Biology Chapter 3

the biosphere

All of life on Earth exist in

Through transpiration and evaporation

By what two processes is water cycled from land to the atmosphere?

Earthworm: detritivore, Bear: Omnivore, Cow: Herbivore, Snail: Detritivore, Owl: Carnivore, and Human: Omnivore

Classify each of the following as an herbivore, a carnivore, an omnivore, or a detritivore: earthworm, bear, cow, snail, owl, human.

Omnivores that eat a mixture of plants and herbivores.

Describe a food chain of which you are a member. You may draw or use words to describe the chain.

1. Tree, deer, puma 2 Grass, mouse, hawk 3 Grass, mouse, fox 4 Grass, rabbit, hawk

Describe a food chain of which you are a member. You may draw or use words to describe the chain. (KNOW THIS AND DRAW)

everythihng is broken down to carbs first then, the materlial is built according to the needs

Describe how biogeochemical cycles provide organisms with the raw materials necessary to synthesize complex organic compounds. Refer back to Chapter 2 for help in answering this question.

Oxygen is a component of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. During the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is taken up and atmospheric oxygen is released. During cellular respiration, oxygen is combined with carbon and released in the form of carbon dioxide. Oxygen is also found in calcium carbonate, which is a part of animal skeletons and some rocks.

Describe how oxygen, although it does not have an independent cycle, moves through the biosphere as part of the carbon cycle. Include a description of the various forms that oxygen takes.

The light increases the ppm or oxygen concentration, because the light is needed for plants to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, this means that if there's no light there's no photosynthesis and therefore no way to create oxygen.

Draw Conclusions Light can penetrate to only a depth of between 50 and 100 m in most ocean water. What effect does this have on the water's oxygen concentration? Explain.

The additional nitrogen in the ecosystem that the trout belong to would most likely have affected the algae in the ecosystem as well. The algae would have increased exponentially and when the limiting nutrient is gone they would all die off creating a toxic environment because when dead things decay they require oxygen to do so. This decay produces a shortage of oxygen where the trout begin to die off because they are unable to respirate

Ecologists discovered that trout were dying in a stream that ran through some farmland where nitrogen fertilizer was used on the crops. How might you explain what happened?

It means that energy goes from the sun to a producer, then to a consumer, and keeps going along the chain, until you hit the decomposer which breaks down the organism for energy.

Energy is said to flow in a "one-way stream" through an ecosystem. In your own words, describe what that means.

When there is only limited amounts of a certain nutrient in an ecosystem, then that nutrient is a limiting factor. For example, if there is only enough calcium to supply a maximum of 500 organisms in a certain ecosystem, then the carrying capacity of that ecosystem at max is 500 organisms because more organisms will die at a lack of the nutrient.

Explain how a nutrient can be a limiting factor in an ecosystem.

Elements like carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are present in great quantities in the biosphere. Both biotic and abiotic ecosystems rely on the elements. They are critical for the existence of life.

Explain how an element like carbon can be included in both the biotic and abiotic factors of an ecosystem.

Consumers get energy from eating other organisms. These organisms have energy that is stored and then taken by the consumer.

Explain how consumers obtain energy.

Biotic factors are organisms which rely on their environment for with which an organism might interact. Both the environment and weather are abiotic, thus being non-living. While biotic factors are living factors and abiotic factors are non-living factors and thus different. Both can affect the ecosystem and serve to balance nature.

How are biotic and abiotic factors related? What is the difference between them?

The weather is abiotic. Because its not living.

Is weather biotic or abiotic factor?

biogeochemical cycle Nutrients move through biogeochemical cycles. Nutrients are consumed by organisms, which are biological. Nutrients are digested by organisms and converted into other substances through chemical processes. Nutrients are generally hidden inside the earth and travel through the earth by way of plants, animals, and decomposers, which makes the process geological.

Nutrients move through an ecosystem in

Only 10 percent of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. The rest is lost to the ecosystem as heat

On average, what proportion of the energy in an ecosystem is transferred from one trophic level to the next?Where does the rest of the energy go?

I think that the rate of plant tissue will increase by the amount of average annual rainfall, the line will not rise as high as it did at the beginning and at the end stabilize.

Predict What do you think the graph would look like if the x-axis were extended out to 6000 mm? Represent your prediction in a graph and explain your answer.

use energy the take in from the environment to convert inorganic molecules into a complex organic molecule. Thisdescribes autotrophs as organisms that get their energy from the environment and not from other organisms.

