LO14 Flashcards
What is the general ecosystem definition?
a complex network, or interconnected system.
whats is the biology definition of an ecosystem?
a community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
Energy enters an ecosystem as……., is transformed, and is lost as…….
Energy enters an ecosystem as solar radiation, is transformed, and is lost as heat.
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
“With each energy conversion, a part of the energy becomes unable to do work” “Energy conversions are inefficient”
What is the law of conversion of mass?
Matter cannot be created or destroyed
- For Chemistry
- For physiology
What are two key emergent properties at the ecosystem level?
Energy flow and Chemical flow
Energy and nutrients pass from …………. (autotrophs) to……………….. (herbivores) to ………………. (carnivores) to …………………. (carnivores that feed on other carnivores)
Energy and nutrients pass from primary producers (autotrophs) to primary consumers (herbivores) to secondary consumers (carnivores) to tertiary consumers (carnivores that feed on other carnivores)
………………., or …………….., are consumers that derive their energy from ………………, nonliving organic matter
Detritivores, or decomposers, are consumers that derive their energy from detritus, nonliving organic matter
………. and ………….. are important detritivores
Prokaryotes and fungi are important detritivores (eat detritus/dead things)
……………….. connects all trophic levels
Decomposition connects all trophic levels
In most ecosystems, ………………… is the amount of light energy converted to chemical energy by photo autotrophs during a given time period
In most ecosystems, primary production is the amount of light energy converted to chemical energy by photo autotrophs during a given time period
In a few ecosystems, …………………….. are the primary producers, e.g. deep sea vent ecosystems
In a few ecosystems, chemoautotrophs are the primary producers, e.g. deep sea vent ecosystems
Total primary production is known as the ecosystem’s ………………….
Total primary production is known as the ecosystem’s gross primary production (GPP)
………… is measured as the conversion of ………. into ………………. through ………….. per unit time
GPP is measured as the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis per unit time
