Energy Flow in Ecosystems
a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
food chain
all food chains or food webs begin with these
primary producers(plants)
elements pass from one organism to another and among parts of the biosphere through closed loops called what
biogeochemical cycles
water falls to Earth in one of these various forms
precipitation
aniamls that eat both animals and plants are known as what
omnivores
each step in a food chain or food web is called this
trophic level
show the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a given food chain or food web
ecological pyramids
the nutrient whose supply limits productivity
limiting nutrient
the process by which water cycles through the biosphere is known as what
the water cycle
animals that eat only plants are known as what
herbivores
a diverse group of small, swimming animals mostly found in the ocean
zooplankton
illustrates the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem
pyramid of biomass
the chemical substances that an organism needs to sustain life
nutrients
the process by which nitrogen is cycled through the atmosphere is known as what
nitrogen cycle
animals that eat only meat are known as what
carnivores
photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean
phytoplankton
shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem
pyramid of numbers
a process by which bacteria obtain energy by converting nitrates into nitrogen gas
denitrification
the process by which nutrients are cycled through the biosphere is known as what
nutrient cycles
nonliving things in an environment are known as ____________ factors
abiotic
an interconnecting network of food chains
food web
the total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level
biomass
a process by which bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia
nitrogen fixation
name one of the four processes involved in biogeochemical cycles
biological processes
geological processes
chemical and physical processes
human activity
living organisms in the environment are known as _____________ factors
biotic