A unit of biotic components and the abiotic factors that they interact with in a given area
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What is the ultimate source of energy for any ecosystem? How does it enter the ecosystem?
Solar (sunlight) enters through the photosynthesis in green plants which makes sugars and other simple materials
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How much of the original solar energy is incorporated into plant tissue? Why?
Not much. Reflected by atmosphere, Transmitted through plant, Absorbed by non-photosynthetic parts.
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Through what is the solar energy passed through?
Trophic levels
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What are the types of consumers?
Primary - Herbivores. Secondary/all after - Carnivores (Humans are omnivores)
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What limits the length of a food chain?
Loss of energy at each stage
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What happens to the energy after the death of consumers? (3)
Some energy locked up in organic compounds. Detritivores (e.g. earthworms) feed on detritus made up of non-living organic material. Decomposers - Microbes that obtain nutrients from dead organisms/faeces. They complete process of decomposition.
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What is Photosynthetic ability? Equation.
The ability of a plant to trap light energy. Quantity of light used/Quantity of light falling on the plant
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What is GPP?
GPP - Gross Primary Productivity - The rate at which products (e.g. glucose) are formed
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What is NPP and Secondary productivity?
NPP - Net Primary Productivity - GPP - respiration - The food available to primary consumers/yield that may be harvested. Secondary productivity - rate at which consumers accumulate energy in the form of cells/tissue
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What is the conversion efficiency of consumers? How can this be calculated?
10% - Energy available after transfer/Energy available before transfer x100
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Do herbivores or carnivores have a lower secondary productivity rate? How much energy is lost?
Herbivores have a lower secondary productivity rate. About 60% lost compared to 20% carnivores
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Why?
Some plant material not eaten, Need bacteria to digest cellulose before they can or it passes out in faeces. Carnivores have proteing rich diets which are more easily digestable.
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What are the 3 types of pyramids?
Pyramid of Numbers, Pyramid of Biomass, Pyramid of Energy
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Which 2 methods are less useful? Why?
Numbers - Does not take into account size of organisms. Biomass - Don't give any indication of productivity. Both methods can give inverted pyramids
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Why is a pyramid of energy the most accurate?
Quantative account of feeding relationships, Easy comparison of energy transfer between each trophic levels, Never inverted because energy is always lost (heat, movement, excretion)
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What is the ultimate source of energy for any ecosystem? How does it enter the ecosystem?
Back
Solar (sunlight) enters through the photosynthesis in green plants which makes sugars and other simple materials
Card 3
Front
How much of the original solar energy is incorporated into plant tissue? Why?
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