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Human Health > Ecosystem > Flashcards

Ecosystem Flashcards

1
Q

An ECOSYSTEM can be visualized as a ____ of nature , where living organisms interact among ____ and also with the _____ .

A

Functional unit
Themselves
Surrounding physical environment

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2
Q

Many ecologists regard the _____ as a composite of all the local ecosystems on Earth .

A

Entire biosphere

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3
Q

_,___and____are some examples of terrestrial ecosystems .

A

Forest
Grassland
Desert

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4
Q

Some examples of aquatic ecosystems -

A 
Pond
Lake 
Wetland 
River 
Estuary
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5
Q

Man made ecosystems -

A

Crop field

Aquarium

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6
Q

The structure of ecosystem consists of - INPUT=____, transfer of energy =____ and OUTPUT =______ .

A

Productivity
Food chain /web , nutrient cycling
Degradation , energy loss

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7
Q

Interaction of __and ___ result in a physical structure that is characteristic for each type of ECOSYSTEM .

A

Biotic

Abiotic components

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8
Q

Identification and ENUMERATION of plant and animal species of an ecosystem gives its ____ .

A

Species composition

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9
Q

___ of diff species occupying diff levels is called STRATIFICATION .

A

Vertical distribution

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10
Q

Trees occupy the top vertical strata of forest , __ the second and ____ and ___ , the bottom layer .

A

Shrubs
Herbs
Grasses

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11
Q

The structural components of ecosystem of -

A

Species composition

Stratification

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12
Q

The ASPECTS which make the ecosystem function as a unit are -
( functional aspects of ecosystem )

A

1) productivity
2) decomposition
3) energy flow
4) nutrient cycling

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13
Q

Give an example of a fairly self-sustainable ecosystem unit and rather a type that explain even the complex interactions that exist in an aquatic ecosystem .

A

Pond

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14
Q

A pond is a shallow water body in which all the ___ components of an ecosystem are well exhibited .

A

4 basic

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15
Q

The abiotic component of a pond ecosystem is __with all the ___ and ___at the bottom of the pond .

A

Water
Dissolved inorganic and organic substances
Rich soil deposit

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16
Q

The ___, ____ ____ and ____ regulate the rate of function of the entire pond .

A

Solar input
Cycle of temp
Day -length
Other climatic conditions

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17
Q

The __component of pond include PHYTOPLANKTON .

A

AUTOTROPHIC

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18
Q

The CONSUMERS are represented by _____ in a pond .

A

Zooplankton

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19
Q

The decomposers in a pond are ___ ,____and ____ especially abundant in the _____ .

A

Fungi
Bacteria
Flagellates
Bottom of the pond

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20
Q

There is a ____ movement of entry towards ____ and its dissipation and loss as heat to the environment .

A

Unidirectional

Higher trophies levels

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21
Q

Autotrophs convert __to __material with the help of radiant energy .

A

Inorganic

Organic

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22
Q

A CONSTANT ____ is the basic req for ANY ecosystem .to function and sustain .

A

Solar energy

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23
Q

_____ is defined as the at of BIOMASS do organic matter produced per unit area over a time period by plants during photosynthesis .

A

Prim PRODUCTION

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24
Q

Primary production is expressed in terms of WEIGHT as ____ or energy as _____ .

A

gm _2

Kcal m_2

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25
Q

The rate of biomass production is called ___ .

A

Productivity

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26
Q

Productivity is expressed in terms of -

A

gm_2 yr_1

kcal m_2 yr_1

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27
Q

_____ of an ecosystem is the rate of production of ORGANIC MATTER during photosynthesis .

A

Gross prim productivity ( GPP )

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28
Q

A considerable amt of _____ is utilised by plants in respiration .

A

GPP

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29
Q

NPP =_____ -_____ .

A

GPP - RL

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30
Q

NPP is the available biomass for the consumption to ____ .

A

Heterotrophs ( herbivores / decomposers )

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31
Q

Sec productivity is defined as the rate of formation of ___ by CONSUMERS .

