are the levels in a pyramid of biomass called?
Trophic levels
How does a pyramid of biomass differ to a pyramid of number?
If there are 50 fleas on one fox, the fox is still the bigger bar of the pyramid due to its size
Pyramids of number aren’t always shaped like pyramids due to the changing numbers of organisms
What is always at the bottom of a pyramid of biomass?
The producer (plant)
What is the name for an animal that eats a plant? (In terms of a food chain - not herbivore)
Primary consumer
What is the source of energy for almost all of life on Earth?
The sun
How does energy enter a food chain?
Green plants and algae store it in cells to photosynthesise. It is passed on when these plants are eaten
How might energy be lost?
Movement
Respiration
Reproduction
Growth
Heat
Waste
What creatures lose the most energy as heat and why?
Mammals and birds, as they need to regulate a body temperature higher than their surroundings
What is the definition of biomass?
The mass of living material
What are the ideal conditions for decay?
Warm, moist, oxygenated
What causes decay?
Decomposing microorganisms
How is energy transferred throughout a food chain?
When organisms get eaten
How is energy lost at each stage of a food chain?
Movement
Respiration
Waste
Reproduction
Warmth
Some is inedible
What elements do plants take in?
Carbon
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Why do plants take in elements?
To produce complex compounds like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
