Pyramids of Biomass, Energy Tranfer Decay and the Carbon Cycle

Question 1

How does a biomass pyramid work?

Answer 1

Top Carnivore
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Primary Producers

Question 2

Construct a pyramid for rabbits, fleas, grass, fox

Answer 2

Fleas
Fox
Rabbits
Grass

Question 3

Explain why there is less energy each time you move up the biomass pyramid?

Answer 3

1. Energy from the sun is the source for nearly all life on Earth.
2. Green plants and algae use a small percentage of the light energy from the sun to make food during photosythesis. This energy is stored in the plant and then works its way up the food chain.
3. Respiration supplies the energy for all life processes including movement. Most of the energy is eventually lost to the surroundings as heat.
4. Some of the material which makes up plants and animals is inedible (bone) so it doesn’t pass to the next stage of the food chain. Material and energy are also lost from the food chain in the orgams waste materials.

So most of the biomass is lost and so does not become biomass in the next level up.

Question 4

What is each level of a biomass pyramid called?

Answer 4

It is called a trophic level. Trophic comes from the Greek word trophe meaning nourishment so a tophic evel is a feeding level.

Question 5

How many trophic levels are there in a biomass pyramid?

Answer 5

It can vary but rarely is more than 5 trophic levels.

Question 6

How are the elements cycled back to the start of the food chain by decay?

Answer 6

1. Plants take elements like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen from the soil or the air. These are turned into complex compounds (carbohydrate, proteins and fats).
2. These elements are returned to the environment through waste products produced by the organisms or when the organisms die.
3. These materials decay because they’re broken down (digested) by microorganisms and thats how they get back into the soil.

Question 7

What is the best environment for microorganisms to work in?

Answer 7

They prefer warm, moist conditions where there is plenty of oxygen.

Question 8

How does a compost bin work?

Answer 8

Compost is decayed remains of animal and plant material that can be used as fertilser. Warmth is generated by the decomposition process. as a result of microorganisms breaking down (digesting) these materials.

Question 9

So why is there less energy and biomass each time you move up the trophic level?

Answer 9

1. Energy from the SUN is a source of energy for nearly all life on the planet.
2. GREEN PLANTS and ALGAE use a small percentage of the light energy from the sun to make FOOD during photosythesis.
3. The light energy is stored in the substances which make up the cells of plants and algae. This then works its way through the food chain as animals eat them and each other.
4. RESPIRATION supplies the energy for all life processes including MOVEMENT. Most of the energy is eventually lost to the surrounding as heat (especially for MAMMALS and BIRDS) that need to be at a constant temperature.
5. Some of the material whichmakes up plants and animals is INEDIBLE (eg bone) so it doesn’t pass to the next stage of the food chain. MATERIAL and ENERGY are also lost from the food chain in the organisms WASTE MATERIALS.
6. This explains why you get BIOMASS PYRAMIDS. Most of the biomass is lost and so does not become biomass in the NEXT LEVEL UP.
7. This is why you hardly ever get food chains with more than about FIVE TROPHIC LEVELS as so much energy is lost at each stage there’s not enough to support more organisms after 4 or 5 stages

Question 10

What happens to the elements that form waste products produced by organisms?

Answer 10

They cycle back to the start of the Food Chain.

Question 11

Explain how recycling of energy occurs?

Answer 11

1. Living things are made up of material.
2. Plants take elements like CARBON, OXYGEN, HYDROGEN and NITROGEN from the soil or the air.
3. They turns these elements into complex compunds (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and these then pass up the food chain.
4. These elements are retruned to the environment as waste products through pooing and weeing or when they die.
5. The poo or dead body decays and micorganisms break down the elements by digesting them.
6. Micro organisms work best in WARM, MOIST conditions and elements will break down even quicker if OXYGEN is present.
7. The recycled materials are then retruned to the soil ready to be used by new plants and put back into the food chain again.
8. In a STABLE COMMUNITY the materials taken out of the soil and used are balanced by those that are put back in.

Question 12

How does the Carbon Cycle Work?

Answer 12

CO2 is produced from:

1. Buring Fossil Fuels
2. Plant respiration
3. Animal respiration
4. decaying material
5. Buring products made from plants and animals

The whole of the carbon cycle is POWERED by PHOTOSYNTHESIS. CO2 is removed from atmosphere by GREEN PLANTS and ALGAE to creaTE PROTEIN, FATS and CARBOHYDRATE.

Some of the CO2 is retruned to atmosphere when plants and animals respire. Some of the carbon becomes part of the fats, protein and carbohydrate in animals when the plant is eaten.

When it is eaten the carbon moves up the food chain.

Some of the carbon is returned to the atmosphere when the animals respire.

When the PLANTS, ALGAE OR ANIMALS DIE other animals DETRITUS FEEDERS and microorganisms feed on their remains. When these organisms respire CO2 is returned to the atmosphere.

Same applies to poo and wee - DETRITUS FEEDERS break it down.