A

New ORGANIC MATTER

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32
Q

Prim productivity depends on the ____ .

A

Plant species inhabiting a PARTICULAR AREA

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33
Q

Prim productivity also depends on a ____, ___ and _____ of plants .

A

Variety of environmental factors
Availability of nutrients
Photosynthetic capacity of plants

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34
Q

__ varies in diff types of ecosystems .

A

Prim productivity

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35
Q

The annual NET PRIM PRODUCTIVITYof the whole BIOSPHERE is approx _____ .

A

170 billion tons ( dry wt ) of organic matter

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36
Q

Oceans occupy _____% of the surface , but their productivity is only _____ TONS .

A

70%
55 billion tons
(P of rest of biosphere = 170-55 =115 BILLION TONS )

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37
Q

Productivity of land =

A

115 billion tons

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38
Q

Decomposers break __into ____ .

A

Complex organic matter

Inorganic substances like CO2 , H2O , nutrients

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39
Q

_____is the raw material for decomposition .

A

Detritus

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40
Q

What constitutes detritus ?

A

Dead plant remains - leaves ,bark , flowers

Dead remains of animals including fecal matter .

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41
Q

Earthworms break ____into smaller particles , therefore they are called _____ .

A

Detritus

Detrivores

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42
Q

The process by which earthworms ( detrivores ) break down detritus into smaller particles is called -

A

Fragmentation

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43
Q

By the process of leaching , ____ go down into the soil horizon and get PRECIPITATED AS _____ .

A

Soluble inorganic nutrients

Unavailable salts

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44
Q

______degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances .

A

Bacterial and fungal ENZYMES

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45
Q

The process by which bacterial and fungal enzymes degrade. Detritus into simpler inorganic substances is called -

A

Catabolism

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46
Q

Diff btw fragmentation and catabolism ?

A

Frag - by earthworm ; breakdown into smaller particles ( physical process )
Cata - by bacterial and fungal enzymes ; breakdown into simpler inorganic substances ( chemical process )

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47
Q

It is imp to note that ____ steps in decomposition operate simultaneously on detritus .

A

3
Frag
Leach
Cata

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48
Q

____and ____ occur during decomposition in the soil .

A

Humification

Mineralization

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49
Q

____leads to accumulation of a dark coloured amorphous substance called HUMUS .

A

Humification

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50
Q

Humus is ____ to MICROBIAL ACTION and undergoes decomposition at a _____ RATE .

A

Highly resistant

Extremely slow rate

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51
Q

Being ____ in nature , humus serves as a reservoir of nutrients .

A

Colloidal

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52
Q

Humus is further degraded by ____ and release of ____ occurs by the process known as ____ .

A

Some microbes
Inorganic nutrients
Mineralization

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53
Q

Decomposition is largely an ___ process .

A

Oxygen req .

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54
Q

The rate of decomposition is controlled by the ___ and _____ .

A

Chemical. Composition of detritus

Climatic factors

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55
Q

Decomposition rate is slower if detritus is rich in _____ and quicker , if detritus is rich I n ____ .

A

Lignin Chitin

nitrogen , water soluble subs like sugar

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56
Q

___and ____are most imp CLIMATIC FACTORS that regulate decomposition through their effects on the activities of ___ .

A

Temp
Soil moisture
Soil microbes

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57
Q

__and ___ favour decomposition whereas ___ and _____ inhibit decomposition .

A

Warm and moist environment

Low temp and anaerobiosis

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58
Q

Low temp and anaerobiosis result in ____ .

A

Build up of organic materials

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59
Q

Except for the ___ , sun is the only source of energy for all ecosystems on earth .

A

Deep -sea hydrothermal vents

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60
Q

Of the INCIDENT SOLAR RADIATION , ____ of it is PAR ( photosynthetically active radiation )

A

Less than 50%

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61
Q

Plants capture only _____ % of ___ and this small amt of energy sustains the entire living world.

