Energy Flow
Where almost all of the energy for living things comes from
What is the sun?
Organisms that can make their own food
What are producers? [also accept "autotrophs" or "self-feeders" NOT "plants"]
This element is the essential component of all living organisms
What is carbon?
This element is heavily responsible in the process of building proteins
What is nitrogen?
This type of ecological succession occurs on a surface where a previous ecosystem existed.
What is secondary succession? [Just "secondary" is okay]
The process by which most producers are able to use the sun's energy to create sugars for food
What is photosynthesis?
Organisms that must eat another organism
What are consumers? [also accept "heterotrophs", "other-feeders" or "animals"]
The process in which producers are able to pull carbon dioxide out from the atmosphere
What is photosynthesis?
This element is not present in the atmosphere, but still plays a vital role in ecosystems. It is commonly found in rocks and soil
What is phosphorus?
This type of ecological succession only occurs the very first time that an ecosystem arises. Prior to this type of ecological succession, there was no ecosystem that previously existed at the location.
What is primary succession? [Just "primary" is okay]
A more elaborate version of a food chain that shows multiple possible feeding relationships at the same time
What is a food web?
Humans, bears, and pigs are this type of consumer
What is an omnivore?
The gradual average increase in the Earth's temperature that is primarily caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
What is global warming?
A material containing both nitrogen and phosphorus that is commonly used in agriculture to aid with growth of crops
What is fertilizer?
This is the final, stable form of a community in an ecosystem. This type of community typically only experiences small changes outside of dramatic events.
What is a climax community? [Just "climax" is okay]
The process in which all living organisms use sugar and oxygen to yield carbon dioxide, water, and energy
What is cellular respiration?
[DAILY DOUBLE] A type of consumer that relies strictly on a diet of producers
What is an herbivore?
What are fossil fuels?
What is 78%? [give or take 1% on either side]
This is a special type of species that is able to colonize uninhabited areas in a way that will make it habitable for the development of a primary succession
What is a pioneer species?
The amount of energy (as a %) that is lost to heat as you move up one trophic level
What is 90%?
A type of consumer that must break down nutrients from its surroundings
What is a decomposer?
The form of carbon in producers that consumers obtain by eating the producers
What are carbohydrates? [can accept carbs]
Briefly explain what can happen if excess fertilizer runs off into a nearby body of water.
Answers may include anything close to: rapid algae growth, death of aquatic life, removal of oxygen from water
[DAILY DOUBLE] The combination of a fungus and an algae
What is a lichen?