Chapter 10 Organisms and their Environment Flashcards
what are producers
an organism that makes it own food
what are consumers
organism that cannot make its own food, they obtain energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms
what are decomposers
organisms that get their energy and nutrients by breaking down dead organisms
what is the principal source of energy
the sun
what does producers do with energy from the sun ?
the energy get absorbed by chlorophyll during photosynthesis
how is energy from producers transferred
it’s passed from one trophic level to another by feeding
how is the amount of energy affected as it flows thru ecosystem
it decreases as only 10% of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to another
how is the rest of energy of organisms transferred?
it is transferred to the environment as heat through respiration.
why is the energy lost by respiration non cyclic
the energy lost by heat through respiration cannot be returned to the same system -> cannot be recycled
how is the energy from egested and excreted materials transferred?
the trapped chemical energy is released by decomposers
decomposers that respire –> energy transferred back as heat through respiration
what are activities that removes carbon dioxide from atmosphere
photosynthesis and feeding
what are activities that gives carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere
respiration, decomposition, fossil fuel and combustion
how does decomposition release carbon dioxide back to atmosphere
decomposers break down dead matter which release carbon dioxide
how does fossil fuels and combustion release co2 back to atmosphere
when dead bodies are buried, subjected to high pressure and temperature, burning them release carbon dioxide to atmosphere
what are carbon sinks?
an area that stores carbon for a long time. It stores more carbon than it releases