A

2-10%

PAR

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62
Q

Which law of thermodynamics is stated by the fact that FLOW OF ENRGY IS UNIDIRECTIONAL .

A

1st law

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63
Q

How do ecosystems follow the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

A

They need a constant supply of energy to synthesise the molecules they req , to counteract the universal tendency towards increasing disorderliness .

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64
Q

In a terrestrial ecosystem , major producers are __and ___ .

A

Herbaceous plants

Woody plants

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65
Q

Producers in an aquatic ecosystem -

A

Phytoplankton

Algae higher plants

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66
Q

The chain or web is formed becoz of _____.

A

Interdependency

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67
Q

Energy that is trapped into an organism remains in it for ever .T/F

A

F

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68
Q

___ is the beginning of the detritus foo chain / web .

A

Death of organism

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69
Q

Who are prim consumers ?

A

Herbivores

70
Q

Common herbivores in aquatic ecosystem -

A

Molluscs

71
Q

Prim carnivores are _____ consumers .

A

Sec.

72
Q

The DFC begins with _____ .

A

Dead organic matter

73
Q

DFC is composed of ____ which are heterotrophic organisms , mainly ____and ____ .

A

Decomposers
Fungi
Bacteria

74
Q

Decomposers secrete _____ that breakdown dead and waste materials into simple , inorganic materials , which are subsequently absorbed by them .

A

Digestive enzymes

75
Q

In aquatic ecosystem , ___is the major conduit for energy flow .

A

GFC

76
Q

In a ___ ecosystem , a much larger fraction of energy flows through the detritus food chain than through ____ .

A

Terrestrial

GFC

77
Q

Some of the organisms of __Are prey to __animals .

A

DFC

GFC

78
Q

Based on _____ ,organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain that is known as their trophies level .

A

The source of their nutrition or food

79
Q

Carnivores belong to the __trophic level .

A

3rd

80
Q

Each organism has a certain mass of LIVING MATERIAL at a particular time called as _____ .

A

Standing CROP

81
Q

The standing crop is measured as the ____ or _______ .

A

Mass of living organisms( BIOMASS )

Number on UNIT AREA

82
Q

The BIOMASS is measured in terms of _____ weight .

A

Fresh or dry (both )

83
Q

Measurement of biomass in terms of _____ is more ACCURATE .

A

Dry weight

84
Q

The number of tragic levels in a GFC is restricted as _____ .

A

Transfer of energy follows 10%LAW

85
Q

How trophic levels are possible in a GFC ?

A 
4 -5 
Producer
Herbivore 
Prim carnivore 
Sec carnivore
86
Q

The top (apex )of ecological pyramids represents -

A

Tertiary / top level consumer

87
Q

An calculation of energy content , biomass and numbers has to include ____ at that trophic level .

A

All organisms

88
Q

No generalizations regarding pyramids will be true if we take ______ into account .

A

Only a few indivisuals at any trophic level

89
Q

The trophic level in any ecological pyramid represents a _____ , not a ____as such .

A

Functional level

Species

90
Q

Give an example when a given species occupies more than one trophic level at the same time .

A

Sparrow - prim consumer - eats seeds , fruits , peas

Sec consumer -eats insects 🐞, worms 🐛

91
Q

In most ecosystems , pyramids of ____are upright .

A

All the pyramids , energy , biomass nd number

92
Q

The pyramid of _____ in SEA is generally INVERTED .

A

Biomass

becoz biomass of fishes exceeds that of phytoplankton

93
Q

Ecological pyramids do not accommodate a ___ .

A

Food web

94
Q

____are not given any place in ecological pyramids , even though they play a vital role in the ecosystem .

A

Saprophytes

95
Q

Ecological pyramid does not take not account ___.

A

Same species belonging to 2 or more trophic levels

96
Q

In a sea , small STANDING CROP of ____ supports a large standing crop of _____ .

A

Phytoplankton

Zooplankton

97
Q

Pyramid of number ina grassland ecosystem is -

A

Upright

98
Q

Pyramid of number of tree is -

A

Spindle shaped

Big tree - small insects - small birds-large birds

99
Q

Type of pyramid of number is : tree —> herbivorous birds —> parasites .