Primary producers are organisms that

food chain

The series of steps in which a large fi sh eats a small fi sh that has eaten algae is a

biomass pyramid

The total amount of living tissue at each trophic level in an ecosystem can be shown in a(n)

Hetero means other or different.

The word autotroph comes from the Greek words autos, meaning "self," and trophe, meaning "food or nourishment." Knowing this, what do you think the Greek word heteros, as in heterotroph, means?

Algae, Fish, Dolphin, Shark The Nitrogen cycles through back to the Algae.

Using a flowchart, trace the flow of energy in a simple marine food chain. Then, show where nitrogen is cycled through the chain when the top-level carnivore dies and is decomposed.

Chemosynthesis is an autotrophic method of obtaining energy. Instead of using energy, organisms use chemicals as a source of energy to convert molecules into energy rich sugars. It is basically photosynthesis except the organisms use chemicals instead of sunlight.

What is chemosynthesis?

Nutrient whose supply limits productivity. If a single essential nutrient is in short supply, primary productivity will be limited.

What is meant by "nutrient limitation"?

phosphorus cycle only the phosphorus cycle involves on land and underground conversions

Which biogeochemical cycle does NOT include a major path in which the substance cycles through the atmosphere?

Ecologists study individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, biome and biosphere. An individual organism, species is a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offsprings. A population is group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. An assembly of different populations that live together is defined as a community. All the organisms that live together in place with their own physical environment is known as an ecosystem. A biome is a group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms. Our entire plant with all its organisms and physical environments is known as the biosphere.

Write a paragraph that (1) names and defines the levels of organization that an ecologist studies; (2) identifies the level that you would choose to study if you were an ecologist; (3) describes the method or methods you would use to study this level; and (4) gives a reason for your choice of method or methods.

Level 5 0.01% Level 4 0.1% Level 3 1% Level 2 10% Level 1 100% This pyramid Goes up from level 1 to 5.^ Each level will lose 10% of energy. So from 100% to 10% 10% to 1% 1% to 0.1% 0.1% to 0.01%

raw an energy pyramid for a fi ve-step food chain. If 100 percent of the energy is available at the fi rst trophic level, what percentage of that energy is available at the highest trophic level?

Water enters the atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation. Transpiration is the process in which water leaves organisms because of heat or pressure. It usually involves the water moving through some sort of membrane. Examples include sweating. Evaporation is the process in which water turns from the liquid state to gaseous state. This usually deals with water from large bodies, such as oceans and rivers.

List two ways in which water enters the atmosphere in the water cycle.

As rainfall increases the rate of plant tissue production slowly decreases. One factor that might contribute primary productivity that isn't water, is sunlight. Since plants need sunlight in order to photosynthesize the amount they receive would definitely affect their productivity

What factors other than water might affect primary productivity?

Autotrophs are always at the lowest level in food chain. Because the do not consume other organisms but are very commonly consumed by heterotrophs. They also contain the most energy so tis reasonable that they are at a lower level so the higher level organisms can still have some energy left once the energy depletes along the chain (only 10% of energy is transferred from one level of a food chain to another)

Which group of organisms is always found at the base of a food chain or food web?

They get their energy from eating organisms and the energy that comes with it.

Which of the following describes how ALL consumers get their energy?

Unlike energy, matter cycles throughout an ecosystem. For example, when a plant gets eaten by an animal, matter from the plant goes to the animal. When the animal dies, matter from the animal goes to decomposers. When plants take in nutrients from decomposed matter, the matter from the animal goes back to the plant and the cycle repeats again. Energy only goes in one direction and never recycles in terms of the biosphere.

How does the way that matter flows through an ecosystem differ from the way that energy flows?

As rainfall increases the rate of plant tissue production slowly decreases. One factor that might contribute primary productivity that isn't water, is sunlight. Since plants need sunlight in order to photosynthesize the amount they receive would definitely affect their productivity.

Interpret Graphs What happens to productivity as rainfall increases?

Decomposers are organisms that generally live underground and feed on decaying matter, while recycling it into useful nutrients for autotrophs. Worms best fit this description

Which of the following organisms is a decomposer?

community

Which term describes a group of different species that live together in a defined area?

All organisms need nutrients in order to build tissues and run their physiology. Nutrients are essentially special matter that organisms can digest and utilize to build itself and run it's body functions. Some nutrients are essential nutrients that organisms have to periodically obtain in order to survive. Examples include iodine and calcium.

