chapter 20 ecosystems

Question 1

what are the biotic components of an ecosystem

Answer 1

producers, consumers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and decomposers(detritivores)

Question 2

what is a food chain, what is a food web, what is a trophic level

Answer 2

food chain–» series of organisms, each of which is eaten by the next

food web–» interconnected with one another in an overall pattern

trophic level–» the feeding level in a food chain to which an organism belongs

Question 3

why are energy conversions in an ecosystem never 100% efficient

Answer 3

the amount of energy at each level that is available to be passed on is reduced because large amounts of energy loss [wastes; heat energy] therefore , there is not enough left to be passed on
dissipated & transformed [never lost or created]

Question 4

is it more efficient to be a primary consumer or a secondary consumer

Answer 4

primary consumer because they get the most nutrients and minerals compared to secondary consumers

Question 5

which ecosystem accounts for the largest amount of the earth’s net primary productivity

Answer 5

open oceans

Question 6

what are biogeochemical cycles, what are the two general types of biogeochemical cycles

Answer 6

the movement of nutrient elements through an ecosystem by physical and biological processes;

sedimentary–» major reservoir is some sedimentary materials such as soil, rocks or water
atmospheric[gaseous]–» major reservoir is the atmosphere

Question 7

what are the phases of the water cycle

Answer 7

evaporation, precipitation, runoff