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BIO 110 > The flow of energy in Ecosystems > Flashcards

The flow of energy in Ecosystems Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Energy is…

A

Never recycled

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2
Q

How is energy used in the ecosystem?

A

-Radiant energy from the sun reaches Earth makes a one way pass through the our planet’s ecosystems before being converted to heat & radiated back into space

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3
Q

Why is Energy different from Matter?

A
  • Energy exists in many different forms

- Organisms cannot convert heat to any other forms of energy (cannot cycle energy back into its original form

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4
Q

What are the 2 principles to understand why the Earth must function as an open system?

A
  • Organisms can use only certain forms of energy (neither plants, animals, or other organisms can use heat as a source of energy
  • Whenever organisms use chemical-bond or light energy, some of it is converted into heat
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5
Q

What are Trophic Levels?

A

-The organization of the limited number of feeding levels

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6
Q

What are the different levels in Trophic Levels?

A
  • Primary Producers (all autotrophs in systems)
  • Consumers/ Detritivore/ Decomposers (Heterotrophs/ feed on remains of other organisms)
  • Herbivores (all heterotrophs that feed directly on primary producers)
  • Primary Carnivores (heterotrophs that feed on herbivores)
  • Secondary Carnivores (those that feed on primary carnivores)
  • Aside note: omnivores
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7
Q

What do the Trophic Levels consist of?

A

-Consist of whole populations of organisms

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8
Q

What is the Productivity of a Trophic level?

A

-Is the rate at which the organisms in the trophic level collectively synthesize new organic matter (new tissue substance)

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9
Q

What is the Primary Productivity of a Trophic level?

A

-Is the productivity of the Primary producers= synthesizing new organic matter via photosynthesis & breaking down organic matter to release energy via aerobic cellular respiration= chemical bond energy= makes ATP

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10
Q

What is Respiration of a Trophic level?

A

-Is the rate at which they break down organic compounds

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11
Q

What is Gross Primary Productivity? of a Trophic level (GPP)?

A

-The raw rate at which the primary producers synthesize new organic matter

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12
Q

What is Net Primary Productivity (NPP) of a Trophic level?

A
  • is the GPP minus the respiration of the primary producers

- the NPP represents the organic matter available to herbavores to use as food

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13
Q

What is Secondary Productivity?

A
  • The productivity of a heterotroph trophic level
  • EX= the rate that new organic matter is made by means of individual growth & reproduction in all herbivores in an ecosystem
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14
Q

Over the course of the year, what is the percentage of solar energy captured by primary producers?

A

-about 1%

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15
Q

What percentage of the solar energy impinging on an ecosystem turns to heat?

A

99%

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16
Q

What is the consequence of chemical-bond energy being passed down from one heterotrophic level to the next?

A

-A great amount of energy is diverted= the amount of chemical energy available to primary carnivores is far less than that available to herbivores & the amount available to secondary carnivores is far less than that available to primary carnivores

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17
Q

What is the rule of thumb for the amount of chemical-energy available to a trophic level over time?

A

-about 10% if that available to the PRECEDING trophic level over the SAME period of time

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18
Q

Which type of biomes are the most productive?

A
  • Wetlands & tropical rainforests

- They have 2000g/m2/year of dry weight of new organic matter produced

19
Q

The rate at which chemical-bond energy is made available to organisms in different trophic levels…

A

-DECREASES EXPONENTIALLY as energy makes way from primary producers to herbivores & then to various levels of carnivores

20
Q

What does the exponential decline of chemical-bond energy in a trophic chain limit?

A

-The lengths of trophic chains & the numbers of top carnivores that an ecosystem can support

21
Q

Why are there very little numbers of top-level predators?

A

-They have relatively large individual body sizes & high individual energy needs

22
Q

Where do the longest trophic chains occur?

A

-In the ocean

23
Q

How is more energy available in human populations?

A

-More energy is available if plants/ other primary producers are eaten= more energy is available if herbivores vs carnivores were consumed

24
Q

In an Ecological pyramid, why is each box narrower than the one under it?

A

-Because of the rules of energy flow (proportional to the productivity of the trophic level it represents)

25
Q

What can Pyramid diagrams represent?

A
  • Standing crop biomass (the biomass of all individuals alive at the same time
  • Numbers of individuals
  • Productivity
  • BUT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS UPRIGHT
26
Q

In the Pyramid of Biomass, what is the width of the boxes proprotional to?

A

-They’re proportional to standing crop biomass

27
Q

What is a Limiting Nutrient?

A
  • An element in the shortest supply in the ecosystem

- Often nitrogen or phosphorous

28
Q

What are the 3 types of groups in the Carbon Energy cycle? (FIND OUT THE 3RD ONE)

A

-Autotrophs
-Heterotrophs
-

29
Q

What are Autotrophs?

A
  • AKA producers= self-feeding

- They get C from CO2 & make reduced compounds

30
Q

Who is included in the Autotroph group?

A
  • Photoautotrophs

- Chemolithoautotrophs

31
Q

What are Photoautotrophs?

A

-They use energy from sunlight to reduce CO2= making C compounds (sugar first then it becomes complex carbs & fats)

32
Q

What are Chemolithoautotrophs?

A
  • They’re more important where the sun don’t shine & early history of life
  • They take energy from oxidizing inorganic compounds to make reduced C compounds
33
Q

What do all Autotrophs have in common?

A

-They transfer energy & carbon (reduced C compound to other organisms when they’re eaten

34
Q

What are Heterotrophs?

A
  • AKA Consumers= other feeders

- They get reduced C (thus energy) from their diet to provide energy & release it as CO2 when they oxidize it

35
Q

Who is included in the Heterotroph group?

A
  • Primary consumers
  • Secondary consumers
  • Tertiary consumers
  • Detritivores
36
Q

What are Primary consumers?

A
  • Herbivores

- They eat producers

37
Q

What are Secondary consumers?

A
  • Carnivores

- They eat the primary producers

38
Q

What are Tertiary consumers?

A
  • Top carnivores

- They eat secondary consumers

39
Q

What is a Detritivore?

A
  • Special kind of heterotroph

- They get reduced C from dead organisms & release their C as simpler, more oxidized compounds for CO2

40
Q

What 2 parts make up an Ecosystem ?

A
  • Biotic= living part= consumers, producers, decomposers

- Abiotic= non-living part

41
Q

What does the process of the food chain promote?

A

-Entropy

42
Q

How do ecosystems relate to the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

A

-They are LESS efficient in transferring energy as required by the second law of thermodynamics

43
Q

How is the energy flow of an ecosystem?

A
  • It results in the generation of waste heat (entropy)

- It’s associated w/ the flow of carbon atoms

BIO 110 (45 decks)

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