Ecology Chapter 3 Review for Test 1

Chemosynthesis

Process in which certain organisms(mostly specialized bacteria) extract inorganic compounds from their environment and convert them into organic nutrient compounds without the sun. Chemosynthesis producer organisms in dark, deep-sea habitats surviving on geothermal energy.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Rate at which all the plants in an ecosystem produce net useful chemical energy: equal to the difference between the rate at which the plants in an ecosystem produce useful chemical energy, gross primary productivity, and the rate at which they use some of that energy through cellular respiration.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

Rate at which an ecosystem's producers capture and store a given amount of chemical energy as biomass in a given length of time.

Food Chains

Series of organisms in which each eats or decomposes the preceding one.

Define *ECOLOGY*

Study of interaction between living things & their environment; study of function & structure of nature

What is a "*Biogeochemical cycle*"? Part 2

This happens in all five biogeochemical cycles: *hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles.*

What are 3 harmful effects resulting from the clearing & degradation of tropical rain forests? Part 1

Three harmful effects from clearing and degrading tropical rain forests: *first*, it will *reduce earth's necessary biodiversity* which will result in the *destruction and degradation* of a *variety* of unique *plant and animal* habits;

How many kilocalories have been lost between level A and level D?

*9,990 kilocalories have been lost between level A and level D.*

Some precipitation sinks through soil and permeable rock formations and into *AQUIFERS* where it is stored as *GROUNDWATER*.

*AQUIFERS*; *GROUNDWATER*

Although tropical rain forests are only 2% of the earth's land surface, they contain what percentage of the earth's land plants and animal species?

*Answer is a. 50* (*A. 50* b. 40 c. 30 d. 20)

The very necessary process of breaking down the dead bodies of organisms is a function of

*Answer is a. detritivores* (*A. DETRITIVORES* b. omnivores c. carnivores d. herbivores)

Which of the following is not an abiotic component of an ecosystem?

*Answer is b. microbes* (a. nutrients *B. MICROBES* c. water d. solar energy)

Life on earth depends on interaction of gravity, the cycling of matter, and

*Answer is b. one-way flow of high-quality energy* (a. cycling of energy *B. ONE-WAY FLOW OF HIGH-QUALITY ENERGY* c. one-way flow of matter d. the destruction of energy)

Which one of the following is not a type of consumer?

*Answer is b. producer* (a. decomposer *B. PRODUCER* c. omnivore d. carnivore)

How much of the earth's water supply is available as accessible liquid freshwater?

*Answer is c. 0.024%* (a. 10% b. 1% *C. 0.024%* d. 21%)

Groups of *different species* living together in a particular place with a potential for interacting with one another is called a(n)

*Answer is c. community* (a. organism b. population *C. COMMUNITY* d. ecosystem)

The form of nitrogen most usable to plants is

*Answer is c. nitrates* (a. ammonium ions b. nitrogen gas *C. NITRATES* d. nitrites)

If grass stores 1,000 energy unites received from the sun, the ecological efficiency of the ecosystem is 10%, and the trophic levels are grass, cow, human, how many units of energy does the human receive of the original 1,000 units?

*Answer is d. 10* (a. 900 b. 200 c. 100 *D. 10*)

Scientists have less than *50* percent of the ecological data they need to evaluate the ecosystems in the United States.

*Answer is d. 50* (a. 5 b. 8 c. 12 *D. 50*)

The oceans of the earth cover approximately what percentage of the earth's surface?

*Answer is d. 71%* (a. 3% b. 29% c. 51% *D. 71%*)

The most fundamental structural and functional units of life are

*Answer is d. cells* (a. atoms b. molecules c. compounds *D. CELLS*)

Specialized bacteria can produce their own food from inorganic compounds in the environment without the use of sunlight. This process is called

*Answer is d. chemosynthesis* (a. photosynthesis b. omnivores c. fermentation *D. CHEMOSYNTHESIS*)

Fossil fuels and minerals are found in the

*Answer is d. geosphere* (a. unisphere b. atmosphere c. hydrosphere *D. GEOSPHERE*)

Organisms that feed only on plants are called

*Answer is d. herbivores* (a. detritivores b. omnivores c. carnivores *D. HERBIVORES*)

Nitrogen fixation is accomplished by specialized *BACTERIA* in the soil and *CYANOBACTERIA* in aquatic environments.

