Trophic Levels

Question 1

Consumer 
Herbivore
Carnivore
Secondary Consumer
Tertiary Consumer
Trophic Levels

Answer 1

Consumer - organism that is incapable of photosynthesis & must obtain its energy by consuming other organisms. AKA Heterotroph.
Herbivore - consumer that eats producers. AKA Primary consumer.
Carnivore - consumer that eats other consumers.
Secondary consumer - carnivore that eats primary consumers.
Tertiary consumer - carnivore that eats secondary consumers.
Trophic levels - successive levels of organisms consuming one another.

Question 2

Scavenger
Detritivore
Decomposer

Answer 2

Scavenger - an organism that consumes dead animals.
Detritivore - organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues & waste products into smaller particles.
Decomposers - Fungi & bacteria that convert organic matter into small elements & molecules that can be recycled back into the ecosystem.

Question 3

How does energy flow through ecosystems? What must be functional to ensure the structure of the ecosystem?

Answer 3

Most ecosystems, terrestrial & shallow marine, start with solar energy from the sun.
Deep ocean marine ecosystems rely on chemosynthesis.
Energy flows from the lowest trophic level up to the highest trophic level
In order to maintain structure & function of organisms & the ecosystem, the biogeochemical cycles must be functional.

Question 4

Biomass

Answer 4

total mass of all living matter in a specific area

Question 5

Standing Crop

Answer 5

amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time

Question 6

Ecological efficiency

Answer 6

proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another

Question 7

Trophic pyramid

Answer 7

representation of distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels

Question 8

10% Rule

- Range?

Answer 8

As you move up the trophic level pyramid, each movement in level indicates there is only 10% of energy from the previous level available for use
The pyramid assumes 10 percent ecological efficiency, but efficiencies can range from 5 to 20% across different ecosystems.

Question 9

The Laws of Thermodynamics
First Law - Law of Conservation of Matter
Second Law - Entropy

Answer 9

1. Energy in an isolated system can be transformed, but it cannot be created nor destroyed.
2. An increase in entropy from energy transformation reduces the energy to do work.

Question 10

Food chain

Answer 10

sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers

Question 11

Food web

Answer 11

complex model of how energy & matter move between trophic levels

Question 12

What are the positive and negative feedback loops within food webs?

Answer 12

Positive & negative feedback loops can each play a role in food webs.
When one species is removed from or added to a specific food web, the rest of the food web can be affected

Question 13

Resource partitioning

Answer 13

Using the resources in different ways, places, or at different times - can reduce the negative impact of competition on survival.

Question 14

Symbiosis
Mutualism -
Commercialism -
Parasitism -

Answer 14

Mutualism - both animals benefit
Commercialism - one animal benefits, the other is not harmed
Parasitism - one animal benefits, one is harmed