A

Inverted

100
Q

Pyramid of number in a pond ecosystem .

A

Upright

101
Q

Pyramid of biomass in a terrestrial ecosystem -

A

Upright

102
Q

An imp aspect of all communities is that their __and ____ constantly change in response to the changing environmental conditions .

A

Composition

Structure

103
Q

The composition and structure change of communities is ____and ____ , parallel with the changes in the physical environments .

A

Orderly

Sequential

104
Q

The changes lead finally to a community that is in near equilibrium with the environment and is called ___.

A

Climax community

105
Q

The GRADUAL and FAIRLY PREDICTABLE change in the species composition of a given area is called ____ .

A

Ecological succession

106
Q

Ecological succession is the gradual and fairly predictable change in the ____ of a given area .

A

Species composition

107
Q

What all happens during succession ?

A

Some species colonise an area while others decline and disappear

108
Q

The entire sequence of communities that successive change in a given area are called ____

A

Seres

109
Q

Succession and __would have parallel processes million of yrs ago .

A

Evolution

110
Q

Succession starts in an area where no living organisms are there . T/F

A

T

111
Q

Succession where no living organism ever existed would occur where ?

A

Bare rock

112
Q

A succession occurring in an area which somehow lost all the living organism that existed there is called ___.

A

Sec succession

113
Q

Examples where prim succession occurs -

A

Newly cooled lava
Bare rock
Newly created pond /reservoir

114
Q

Before a biotic community can be established , there must be ____ .

A

Soil

115
Q

__succession is slow .

A

Prim

116
Q

Sec succession occurs where ?

A

Abandoned farm land
Burned or cut forests
Lands that have been flooded
( al these places have some soil )

117
Q

Description of ecological succession usually focuses on changes in ______.

A

Vegetation

118
Q

As succession proceeds , the ___and ____ also change .

A

Number and types of animals

Decomposers

119
Q

Hydrarch succession takes place in ____ and xerarch succession takes place in ___ .

A

Wet areas

Dry areas

120
Q

Both hydrarch and xerarch lead to ____ conditions .

A

Medium water ( mesic )

121
Q

The species that invade a bare area are called __ .

A

Pioneer species

122
Q

In prim succession on rocks , __are the pioneer species and are able to _____ , help in wealthier and soil formation .

A

Lichens

Secrete acids to dissolve rocks

123
Q

Lichens pave way to very smooth plants like ____ which are able to take hold in small amt of sol .

A

Bryophytes

124
Q

The climax community remains stable as long as ______ .

A

Environment remains unchanged

125
Q

In sec succession , the species that invade depend on the ___ , ____ , ____and _____ .

A

Condition of soil
Availability of water
Environment
Seeds and other propagules present

126
Q

What are the 2 imp facts about succession -

A

Prim succession is a very slow process ( 1000yrs to reach climax )
All successions proceeds to a SIMILAR CLIMAX COMMUNITY -mesic

127
Q

The amt of nutrients present in the soil at any given time is referred to as ____ .

A

Standing state

128
Q

Standing state varies in _____ and also on a ___basis .

A

Diff kinds of ecosystems

Seasonal basis

129
Q

Give some examples of NUTRIENTS that constitute the STANDING STATE -

A 
C
N
P
S
Ca
130
Q

____are never lost form the ecosystem , rather they are ___ indefinitely .

A

Nutrients

Recycled time and again

131
Q

The movement of nutrient elements through various components of an ecosystem is called ___.

A

Nutrition cycling

132
Q

Another name for nutrient cycling -

A

BIOGEOCHEMICAL cycling ( bio-living ; geo-rocks ,air ,water )

133
Q

Nutrient cycles are of _____ types . Name -

A

2
Gaseous
Sedimentary

134
Q

Stages of prim succession in hydrarch community -

A

Phytoplankton —> submerged rooted plants —> submerged free -floating —> reed -swamp—> marsh meadow —> scrub stage —> forest

135
Q

The reservoir for gaseous type of cycle is ___ and for sedimentary cycle is _____ .

