PPt.9: Energy Flow Through Ecosystems Unit 1 Flashcards
A self-sustaining community of organisms along with its abiotic (non-living) components
Ecosystem
Refers to energy that is stored in chemical bonds that hold molecules together
Potential Energy
Energy of movement of photons in light, heat molecules, electricity electrons
Kinetic Energy
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
The law of conservation of energy
a measure of this molecular activity
Temperature
Measure of disorder
Entropy
Green plants and other photosynthetic organisms (autotrophs) that can convert sunlight energy into chemical bond energy
Producers
Amount of energy produced by producers
ANPP
Gross Primary Production - Respiration
Net Primary Productivity
Herbivores who are heterotrophic organisms that feed directly on plants
Primary Consumers
Carnivores who are heterotrophic organisms that feed on herbivores
Secondary Consumers
Carnivores who eat carnivores
Tertiary Consumers
Consist of bacteria and fungi, which obtain their energy by breaking down the remains or waste products of organisms
Decomposers
Animals that feed on detritus (dead organic matter) and microflora (bacteria and fungi) growing on detritus
Detritivores
The rate at which biomass is produced by photosynthetic organisms
Primary Productivity
