Energy Flow & Nutrient Cycling
This is the original source of energy for most ecosystems.
What is the sun?
Using organisms to detoxify polluted environments is called this.
What is bioremediation?
The greatest single threat to biodiversity worldwide.
What is habitat loss?
Organisms that convert light energy into chemical energy.
What are autotrophs (primary producers)?
Adding nitrogen-fixing plants is an example of this restoration strategy.
What is biological augmentation?
The percentage of energy typically transferred between trophic levels.
What is 10%?
Adding organisms to restore nutrients to ecosystems is known as this.
What is biological augmentation?
These species are moved by humans to new areas and often become invasive.
What are introduced species?
Organisms that break down dead organic matter into inorganic nutrients.
What are decomposers?
The smallest population size needed for a species to survive long-term.
What is minimum viable population (MVP)?
The total amount of energy converted to chemical energy by producers.
What is gross primary production (GPP)?
This type of organism is often used in bioremediation to break down toxins.
What are bacteria (or prokaryotes)?
This concept describes small populations spiraling toward extinction due to a lack genetic diversity.
What is the extinction vortex?
When an ecosystem absorbs more carbon than it releases, it is this.
What is a carbon sink?
GPP minus energy used for respiration equals this.
What is net primary production (NPP)?
The process by which nitrogen gas is converted into organic matter and usable life-sustaining molecules.
What is nitrogen fixation?
Given enough time, ecosystems can naturally recover from biological _____.
What are disturbances?
Narrow habitat connections that allow species to move between fragmented areas.
What are movement corridors?
Two human activities that are primary contributors to increasing atmospheric CO₂ levels.
What are burning fossil fuels and deforestation?
This scientific law explains why ecosystems require a constant input of energy from the sun.
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
Excess nutrients entering ecosystems beyond what plants can absorb.
What is nutrient enrichment?
This process returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from organisms.
What is cellular respiration?
The buildup of toxins at higher trophic levels in a food chain.
What is biological magnification?
This measure tracks total biomass gain of producers and consumers combined.
What is net ecosystem production (NEP)?
The amount of nutrients that can be added and absorbed by an environment with out damaging ecosystem integrity.
What is critical load?