Chapter 11 Flashcards
Flux of energy and matter
Standing crop
The bodies of the living organisms within a unit area.
Biomass
The mass of organisms per unit area of ground (or water).
Primary productivity
Rate at which biomass is produced through photosynthesis.
Net primary productivity (NPP)
Difference between total primary productivity and respiration (energy utilized to process resources)
Secondary productivity
Rate of production of biomass by heterotrophs.
Net ecosystem productivity (NEP)
Difference between NPP and heterotrophic respiration.
Live consumer system
The group consisting of herbivores that consume primary production and carnivores that consume these herbivores.
Decomposer system
NPP that is not eaten by herbivores are passed through this system. Consists of decomposers and detritivores.
Liebig’s Law of the Minimum
Limiting nutrients vary across the planet.
Phosphorus is more limiting in the tropics.
Nitrogen is more limiting towards the poles.
Transfer efficiencies
The efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
The product of consumption, assimilation, and production efficiencies.
Consumption efficiency
Percent of productivity that gets consumed.
Assimilation efficiency
Percent of productivity not excreted.
Production efficiency
Percent of assimilated energy that becomes biomass.
Immobilization
Turning something inorganic (CO2 or nutrients and energy) into something organic.
Mineralization
Decomposition breaks apart organic matter and releases nutrients, CO2, and energy.
