Ecosystems

Question 0

A year would be an ideal time scale, however some

Answer 0

Climatic variations may range over a few years at a time.

Question 1

Time scales (2)

Answer 1

Needs to cover disturbances, such as fires.

Needs to allow for seasonal change, such as river flow rates.

Question 2

Grazing ecosystem: (2)

Answer 2

Most NPP is eaten by herbivores.

The rest enters the detritus food chain when the plants die.

Question 3

Storage ecosystem: (4)

Answer 3

Biomass builds up as peat, decomp is inhibited by anaerobic conditions and low temps.
The energy entering the system is greater than the energy leaving.
Little biomass is eaten.
Stored energy is released when peat is burnt.

Question 4

Detritus ecosystem: (3)

Answer 4

Once plants have matured, a high level of NPP enters the detritus food chain.
The equilibrium is stable, energy entering is equal to energy leaving.
The grazing food chain is weak, only one consumer level.