A

Atmosphere

Earths’s crust

136
Q

Sedimentary cycles are -

A

P

S

137
Q

Environmental factors that regulate the release of nutrients into the atm are -

A

Soil
Moisture
PH
Temp

138
Q

The function of reservoir -

A

To meet the deficit which occurs due to imbalance in the rate of influx and efflux .

139
Q

CARBON constitutes __% of dry wt of organisms .

A

49%

140
Q

C as a constituent of dry wt of organs is next only to ____ .

A

Water

after water , C is most abundant in living organisms

141
Q

____% C is found dissolved in the oceans .

A

71%

142
Q

___regulates the amt of CO2 in the amt .

A

Oceanic reservoir of C

143
Q

The atm contains only __% of total global C .

A

1%

144
Q

fossil fuel represent _____ of C .

A

Reservoir of C

145
Q

C cycling occurs through ____ , ___ and through ___ and ___ .

A

Atm
Ocean
Living and dead organisms

146
Q

_____ kg of C is fixed in the biosphere through photosynthesis ANNUALLY .

A

4* 10_13 kg

147
Q

A considerable amt of C returns to the atm as ___ through ____ .

A

CO2

Respiratory activities of the producers and consumers

148
Q

______ also contribute substantially to CO2 pool by their processing of waste materials and dead organic matter of land or oceans .

A

Decomposers

149
Q

Some amt of fixed C is lost to ____ and removed from circulation .

A

Sediments

150
Q

Human activities have greatly influenced the ____ .

A

C cycle

151
Q

P is the major constituents of _____ , ___ and ______ .

A

Biological membranes
Nucleic acids
Cellular energy transfer systems

152
Q

Many animals need large quantities of ___ to make shells , bones and teeth .

A

P

153
Q

The natural reservoir of P is _____ , which contains P in the form of ____ .

A

Rock

Phosphates

154
Q

How do plants get P ?

A

When rocks are weathered , minute amt of these P dissolve in soil solution and are absorbed by the plants .

155
Q

Animals obtain P from ____.

A

Plants

156
Q

The waste products and the dead organisms are decomposed by _____ releasing P .

A

Phosphate -solubilising bacteria

157
Q

Unlike C , there is no ____ of P .

A

Respiratory release of P into ATMOSPHERE .

158
Q

Amt inputs of P through ____ are much smaller than C inputs .

A

Rainfall

159
Q

Gaseous exchange of P btw organisms and environment are _____ .

A

Negligible

160
Q

2 major diff btw C and P cycles -

A

Atm input of P through rainfall are ugh smaller than C

Gaseous exchange of P btw organisms and environment are NEGLIGIBLE .

161
Q

The products of ecosystem processes are named as _____ .

A

Ecosystem services

162
Q

Ecosystem services provided by healthy forests -

A 
Ecosystem purifies air and water 
Mitigate droughts and floods 
Cycle nutrients 
Generate fertile soils 
Provide wildlife habitat 
Maintain biodiversity 
Pollinate crops 
Provide storage site for C. 
Provide aesthetic , cultural and spiritual values
163
Q

__and his colleagues have recently put prize tags on nature’s life support services .

A

Robert Constanza

164
Q

Researches have put a prize tag of ____ aYEAR on fundamental services .

A

US $ 33 trillion

165
Q

Avg prize tag of ecosystem services is __amt of ____ which is ____ .

A

Twice
Global gross national product ( GNP)
US $ 18 trillion

166
Q

Soil formation accounts for __ % .

A

50%

167
Q

Contribution of nutrient cycling is __% .

A

Less than 10%

168
Q

Contribution fo recreation is __% .

A

Less than 10%

169
Q

Cost of climate regulation is ______ .

A

6%

170
Q

Cost of habitat for wildlife is ____.

A

6%

Human Health (8 decks)

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