Ecosystem Dynamics
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their environment.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of different species living in an ecosystem.
What is a food chain?
A linear sequence of organisms where each is eaten by the next in the chain.
What is a food web?
A complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
What is an energy pyramid?
A graphical representation of the energy available at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
What are the two main components of an ecosystem?
Biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
Why is biodiversity important for ecosystems?
It helps ecosystems function effectively and provides resilience against changes.
Identify the primary producer in a food chain.
Plants or phytoplankton.
Why are food webs more realistic than food chains?
They represent the multiple feeding relationships between organisms more accurately.
What happens to energy as you move up the energy pyramid?
Energy decreases as you move up from producers to higher trophic levels.
How does energy flow through an ecosystem?
Energy flows from producers to consumers and then to decomposers in a one-way direction.
Name one way humans impact biodiversity negatively.
Habitat destruction due to urbanization or deforestation.
What is the role of primary consumers in a food chain?
They eat primary producers and are often herbivores.
What happens when one species is removed from a food web?
It can affect multiple species that rely on it for food, potentially leading to population declines.
Why are there fewer top predators than primary producers?
Energy loss at each trophic level limits the number of organisms that can be supported.
What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?
Decomposers break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its abundance.
Give an example of a simple food chain.
Grass → Rabbit → Fox.
Name a factor that can disrupt a food web.
Environmental changes, such as pollution or climate change.
What is the approximate percentage of energy that is transferred from one trophic level to the next?
About 10% of energy is transferred.
Describe how changes in one part of an ecosystem can affect the whole system.
Changes can disrupt food chains, alter habitats, and affect species populations, leading to wider ecological impacts.
How can preserving biodiversity benefit humans?
It provides resources for medicine, agriculture, and ecosystem services like clean air and water.
How do food chains and food webs differ?
Food chains show a single path of energy flow, while food webs show multiple interconnected food chains.
How do energy flows differ in a food web compared to a food chain?
In a food web, energy flows more dynamically through various interconnected paths.
Explain how the energy pyramid illustrates the concept of energy efficiency in ecosystems.
It shows that less energy is available to higher trophic levels, emphasizing the importance of producers in energy capture.