*BACTERIA; CYANOBACTERIA(blue-green algae)*

In the figure above, notice that the fox (secondary consumer) is in the process of pouncing on the rabbit. If humans were to remove that predator (fox), what would be the effects on the rest of the ecosystem? Be as specific as possible. Part 2

*But, we have learned that each species has their place in the ecosystem. If the fox was removed that would change the balance of species. The rabbit's population would increase since the fox is not there to hunt them.*

Examine the figure above. Notice the amount of average net primary productivity get smaller and smaller as you move down the list of terrestrial ecosystems and, similarly, in the list of aquatic ecosystems. What is the common factor in the terrestrial system that causes the decline? What is the common factor in the aquatic system that causes the decline there? Part 3

*Depth is the common factor in the aquatic system. The sunlight cannot reach the further the depth is which leads to low amounts of nutrients.*

The study of connections in nature is

*Ecology*

Examine the figure above. Notice the amount of average net primary productivity get smaller and smaller as you move down the list of terrestrial ecosystems and, similarly, in the list of aquatic ecosystems. What is the common factor in the terrestrial system that causes the decline? What is the common factor in the aquatic system that causes the decline there? Part 2

*For example, swamps/marshes and estuaries have significant amounts of water and nutrients attributing to their high levels of productivity. The Desert scrub and Continental shelf have much less water and nutrients causing the decline.*

In the figure above, notice that the fox (secondary consumer) is in the process of pouncing on the rabbit. If humans were to remove that predator (fox), what would be the effects on the rest of the ecosystem? Be as specific as possible. Part 1

*If the humans were to remove that predator, the fox, the effects would be large on the rest of the ecosystem. People that do not understand ecology would say that it is better not to have the foxes and to adore the cute bunnies. The more the merrier!*

Indicate the letter at which humans would be found?

*Letter A, tertiary(top)consumers, is where humans would be found.*

Letter D, at the base of the pyramid given above, represents what group of organisms?*

*Letter D represents the producers, phytoplankton.*

What group is indicated by letter E, to which all organisms in the pyramid eventually succumb?

*Letter E is decomposers which all organism eventually are decomposed.*

In the figure above notice that heat is lost by each component of the ecosystem, and that the sun is shown entering at only one point in the system. Explain how this is representative of the two laws of energy(two laws of thermodynamics). Part 2

*The energy from the sun, sunlight, is being transferred at one point--through the plants to the living organisms. Then heat is lost and converted into low-quality energy.*

In the figure above notice that heat is lost by each component of the ecosystem, and that the sun is shown entering at only one point in the system. Explain how this is representative of the two laws of energy(two laws of thermodynamics). Part 1

*The first law of thermodynamics explains that when energy is converted from one form to another in a physical or chemical change, no energy can be created or destroyed. We cannot make energy. It can only be transformed.*

Examine the figure above. Notice the amount of average net primary productivity get smaller and smaller as you move down the list of terrestrial ecosystems and, similarly, in the list of aquatic ecosystems. What is the common factor in the terrestrial system that causes the decline? What is the common factor in the aquatic system that causes the decline there? Part 1

*The terrestrial system and the aquatic system both have common factors causing a decline. The average net primary productivity gets smaller as you move down the list because the amounts of water and nutrients are less.*

In the figure above, notice that the fox (secondary consumer) is in the process of pouncing on the rabbit. If humans were to remove that predator (fox), what would be the effects on the rest of the ecosystem? Be as specific as possible. Part 3

*Then with more rabbits that the environment supports, their food source would decline. This decline will lead to deaths for the rabbits and a feast for the decomposers. This imbalance in the environment would apply to other species being removed as well.*

Why would there be fewer organisms at level A than at any level below it?

*There are fewer organisms at level A because each trophic level has a 90% loss in usable energy leaving to sustain from.*

In the figure above notice that heat is lost by each component of the ecosystem, and that the sun is shown entering at only one point in the system. Explain how this is representative of the two laws of energy(two laws of thermodynamics). Part 3

*This is the key component of the second law of thermodynamics: energy being converted from one form to another in a physical or chemical change, ending up with this lower-quality energy than it started with.*

Why is heat shown as being lost to the environment?

*This pyramid of energy flow shows heat being lost into the environment from the usable chemical energy being used at each successive trophic level transferring into low-quality heat.*

The major reservoir for nitrogen is the

*atmosphere*. *78%*

Destruction of tropical rain forests will help accelerate

*atmospheric warming which will effect climate change*

Organisms that cannot producer their own food and, therefore, must eat other organisms, are called

*consumers*.

A sequence of organisms, each of which serves as a source of food or energy for the next, is called a(n)

*food chain*.

Decomposers are mainly bacteria and

*fungi*.

A group of individuals of the *same species* living in the same place at the same time is a(n)

*population*

What are 3 harmful effects resulting from the clearing & degradation of tropical rain forests? Part 2

*second*, it will *accelerate atmospheric warming* which leads to *climate change* where the forest *cannot* naturally* remove greenhouse gas carbon dioxide;*

What are 3 harmful effects resulting from the clearing & degradation of tropical rain forests? Part 3

*third,* from the atmospheric warming there will be* regional weather patterns* that could lead to *cleared* or severely *degraded rain forests.*

Ecologists assign every type of organism in an ecosystem to a feeding level or

*trophic level*.

Trophic Levels Part 1

All organisms that are the same number of energy transfer away from the original source of energy (for example sunlight) that enters an ecosystem. {I.E.} All producers belong to the first trophic level, all herbivores belong to the second in a food chain or web.

Omnivores

Animal that can use both plants and other animals as food sources. Examples: pigs, rats, cockroaches, and humans.

What is a "*Biogeochemical cycle*"? Part 1

Biogeochemical cycle translates to *life-earth-chemical cycle*. It is a *natural process* that *recycles nutrients* into a variety of *chemical forms* from the *nonliving environment* to the *living organisms*. Then they go *back* to the *nonliving environment*.

