Chapter 5 key notes

Question 1

photosynthesis

Answer 1

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar

Question 2

producer

Answer 2

an organism that makes its own food For example a plant or algae, Producers get their energy by making their own food

Question 3

consumer

Answer 3

any organism that can’t make its own food, Consumers have to feed on producers or other consumers to survive Deer’s are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants Producers. Bears are another example of consumers

Question 4

decomposer

Answer 4

a living thing like bacterium, fungus, or insect that feeds on and breaks down plant and animal matter into simpler parts or substances

Question 5

cellular respiration

Answer 5

the process by which organisms combine oxygen with foodstuff molecules, diverting the chemical energy in these substances into life-sustaining activities and discarding, as waste products, carbon dioxide, and water

Question 6

food chain

Answer 6

the sequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism. Food chains intertwine locally into a food web because most organisms consume more than one type of animal or plant

Question 7

food web

Answer 7

A food web consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem, Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem

Question 8

trophic level

Answer 8

Trophic level is defined as the position of an organism in the food chain and ranges from a value of 1 for primary producers to 5 for marine mammals and humans

Question 9

carbon cycle

Answer 9

The carbon cycle describes the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere

Question 10

nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Answer 10

prokaryotic microorganisms that are capable of transforming nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into “fixed nitrogen” compounds, such as ammonia, that are usable by plants

Question 11

nitrogen cycle

Answer 11

There are five stages in the nitrogen cycle, and we will now discuss each of them in turn: fixation or volatilization, mineralization, nitrification, immobilization, and denitrification

Question 12

phosphorus

Answer 12

The main function of phosphorus is in the formation of bones and teeth. It plays an important role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats. It is also needed for the body to make protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues

Question 13

ecological succession

Answer 13

he process that describes how the structure of a biological community that is, an interacting group of various species in a desert, forest, grassland, marine environment changes over time

Question 14

primary succession

Answer 14

Primary succession occurs when new land is formed or bare rock is exposed, providing a habitat that can be colonized for the first time

Question 15

secondary succession

Answer 15

Secondary succession occurs when the severity of disturbance is insufficient to remove all the existing vegetation and soil from a site. Many different kinds of disturbances, such as fire, flooding, windstorms, and human activities like logging of forests can initiate secondary succession

Question 16

pioneer species

Answer 16

the species that first colonize new habitats just like moss or liken created by disturbance. Although the term is usually applied to plants, microbial and invertebrate pioneer species are also sometimes recognized

Question 17

climax community

Answer 17

An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment A climax community is the final stage of succession remaining relatively unchanged until destroyed by an event such as fire or human interference