Functioning Ecosystems: Unit 3, Topic 2 Flashcards
What is Biomass?
An ecosystem’s total mass of living matter can be used as a renewable energy source.
Autotrophs (producers) - capture the Sun’s energy through photosynthesis in the bonds of glucose molecules to create energy.
Although not all producers make the same amount of biomass - depends on photosynthesis efficiency.
What is the conversion of light to chemical energy?
AKA. Photosynthesis (used by plants and algae).
Captures light energy from the sun
-> binds molecules of water & carbon dioxide into glucose molecules.
During this process, the sun’s light energy is transformed into chemical energy and then locked in high-energy chemical bonds formed in the glucose molecules -> available for metabolism when released through cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration - releasing chemical energy from the bonds of glucose molecules.
6CO2(carbondioxide)+6H2O(water)+lightenergy and chlorophyll →C6H12O6(glucose)+6O2(oxygen)
What is the carbon cycle?
Carbon atoms circulate between the organic compounds of abiotic and biotic components.
1. Photosynthesis - plants take CO2 from the atmosphere to produce glucose.
2. Decomposition - the breakdown of dead matter generates fossil fuel products, OR anaerobic decomposition where bacteria breakdowns glucose into CO2.
3. Respiration - CO2 is released into the atmosphere.
4. Combustion - burning fossil fuels to release energy.
The continuous exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere, aquatic bodies, and living organisms.
Carbon in the atmosphere can be found in two forms:
1) carbon dioxide
2) methane
(absorbed by autotrophs - used for photosynthesis)
Other areas for the cycle include volcanic eruptions (burning fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere).
Ocean (plankton) absorbs carbon in the form of CO2 into photosynthesis.
How is carbon exchanged between animals and plants?
plants absorb carbon in the form of CO2 for photosynthesis. Animals release the CO2 during cellular respiration.
Heterotrophs eat plants that contain carbon.
Animals release carbon into the atmosphere and the soil.
What is Energy Transfer, when referring to Food Chains?
The flow of matter and energy from one organism to another through feeding relationships.
Shows the flow of energy from one trophic level to another.
What is energy loss, when referring to food chains? How is energy lost?
When energy is being passed on between organisms, about 10% of energy at one trophic level is passed on to the next. 90% of energy is lost at each trophic level.
Energy is lost by:
- respiration
- metabolic processes
- movement
- maintaining constant body temp
- faeces and urine
- materials not being consumed.
endothermic (internal temp higher than surroundings) animals produce more heat losses than ectothermic (internal temp fluctuates along w/ surroundings)
What is Energy Efficiency? What is the formula?
The measure of how effectively energy is converted from one form to another for a particular use, minimizing waste in the process.
Energy loss is posed as a limitation for the number of trophic levels possible within an ecosystem.
Percentage efficiency = net productivity of the organism/net productivity of the pervious trophic level x 100
What is the nitrogen cycle?
It is when nitrogen fixation turns elemental nitrogen into ions such as nitrate and ammonium which plants can absorb -> animals absorb nitrogen from the nitrates in plants.
There are two types of nitrogen cycles:
1. The elemental cycle - N2 is absorbed from the atmosphere by nitrogen-fixing bacteria by denitrifying bacteria and volcanic activity.
- The ionic cycle - nitrogen containing ions are passed between organism.
What is the Water Cycle?
- Evaporation of water from bodies of water, soil, organisms, and transpiration (evaporation from plants.
- Water vapour is carried by air currents into the atmosphere
- meets cooler ait and starts to condense
- forms clouds of liquid droplets/ice
- volume of cloud reaches a critical level
- falls as rain, snow, hail (precipitation).
What is an Ecological Niche?
The role and space that an organism fills in an ecosystem, including all of its interaction with biotic and abiotic factors of its environment.
Fundamental niche: ideal niche if there were no predators/parasites—the widest set of potential relationships and interactions possible.
Realise niche: narrower - represents only the actual relationships and interactions.
What is Competitive Exclusion principle?
Where no two species can occupy exactly the same niche in an ecosystem.
If two species overlap, they will compete with each other until one out-competes the other and the other retreats or becomes extinct.
What is a Keystone Species?
- A plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions.
- Large influence over the stability and biodiversity of the whole community.