Aerobic respiration

Complex process that occurs in the cells of most living organisms, in which nutrient organic molecules such as glucose (C6H12O6) combined with oxygen(O2) to reproduce carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H20), and energy. Glucose + oxygen arrow carbon dioxide + water + energy (C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + H2O + energy) *Opposite of Photosynthesis*

Photosynthesis Part 1

Complex process that takes places in the cells of green plants. Radiate energy from the sun is used to combine CO2 and H2O to produce oxygen, carbohydrates (glucose), and other nutrients. Plants typically capture about 1% of solar energy on leaves with carbon dioxide and water from combinations

Geosphere

Earth's intensely hot core, thick mantle composed mostly of rock, and thin outer crust that contains most of the earth's rock, soil, and sediment.

Hydrosphere

Earth's liquid water, {oceans, lakes, other bodies of surface water, and underground water}, frozen water {polar caps, floating ice caps, and ice in soil, known as permafrost,}, and water vapor in the atmosphere.

What happens to energy in an ecosystem? *food chain and web* (Part 1)

Energy flows through ecosystems in food chains and webs. The *food chains* are a sequence of organisms which only serve as *food for the next level.*

Anaerobic respiration

Form of cellular respiration some decomposers get energy they need through the breakdown of glucose in absence of oxygen. Fermentation

Greenhouse effect Part 3

If the atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases increase and other natural processes do not remove them, the average temperature of the lower atmosphere will increase.

Greenhouse effect Part 1

Natural effect that releases heat in the atmosphere near the earth's surface. Water vapor, carbon dioxide(CO2), ozone(O3), and other gases in the lower atmosphere, troposphere, absorb some of the infrared radiation(heat) radiated by the earth's surface.

Define *ECOSYSTEMS*

One or more communities of different species interacting with one another and with the chemical and physical factors making up their nonliving environment. It is one of the five levels ecologists study the interactions of.

Secondary Consumers

Organism that feeds only on primary consumers. Carnivores: meat eaters: animals feed on flesh of other animals A. secondary consumers: feed on flesh of herbivores {I.E.} spiders, lions, small fish B. tertiary consumers: feed on the flesh of carnivores {I.E.} tigers, hawks, shark, bass, orca (killer whale)

Producers(Autotrophs)

Organism that uses solar energy, green plants, or chemical energy, some bacteria, to manufacture the organic compounds it needs as nutrients from simple inorganic compounds obtained from the environment.

Primary Consumers

Organisms that feed on some or all parts of plants, herbivores, or other producers.

What are the major components of an ecosystem Part 2

Other *organisms like consumers* also called heterotrophs which means other-feeders must *obtain their nutrients by consuming other organisms.*

What keeps us and other organisms alive? *four life-support systems*

The four major components of the *earth's life-support system*: the *atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere* keep us and other organisms alive.

What are the major components of an ecosystem? *producers, consumers, decomposers* (Part 1)

The major components of an ecosystem are varied in their needs. *Organisms like producers* also called autotrophs which means self-feeders *produce their own nutrients* from either *photosynthesis*, with sunlight, or *chemosynthesis*, without sunlight.

Greenhouse effect Part 2

Their molecules vibrate and transform the absorbed energy into longer wavelength infrared radiation in the troposphere.

What are the major components of an ecosystem Part 3

There are also *decomposers* called detritus feeders or detritivores which *recycle nutrients back to producers* and the *earth from wastes* and *remains of dead organisms.* This makes *nature waste* very *little* of their *nutrients.*

What happens to energy in an ecosystem? Part 2

Whereas *food webs are complex networks of interconnected food chains*. The amount of *chemical energy available* to organisms *decreases* at each *successive feeding level.*

Atmosphere

Whole mass of air surrounding the earth.

Biosphere

Zone of the earth where life is found. It consists of parts if *atmosphere*, *troposphere*, *hydrosphere*{, mostly surface water and groundwater}, and *lithosphere*{ mostly soil and surface rock and sediment on the bottoms of oceans and other bodies of water,} where life is found.

Photosynthesis Part 2

carbon dioxide + water + solar energy arrow glucose + oxygen (6CO2 + 6H20 + solar energy -> C6H1206 + 6O2) circulates carbon in the biosphere *Opposite of Aerobic Respiration*

Trophic Levels Part 2

feeding levels Since large loss in chemical energy between successive trophic levels explains why food chains and webs rarely more than 4 or 5 trophic levels.

Greenhouse Gases

gases in the earth's lower atmosphere, troposphere, that cause the greenhouse effect. Example: Carbon Dioxide(CO2), phlorofluorocarbons, ozone(O3), methane(CH4), water vapor, and nitrous oxide.

Food Web

is a complex network of many interconnected food chains and feeding relationships.

Consumers (Heterotrophs)

organism that cannot synthesize the organic nutrients it needs and gets its organic nutrients by feeding on the tissues of producers, or other consumers. Generally divided into: primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, omnivores, and detritivores.