Introduction to Ecosystems quiz #3 Flashcards
Introduction to Ecosystems quiz #3
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How do grazing food chains differ from detritus-based food chains in terms of primary producers and consumers?
In grazing food chains, primary producers are living plants and primary consumers are herbivores that eat these plants. In detritus-based food chains, the primary 'producers' are dead organic matter (detritus), and the primary consumers are decomposers or detritivores that feed on this detritus. What are the two main components of an ecosystem?
The two main components of an ecosystem are the living community (biotic factors) and the abiotic components (non-living factors) in a given area. How does energy flow through an ecosystem?
Energy flows in one direction through an ecosystem, entering primarily from the sun and being lost as heat at each transfer between trophic levels. How is chemical cycling in ecosystems different from energy flow?
Unlike energy, which flows one way and is lost as heat, chemicals are recycled within ecosystems through processes involving producers, consumers, and decomposers. What is the role of autotrophs in an ecosystem?
Autotrophs, also called primary producers, capture energy from the sun (or other sources) and produce their own nutrients through processes like photosynthesis. Who are the primary consumers in a grazing food chain, and what do they eat?
Primary consumers in a grazing food chain are herbivores that eat living plants (the primary producers). In a detritus-based food chain, what serves as the primary 'producer' and who are the primary consumers?
In a detritus-based food chain, dead organic matter (detritus) serves as the primary 'producer,' and decomposers or detritivores are the primary consumers. What is the ecological role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
Decomposers break down dead organic matter and waste, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem and completing the chemical cycle. How can a single organism participate in multiple food chains or trophic levels?
A single organism can participate in both grazing and detritus-based food chains and may occupy different trophic levels in different food chains. Which environmental factors increase the rate of decomposition in ecosystems?
Decomposition rates increase with higher temperature, moisture, and oxygen levels, which is why they are greatest near the equator.
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