Increasing Energy Transfer Efficiency

Question 1

How do you increase energy transfer in crops with humans?

Answer 1

• this is the most efficient energy transfer
• but insects can live on the crop or microorganisms in the soil that can
  damage the plant growth e.g. fungi
• could also have weeds
• this leads to competition between crops, weeds, insects, and fungi for resources

Question 2

How do you increase energy transfer in plant crops?

Answer 2

1) - shorten the food web - eliminate as many things as possible e.g. weeds, insects
- this reduces competition so more energy can be used to create
biomass

kill weeds using herbicide
use fungicide - to reduce fungal infections
use insectiside - chemical control of pests
you can also use biological control - natural predators

2)fertilisers e.g. nitrates - prevent growth being limited by lack of
nutrients

Question 3

How do you increase energy transfer in animals?

Answer 3

3) - to reduce respiratory loss - by restricting movement - less respiration as more energy is
used to make biomasss
- keep warm in winter - less respiration
4)- slaughter animal while still growing
5) keep predators away
6) controlled diet = higher % of their food will be digested (less poo)
7) both animals and plants - artifically select organisms with high yield