Ecological Succession
This is is the term for the gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time.
What is ecological succession?
They convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.
What is the role of producers in a food web?
The variety of life in a particular ecosystem or on Earth.
What is biodiversity?
Organisms that break down dead organic matter.
What are decomposers?
This is a complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
What is a food web?
This is the type of succession occurs after a forest fire.
What is secondary succession?
These are the primary consumers in a food web.
What are herbivores.
This increases ecosystem stability and resilience.
What is one benefit of high biodiversity in an ecosystem?
Bacteria and fungi.
What are two examples of decomposers.
They break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil.
What are decomposers?
This are a type of a pioneer species in primary succession.
What lichens or mosses?
A food chain is a linear sequence of energy flow, while a food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains.
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment.
What is a keystone species?
They recycle nutrients back into the soil, making them available for producers.
Why are decomposers essential for nutrient cycling?
This is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems.
What is the sun?
As species modify the environment, they create conditions suitable for other species.
What are ecological successions that lead to changes in species composition.
They break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
What are decomposers and how do they fit into a food web?
It provides a variety of genetic resources for agriculture and medicine.
What is biodiversity and how does it contribute to the availability of genetic materials?
Nutrients would accumulate in dead organic matter, reducing soil fertility.
What happens to nutrients in an ecosystem if decomposers are removed?
How does energy flow through a food chain?
From producers to consumers to decomposers.
This is a stable, mature community that undergoes little change in species composition.
What is a climax community?
Reduced pollination, fewer resources for food and medicine, and decreased stability.
What are the potential effects of losing biodiversity on ecosystem services?
They consume decomposing organic matter and contribute to nutrient cycling.
What is the role of detritivores in an ecosystem.
This maintains the health and stability of ecosystems, allowing species to thrive.
What is ecological balance?