ecosystems

Question 1

Ecosystem

Answer 1

A unit of biology comprised of living elements that interact with each other and their non-living elements; they can be natural or human-made

Question 2

Biological organization

Answer 2

• atoms molecules, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms
• populations, communities, ecosystems

Question 3

Ecosystem function

Answer 3

The ecological process that control fluxes and flows of materials (nutrients and organic matter), energy (sunlight, stored energy), and information (DNA through the environment)

Question 4

Flow of material

Answer 4

eating, pooping, bioturbation, animal migrations, sinking (aquatic ecosystems), wind and water currents, death and decomposition

Question 5

Flow of energy

Answer 5

photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, food webs, and trophic interactions

Question 6

Flow of Information

Answer 6

sexual/ asexual reproduction, animal migration, and seed dispersal

Question 7

Ecosystem services

Answer 7

The benefits (supporting, provisioning, regulating, and non-material) that people obtain from ecosystems. They hold special value for humans and make human life possible.

Question 8

Supporting ecosystem

Answer 8

necessary for production of all other ecosystems services

For example: providing plants with habitat space, they can then provide us with lumber for constructing houses.

Habitats, photosynthesis, soil formation, and biodiversity are examples

Question 9

provisioning service

Answer 9

• material benefits people get from ecosystemsFor example: trees provide us raw materials in the form of lumber for constructing housesBuilding materials, fuel fiber, and medicine are all examples

Question 10

regulating service

Answer 10

benefits obtained from ecosystem processes

For example: process of filter-feeding by mussels cleans the water 

Flood and storm damage control (ecosystems create physical buffers against natural disasters) pollination, cleaning air and water (toxin removal), and climate regulation (process of photosynthesis store greenhouse gases)

Question 11

non-material ecosystem

Answer 11

• benefits obtained from the educational, cultural, and aesthetic values of the ecosystemFor example: natural places and organisms are important for many individuals cultural identity and spiritual wellbeingEnables scientific research, inspires research and development, Biomimicry (imitation models in nature to solve human problems) Nature golds great importance for religions and cultures

Question 12

Bioprospecting:

Answer 12

exploring biodiversity resources for their potential to provide ecosystem services to humans. Carried out by researchers, companies, and institutions

Question 13

Biopiracy

Answer 13

The unauthorized appropriation of biological knowledge by individuals or institutions seeking control through patents or intellectual property rights

Question 14

The unauthorized appropriation of biological knowledge by individuals or institutions seeking control through patents or intellectual property rights

Answer 14

the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants