Envi Chap 1

Question 1

Function of an ecosystem

Answer 1

Energy flow
Nutrient cycling
Ecological succession or ecosystem development

Question 2

Trophic level interaction

Answer 2

Autotrophs — green plants ( producers)

Heterotrophs — herbivores (primary consumer)

Heterotrophs— carnivores ( secondary consumer)

Heterotrophs — carnivore (tertiary consumer)

Heterotrophs — top carnivore (quaternary consumer)

Question 3

Trophic level interaction oda 3 concepts

Answer 3

Food chain — starts with producers and ends with top carnivores

            Types of food chain 

     Grazing — green plants at base and primary consumer is herbivores 

     Detritus— litter > earthworms > chicken > hawk

FOOD WEB — illustrates al possible transfers of energy and nutrients among organisms in ecosystem

ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID — diff nd relationship btwn no of primary producers and consumers of diff levels

Pyramid of numbers : (normal/ upright)

     No of individuals decreases form low to high. Eg: grass at base, top carnivore at top

    Seen in grassland ecosystem 

    With each higher trophic level no of individuals decreases 

Pyramid of number ( inverted) —

       Increasing order from low to high (eg. big tree at base, hyper parasites at top)

Pyramid of biomass (upward) : weight
Land ecosystem— base large