SG 10.2

Question 1

Define trophic levels

Answer 1

Levels in a food chain to show what eats what in an ecosystem

Question 2

Define autotroph

Answer 2

Organisms that make their own energy, typically a plant using photosynthesis using the sun

Question 3

Define heterotroph

Answer 3

An organism that can not make their own energy and must rely on eating others to get their energy

Question 4

Define herbivore

Answer 4

An organism that will eat mostly plants

Question 5

Define carnivore

Answer 5

An organism that will eat mostly meat, from other organisms

Question 6

Define omnivore

Answer 6

An organism that will eat plenty of anything

Question 7

Define detrivore

Answer 7

An organism that is a decomposer, will eat dead things

Question 8

What is shown in a pyramid of energy vs. a pyramid of numbers vs. a pyramid of biomass?

Answer 8

Pyramid of energy shows how energy is lost through the food chain but also where it goes, and where it came from. Pyramid of numbers shows the population size for organisms in an ecosystem. A pyramid of biomass refers to the size of organisms throughout the food chain

Question 9

Name similarities and differences between how matter and energy are transferred/transformed in an ecosystem

Answer 9

Similarities: Both matter and energy flow through the ecosystem to support different organisms. They are crucial for the survival and functioning of organisms within the ecosystem.
Differences: Matter is recycled within the ecosystem, while energy flows through and eventually leaves the ecosystem. Matter is constantly reused and recycled, while energy flows in one direction and is not recycled in the same way.

Question 10

What is the rule of 10 and how does it apply to ecological pyramid models?

Answer 10

Only 10% of the total energy passes through the trophic levels each time

Question 11

Why is it considered more efficient to eat at a lower trophic level vs. a higher trophic level?

Answer 11

Not as much energy has been lost from passing through trophic levels

Question 12

Identifying trophic levels of organisms in a food web

Answer 12

Depends on what it eats and what it gets eaten by

Question 13

Reading and making predictions using a trophic cascade model

Answer 13

Reading:
Observing changes in a trophic level and predicting how it will impact other levels. Studying how alterations in one species will impact the entire ecosystem.
Making Predictions: Predicting population fluctuations based on the changes in predator-prey relationships. Understanding how changes in one species can have ripple effects throughout the entire ecosystem, affecting multiple trophic levels.