Unit 4 Study Guide

Question 1

Producers / Autotrophs

Answer 1

Organisms that consume or absorb inorganic nutrients to generate energy

Ex-plants , seaweed , algae , photosynthetic bacteria

Question 2

Consumers / Hetertrophs

Answer 2

Consume organic nutrients . In other words they consume other organisms (dead or alive)

They are -
Herbivores 
Carnivores 
Scavengers 
Detritivores 
Decomposers

Question 3

Herbivores

Answer 3

Organisms that consume plants or algae

Ex- giraffes , cows , bugs

Question 4

Carnivores

Answer 4

Organisms that consume other organisms

Ex- Lions, tigers , bears , praying mantis , eagles , sharks

Question 5

Omnivores

Answer 5

Organisms that consume both plants and animals

Ex- raccoons , dogs , possums

Question 6

Scavengers

Answer 6

Consume already dead and decaying organisms.

Examples - vultures , hyenas

Question 7

Detritivores

Answer 7

Consume litter , debris , dung , dead organic matter

Ex. Beetles , earthworms

Question 8

Decomposers

Answer 8

Break down organic molecules into smaller inorganic nutrients

Question 9

Composting

Answer 9

Detritivores and decomposers will break Down these wastes into useable products to be recycled back into the ecosystem

Question 10

Photosynthesis

Answer 10

In the presence of chlorophyll and sunlight water and carbon dioxide are converted into sugars and oxygen

Question 11

Respiration

Answer 11

Organisms use stored energy via respiration, which splits sugar molecules to release chemical energy

Occurs in autotrophs (plants , algae, photosynthetic bacteria) and heterotrophs (animals, fungi , most microbes)

Question 12

Food Chain

Answer 12

depicts the feeding relationship of organisms in a particular biological community
-characterize flow of energy in the ecosystem.

Question 13

Biomass pyramids

Answer 13

indication of energy flow because weight of tissues is an indirect way of measuring the amount of potential energy that the body will yield.

Question 14

Primary productivity

Answer 14

ecosystem is measured by the assimilation of energy by producers during photosynthesis.

Question 15

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

Answer 15

rate at which the producers capture and store light energy as biomass

Question 16

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Answer 16

energy available to consumers after subtracting energy plants use in metabolism
NPP=GPP minus energy used to grow an reproduce (metabolism)
Its a measure of how fast producers can produce food for the next trophic level

Question 17

Biogeochemical cycle

Answer 17

describes the pathway by which chemicals circulate through ecosystems , it involves both living biotic and nonliving (geological) components

Question 18

Biotic

Answer 18

Living

Question 19

Abiotic

Answer 19

non living

Question 20

Water Cycle

Answer 20

Water exists in the following forms : 
Gas ( Water vapor) 
Liquid 
Solid (Ice) 
-water cycles through the ecosystem 
rain / groundwater / streams / oceans / evaporation

Question 21

Carbon Cycle

Answer 21

Organic molecules are made up of chains of carbon . Carbon is an element common to all living things. When organisms die, the carbon in the body is returned to the ecosystem through the decomposition of bacteria and fungi.

Question 22

Phosphorous Cycle

Answer 22

PO4 & HPO4 available in mineral form from sedimentary rocks and also in the teeth and bones of vertebrates

Question 23

Ammonia

Answer 23

NH3 form of nitrogen compound is converted to ammonium - needs to be converted to NH4 to be useable by plants

Question 24

Ammonium

Answer 24

NH4 form of nitrogen compound that can be taken up by plants and is considered a plant nutrient.

Question 25

Nitrite

Answer 25

NO2 a nitrogen compound that is toxic to plants

Question 26

Nitrates

Answer 26

NO3 form of nitrogen compound that can be taken up by most plants

Question 27

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Answer 27

specialized form of bacteria , converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia NH3 - which then converts to ammonium ions NH4 which plants can absorb

Question 28

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Answer 28

specialized form of bacteria , converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia NH3 - which then converts to ammonium ions NH4 which plants can absorb to make amino and nucleic acids

Question 29

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Answer 29

specialized form of bacteria , converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia NH3 - which then converts to ammonium ions NH4 which plants can absorb to make amino and nucleic acids
This bacteria lives in the roots of legumes & have a symbiotic relationship with plants.

Question 30

Ammonification

Answer 30

converts nitrogen compounds in plant and animal waste (feces, dead bodies) into ammonia and ammonium and puts these compounds back in soil to eventually be taken up by plants

Question 31

Denitrifying Bacteria

Answer 31

converts nitrate NO3 back to N2 gas and Nitrous Oxide N20 gas which is released back to the atmosphere.

Question 32

Atmospheric N2 is fixed by lightning or specialized bacteria

Answer 32

becomes available to plants and animals in the form of ammonium ions NH4+

Question 33

Bacterias important for the following reasons

Answer 33

1- convert atmospheric /gaseuos nitrogen into ammonium
2-soil bacteria convert nitrites into nitrates
3- denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen to complete the cycle.

Question 34

Limiting nutrients

Answer 34

Phosphate in plants since its not readily available

Nitrogen compounds