The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems (T1 pt.2)

Question 1

Define “energy flow”

Answer 1

The passage of energy in a one-way direction through an ecosystem.

Question 2

Name the first 5 trophic levels.

Answer 2

1st trophic level: producers
2nd trophic level: primary consumers
3rd trophic level: secondary consumer
4th trophic level: tertiary consumer
5th trophic level: decomposers

Question 3

What is a producer?

Answer 3

• autotroph
• auto: self ; tropho: nourishment
• manufacture organic molecules from simple inorganic substances
• preform the process of photosynthesis
• ie. plants, algae, bacteria

Question 4

What is a consumer?

Answer 4

• heterotroph
• hetero: different ; tropho: nourishment
• use the bodies of other organisms as a source of food energy and body building material.

Question 5

What are the five types of consumers? Define them.

Answer 5

carnivore- meat eating organism
omnivole- eats both plants and animals
herbivore- plant eating organism
detrivore- eat organic matter and detritus (Animal carcasses, leaf litter and feces. work with microbial decomposers to destroy dead organisms and waste products.
decomposer / saprotroph- heterotrophs which break down dead organic matter and use the decomposition products to supply themselves with energy.

“sapro” rotten; “tropho” nourishment

Question 6

How does energy flow in ecosystems?

Answer 6

through foodchains

Question 7

What are the levels/links in a food chain called?

Answer 7

trophic levels

Question 8

What is a trophic level?

Answer 8

an organism’s position in a food chain, which is determined by its feeding relationships

Question 9

What is a food web?

Answer 9

A representation of the interlocking food chains that connect all organisms in an ecosystem.
- indicated how a community is organised

Question 10

Where are decomposers positioned in a food chain? What do they do?

Answer 10

• at every step
• they respire organic molecules in the carcasses and body wastes of all members if the food chain.

Question 11

How does energy travel in an ecosystem? What is the most important feature of energy in an ecosystem?

Answer 11

• flows LINEARLY (one way)
• once an organism has used energy, it is lost to the environment as heat and is unavailable for any other organisms in the ecosystem.