Energy transfer in ecosystems

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

All the living organisms living in a particular area and non-living conditions

Question 2

What is biomass?

Answer 2

Chemical energy stored in the plant

Question 3

How can biomass be measured?

Answer 3

Measuring the amount of carbon that an organism has
OR
Dry mass of its tissue per unit area

Question 4

What is gross primary production?

Answer 4

The total amunt of chemical energy ocnverted from light energy by plants in a given area.

Question 5

What is respiratory loss?

Answer 5

Approximately 50% of GPP is lost to the environment as heat when plants respire

Question 6

What is net primary production?

Answer 6

The energy available to plant for growth and reproduction. Energy is stored in the plant’s biomass and is available to organisms at the next stage of the food chain.

Question 7

What is the equation for net primary production?

Answer 7

NPP = GPP - Respiratory loss
(kJm^-2year^-1)

Question 8

How do consumers get there energy?

Answer 8

By ingesting plant material or animals who have eaten plants. Not all chemical energy stored in front is transferred to next trophic. The amount of energy that is left after all this is stored in consumers biomass and available to the next trophic level.

Question 9

What is the equation for the net production for consumers?

Answer 9

N = I - (F +R)
I = chemical energy in ingested food
F = chemical energy lost in faeces and urine
R = energy lost through respiration