Why do living organisms need nutrients?

You can see that oxygen is decreasing at a steady rate right up to 100 meters. Then, onward it starts significantly decreasing.

Interpret Tables Which of the following is the best description of what happens to the amount of available oxygen as you get deeper in the ocean? a. Available oxygen decreases at a constant rate. b. Available oxygen increases at a constant rate. c. Available oxygen remains steady until about 100 m, then drops rapidly. d. Oxygen is available at all ocean depths.

Transfer of energy along food chain levels is only ten percent efficient because organisms have to use the majority of the energy they get to build themselves and run life-sustaining functions, such as breathing, reproduction, and movement. This leaves a low proportion of energy to pass on to the next level.

Why is the transfer of energy in a food chain usually only about 10 percent efficient?

Where did it come from? Why did it appear so suddenly? Will it harm anything in the pond?

You live near a pond that you have observed for years. One year you notice the water is choked with a massive overgrowth of green algae. What are some of the questions you might have about this unusual growth?

Water falls to surface as precipitation. Surface runoff leads through rivers to lakes and oceans. Some water seeps into ground becomes groundwater. Groundwater is taken up by roots and through transpiration released to atmposhere. Water from oceans and lakes evaporates and condenses to for clouds. And cycle begins again.

Describe one way in which water from the ocean may make one complete cycle through the atmosphere and back to the ocean. Include the names of each process involved in your cycle.

The three basic methods of ecological research are observing; experiment; and modeling. Observing is when scientists ask questions and simply look at what is around them. Experimenting is when scientists create artificial environments with controlled factors in order to test a certain hypothesis. Modeling is the attempt by scientists to write a model or some sort of structure to explain a scientific phenomenon. For example;mathematical models are sometimes used to explain population growth.

Describe the three basic methods of ecological research.

Hypothesis: I believe that certain seeds will germinate when exposed to fire. Materials: 6 seeds from each plant being tested, soil, small campfire pit, sunlight, water, two smaller potting containers for each plant being tested, small fire-proof container, something to record data Control Group: 3 seeds from each plant will be planted in soil without any exposure to fire, and will be placed in a sunny spot next to experimental group. Experimental Group: 3 seeds from each plant will be planted in soil from the same source as that of the control group after being exposed to fire, and then be placed in the same spot as the Control Group. Both will be watered the same amount at the same time. Procedure: 3 seeds from each plant being tested will be put aside for later use, while the other 3 seeds from each plant will be placed into a small, fire-proof container and placed in the embers of a small campfire for approx. 1-2 hours. After the time is up, plant the 3 seeds in a small container of soil, marked so you know which it is. At the same time, take the 3 seeds that were in the fire and place them in a separate but otherwise identical container as the 3 seeds that weren't in the fire. Water and place both next to each other in a sunny spot. Repeat process for each individual plant species. Record growth and time passed once a day for several weeks for each plant.

Ecologists have discovered that the seeds of many plants that grow in forests cannot germinate unless they have been exposed to fi re. Design an experiment to test whether a particular plant has seeds with this requirement. Include your hypothesis statement, a description of control and experimental groups, and an outline of your procedure.

Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria (converts nitrogen to ammonia) live in soil or roots of certain plants. Others convert that fixed nitrogen into nitrates and nitrites. Once these forms of nitrogen are available, primary producers can use them to make proteins and nucleic acids. Consumers eat the produces and reuse nitrogen to make their own nitrogen-containing compounds. Decomposers release nitrogen from waste and dead organisms as ammonia, nitrates and nitrites that producers may take up again.

Explain the process of nitrogen fixation.

It's prey's population will increase. The populations of the grass shrimp and worms, Detritu, bacteria( and associated fungi), plants, leaves, and fruits will increase. While their direct consumers will either starve and die or look for something else.

Explain what you think might happen to the Everglades ecosystem shown in Figure 3-9 if there were a sudden decrease in the number of crayfish.

Global warming is an example of an ecological phenomenon, and modeling is helpful because global warming encompasses the entire biosphere and this means it would be too difficult for ecologists to study it directly, so they make a model that allows them to study a simulated version through mathematical formulas..

Give an example of an ecological phenomenon that could be studied by modeling. Explain why modeling would be useful.

I rely on my parents for food and shelter. They rely on me to do well in school. Parents and children are interdependent to each other based on their reliance on one another.

Give an example of two objects or activities in your life that are interdependent. Explain your choice.

