Ecosystem Types
What are the two main types of ecosystems?
Aquatic and terrestrial
What are the three types of organisms found in ecosystems?
Producers, consumers, and decomposers.
What are the two types of aquatic ecosystems?
Freshwater and marine
Fill in the blank: A variety of plant and animal life is called __________.
Biodiversity
What is a producer?
An organism that produces its own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (e.g., plants, algae).
Name the two types of aquatic ecosystems.
Freshwater and marine.
What does the term autotroph mean?
An organism that relies on itself for nutrition, typically by producing its own food (e.g., through photosynthesis).
Name a freshwater biome.
Lakes, rivers, wetlands
Why is biodiversity important in an ecosystem?
It ensures the health, resilience, and sustainability of ecosystems.
Define consumer and give an example.
A consumer is an organism that eats other organisms for energy. Example: A rabbit eating grass.
Which type of biome is the tundra?
Terrestrial biome
Name one type of consumer.
Herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore (examples: rabbit, lion, human).
Name a characteristic of a marine ecosystem.
High salt content, includes oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries.
How does biodiversity affect ecosystem resilience?
High biodiversity allows ecosystems to better adapt to changes and recover from disturbances.
What is the difference between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores?
Herbivores eat plants (e.g., deer), carnivores eat other animals (e.g., lion), and omnivores eat both plants and animals (e.g., bears).
What is an example of a terrestrial biome?
Forest, desert, grassland, or tundra
Explain what a decomposer does.
Decomposers break down dead plants and animals, recycling nutrients back into the soil or water.
What organisms are primarily found in saltwater?
Algae, plankton, fish (e.g., sharks, tuna), and sea urchins.
What factors can threaten biodiversity?
Habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and overexploitation.
Explain how energy flows in a food chain.
Energy flows from producers (plants) to consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores) and then to decomposers, transferring energy at each level.
What is the biggest difference between freshwater and marine ecosystems?
Salt content
Describe the role of producers in an ecosystem.
Producers create energy through processes like photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain and supporting all other organisms.
How do aquatic ecosystems differ from terrestrial ecosystems?
Aquatic ecosystems are water-based, whereas terrestrial ecosystems are land-based. They also differ in the organisms, climate, and environmental factors they support.
Name one benefit of high biodiversity.
It supports ecosystem services such as pollination, nutrient cycling, and maintaining clean water.
What is the role of a decomposer in a food web?
Decomposers break down dead matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem, helping plants grow and sustaining the food web.