Nature Of Ecosystems

Question 0

What is the biomass?

Answer 0

The total mass of plant and animal life in an ecosystem

Question 1

What is the definition of biotic?

Answer 1

The living environment: vegetation, mammals, insects, birds, microorganisms

Question 2

What does abiotic mean?

Answer 2

The non living, chemical and physical components of the ecosystem: climate, soil, parent rock, relief, drainage

Question 3

What is a trophic level?

Answer 3

A feeding level within a food chain; 
Producers/autotrophs
Primary consumers/herbivores
Secondary consumers/carnivores
Tertiary consumers
Detritivores and decomposes

Question 4

What is the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 4

Nitrates are taken from the soil by plants which make them into proteins. These proteins are passed into herbivores and the rest of the food chain before being returned to the soil as ammonia or decay when the protein is turned back into nitrates.

Question 5

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 5

Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the atmosphere

Respiration and combustion release CO2 into the atmosphere

Question 6

What is the nutrient cycle?

Answer 6

Varies from place to place
Soil - minerals from rock and humus from waste: loss by leaching
Biomass - all loving material, energy and carbon from the atmosphere, minerals from soil: loss by fallout
Litter - on top of soil, precipitation input: loss by runoff

Question 7

What is a biome?

Answer 7

An ecosystem at a continental scale: predominantly influenced by the climate. Can be judged by rate at which things grow.

Question 8

What is a trophic pyramid?

Answer 8

A diagram of the trophic levels