Detritivores and decomposers are different because detritivores grind up and chew detritus particles into smaller particles and often digest decomposers, and example of a detritivore is an earthworm. Decomposers on the other hand "feed" by breaking down organic compounds chemically, and they also produce detritus particles, which detritivores then feast upon. Examples of decomposers are bacteria or fungi.

How are detritivores different from decomposers? Provide an example of each.

Fertilizer contains nutrients that help crops grow, but not all of the nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus) are used by the crops. The ground water collects these leftover nutrients and carries them into large water bodies, these ecosystems have a natural equilibrium. The extra nutrients build up faster than the system can move back the equilibrium and like crops the nutrients foster faster growth of the plants in the water like algae.

Look back at the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles (Figures 3-18 and 3-19).How is fertilizer runoff related to algal blooms?

The smallest level is the individual, or a single organism. The second level is a population, which is a group of individuals from the same population. The third level is a community, which is a group of populations, each of a different species. The fourth level is an ecosystem, which is a group of communities that live in a particular and distinct habitat. The fifth level is a biome, which is characterized usually by climate and geography. Biomes are generally extremely large and examples include tundra and desert. The last level is the biosphere, which embodies all biomes and all parts of earth where organisms exist.

Name the different levels of organization within the biosphere, from the smallest to the largest.

Life can be sustained without sunlight because of chemosynthesis. producers take in carbon dioxide+ hydrogen sulfide+ oxygen and produce carbohydrates+ sulfur compounds. the producer is then consumed and the carbohydrates (energy) is passed on to the consumer

People who explore caves where there is running water but no sunlight often fi nd them populated with unique types of fi shes and insects. What hypothesis can you make to explain the ultimate source of energy for these organisms?

Plants and animals would suffer, the carbon-absorbing effects of trees would diminish due to imbalanced and interrupted flow of natural carbon movement through the biosphere. Trees recycle carbon by taking in carbon dioxide and converting it to sugar and releasing oxygen in the process. As trees diminish so does the release of oxygen. Which becomes problematic to plants, animals and humans.

Predict Based on your knowledge of the carbon cycle, what do you think might happen if humans were to continue to clear and burn vast areas of forests for building?

The food web in the everglades would be the one that involves the algae, flagfish, largemouth bass, anhinga, aligator, pig frog, killfish, everglades crayfish, and plants leaves, seeds and fruits. The food chain I choose is the one involving the largemouth bass, flagfish and algae. The algae is the primary producer or the autotrph, the flagfish is the primary consumer and the largemouth bass is the secondary consumer. This means that the algae since it's autotrph creates it's own food. The flagfish is heterotrph so it needs other resources for food and it eats the algae as primary consumer and the largemouth bass eats the flagfish.

Refer to Figure 3-9, which shows a food web in the Everglades. Choose one of the food chains within the web. Then, write a paragraph describing the feeding relationships among the organisms in the food chain.

Biological: such as respiration. Geological: such as volcanic eruptions. Chemical/physical: such as precipitation. Human activity: such as burning fossil fuels.

What are the four types of processes that cycle matter through the biosphere? Give an example of each.

The six different major levels of organization are species, population, community, ecosystems. and biome.

What are the six different major levels of organization, from smallest to largest, that ecologists commonly study?

Sunlight is one primary energy source for most life on Earth. For some organisms, the primary source is chemical energy stored in inorganic chemical compounds.

What are the two primary sources of energy that power living systems?

When you introduce something into an ecosystem, it can have a major impact on what's already there. For example, if you were to go to a place that had no cats (a biotic factor) or other larger predators, had a very large number of smaller organisms, like mice or rabbits, that worked to keep something in the area, like vegetation growth, under control, you couldn't just decide to introduce cats to the area. If you did, the population of the native animals would drop, and the amount of vegetation in the area would rise without the native organisms keeping it in check (ecosystem). Due to the lack of the area's natural predators, the population of the cats would rise continuously, until they had eaten the area's natural organisms to extinction in that area, at which point the cats would starve, and there would be no animals around to keep the vegetation under control.

give an example of how a biotic factor might influence the organisms in an ecosystem.

For example a scientist might study temperature change in an ecosystem through time. The scientist would make a model relating time to temperature change. He would probably collect data from the ecosystem periodically and graph the data to see if there is a pattern. If there is a pattern then that pattern can be used as a model to predict the temperature in an ecosystem at a certain time. This is an example of how modeling can be used to study ecological change.

how do ecologists use modeling?