Energy Flow in Ecosystems
each step in a food chain or food web is called this
trophic level
a series of steps in which one organism transfers energy by eating and being eaten
food chain
This is where a certain element is stored before a process (ex: evaporation/precipitation) moves it.
Reservoir
elements pass from one organism to another and among parts of the biosphere through closed loops called what
biogeochemical cycles
Name the three abiotic spheres that elements transfer through during their biogeochemical cycle.
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Geosphere
show the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a given food chain or food web
ecological pyramids
an interconnecting network of food chains
food web
Any organism that causes dead organisms to decay, recycling nutrients back into the soil
Decomposer
What are the two types of organisms found in energy pyramids
Producers & Consumers
This cycle involves plants releasing this gas to then be later used for cellular respiration both in the plant and other organisms.
Oxygen Cycle
all food chains or food webs begin with these
primary producers(plants)
illustrates the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem
pyramid of numbers
the chemical substances that an organism needs to sustain life
nutrients
Below is a food chain what is the tertiary consumer?
Grass - Rabbit - Hawk - Eagle - Pterodactyl
Eagle
(Pterodactyls actually ate mainly fish especially rotten fish)
This cycle contains the oxygen cycle entirely within it. This cycle also involves this element decomposing and over millions of years turning into natural gas and oil.
Carbon Cycle
What percent of energy transfers from one trophic level to another?
10% (The rest is lost as heat/waste)
shows the amount of organic mass at each trophic level in an ecosystem
pyramid of biomass
When an organism occupies a specific part of an ecosystem it inhabits this....
Ecological Niche
Name four biogeochemical cycles
Water Cycle, Oxygen Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle, Sulphur Cycle, Phosphorus Cycle, and Carbon Cycle
This cycle relies of lightning to break atmospheric bonds and bacteria to fixate this element into the ground.
Nitrogen Cycle
When energy is absorbed by an organism it can be used in three different ways.
Waste, Growth (biomass), and homeostasis
shows the amount of energy at each trophic level in an ecosystem
Pyramid of Energy
Define an order the following
Ecosystem, Population, Organism, Biosphere, Biome, and Community
Organism - A single living thing
Population - A group of the same species of organism
Community - Various populations interacting with each other
Ecosystem - A community with abiotic factors
Biome - An area of land with specific climate, flora, and fauna
Biosphere - Every living thing on the planet
What is the driving force of every biogeochemical cycle?
The Sun
This cycle relies on rain water to carry this element back to earth as fallout. When it does so it creates acid rain which is even capable of melting stone over long periods of time.
Sulphur Cycle