Ch 55 Ecosystems

Question 1

Ecosystem size range

Answer 1

Microscopic to large scale

Question 2

Two main processes in an ecosystem:

Answer 2

1) Energy flow

2) Chemical cycling

Question 3

___ flows through an ecosystem

Answer 3

Energy

Question 4

___ cycles within an ecosystem

Answer 4

Matter

Question 5

1st law of thermodynamics

Answer 5

Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another

Question 6

2nd law of thermodynamics

Answer 6

Physical systems tend to proceed to a state of greater disorder (entropy)

Question 7

Law of conservation of mass

Answer 7

States that matter can be neither created nor destroyed

Question 8

1)___ elements are continually 2)___ within an ecosystem

Answer 8

1) Chemical

2) Recycled

Question 9

What kind of system is an ecosystem?

Answer 9

An open system

Question 10

Open systems absorb:

Answer 10

1) Energy

2) Mass

Question 11

Open systems release:

Answer 11

1) Heat

2) Waste products

Question 12

Primary production

Answer 12

The amount of light energy converted into chemical energy by autotrophs in a given time period

Question 13

The extent of 1)___ ___ sets the spending limit for an 2)___ ___ ___

Answer 13

1) Photosynthetic production

2) Ecosystem’s energy budget

Question 14

Gross primary production (GPP)

Answer 14

The total primary production of an ecosystem

Question 15

Gross primary production is measured as what?

Answer 15

The conversion of chemical energy from photosynthesis per unit time

Question 16

How is net primary production (NPP) calculated?

Answer 16

Gross primary production (GPP) minus energy used by primary producers for respiration

Question 17

Two ways net primary production (NPP) is expressed:

Answer 17

1) Energy per unit area per unit time (J/m^2*yr)

2) Biomass added per unit area per unit time (g/m^2*yr)

Question 18

Net primary production (NPP)

Answer 18

The amount of new biomass added in a given time period

Question 19

Ecosystems vary greatly in what?

Answer 19

Net primary production

Question 20

Ecosystems contribute to what?

Answer 20

The total net primary production on Earth

Question 21

Net ecosystem production (NEP)

Answer 21

The total biomass accumulated during a given period

Question 22

How is net ecosystem production (NEP) calculated?

Answer 22

Gross primary production minus the total respiration of all organisms (consumer + producers) in an ecosystem

Question 23

Net ecosystem production (NEP) is estimated by comparing what?

Answer 23

The net flux of CO2 and O2 in an ecosystem

Question 24

In marine and freshwater ecosystems, what controls primary production?

Answer 24

1) Light

2) Nutrients

Question 25

What two nutrients most often limit marine production?

Answer 25

1) Nitrogen | 2) Phosphorus

Question 26

Eutrophication

Answer 26

The addition of extra nutrients to bodies of water

Question 27

Results of eutrophication:

Answer 27

1) Algae population explosions | 2) Depletion of oxygen from these habitats

Question 28

Critical load

Answer 28

The amount of added nutrients that can be absorbed by plants without damaging ecosystem integrity

Question 29

What causes dead zones?

Answer 29

Decomposition of phytoplankton blooms, which create low oxygen levels

Question 30

In terrestrial ecosystems, what affects primary production on a large scale?

Answer 30

1) Temperature | 2) Moisture

Question 31

In terrestrial ecosystems, what affects primary production on the small scale?

Answer 31

Soil nutrients (nitrogen, etc.)

Question 32

Secondary production

Answer 32

The amount of chemical energy in food converted to new biomass during a given period of ime

Question 33

Production efficiency (definition)

Answer 33

The fractions of energy stored in food that is not used for respiration

Question 34

Production efficiency (equation)

Answer 34

Net secondary production/Assmilation of primary production

Question 35

Do ectotherms or extotherms have higher production efficiencies?

Answer 35

Ectotherms

Question 36

Trophic efficiency

Answer 36

The percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next

Question 37

What is trophic efficiency, usually?

Answer 37

~10%

Question 38

Terrestrial ecosystem biomass pyramid

Answer 38

inefficiency of production transfer between trophic levels leads to a pyramid in the distribution of biomass

Question 39

In the terrestrial ecosystem biomass pyramid, is there more biomass at higher or lower levels?

Answer 39

Lower levels

Question 40

In the terrestrial ecosystem biomass pyramid, 1)___ ___ ___ is required to produce biomass at 2___ ___ ___

Answer 40

1) More total energy | 2) Higher trophic levels

Question 41

Do terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems transfer energy more efficiently?

Answer 41

Aquatic ecosystems

Question 42

Why do aquatic ecosystems transfer energy more efficiently?

Answer 42

1) More cold-blooded (low metabolism) consumers 2) Longer food chains 3) More rapid turnover in primary producers

Question 43

1)___ primary production, 2)___ standing producer biomass

Answer 43

1) High | 2) Low

Question 44

Gaseous forms of what four elements occur in the atmosphere and cycle globally?

Answer 44

1) Carbon 2) Oxygen 3) Sulfur 4) Nitrogen

Question 45

All elements cycle between 1)___ and 2)___ reservoirs

Answer 45

1) Organic | 2) Inorganic

Question 46

What kind of elements cycle locally?

Answer 46

Less mobile elements (phosphorus)

Question 47

When are less mobile elements cycled more broadly?

Answer 47

When they are dissolved in aquatic systems

Question 48

Only ___ of Earth's water is available in lakes, streams, and groundwater

Answer 48

1%

Question 49

What is the main process driving the water cycle?

Answer 49

Evaporation by solar energy

Question 50

Carbon cycle

Answer 50

Carbon added to the atmosphere is removed

Question 51

How is carbon added to the atmosphere?

Answer 51

By respiration of living organisms (CO2)

Question 52

How is carbon removed from the atmosphere?

Answer 52

By photosynthesis

Question 53

Major reservoirs of carbon:

Answer 53

1) Soil 2) Oceans 3) Biomass 4) Atmosphere 5) Fossil fuel (oil)

Question 54

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 54

Only plans and bacteria can acquire nitrogen from the atmosphere to make organic molecules from which animals can acquire nitrogen

Question 55

Phosphorus is a major component of:

Answer 55

1) Nucleic acids 2) Phospholipids 3) ATP

Question 56

What is the most important inorganic form of phosphorus?

Answer 56

Phosphate (PO4)

Question 57

Major reservoirs of phosphorus:

Answer 57

1) Sedimentary rocks 2) Ocean 3) Organisms

Question 58

What heavily dictates the rate at which nutrients cycle?

Answer 58

The rate of decomposition

Question 59

What controls the rate of decomposition?

Answer 59

1) Temperature 2) Moisture 3) Nutrient availability

Question 60

Restoration ecology

Answer 60

The study of ways to initiate or speed up the recovery of degraded ecosystems

Question 61

How does restoration ecology try to restore degraded ecosystems?

Answer 61

Manipulating biogeomechanical signaling

Question 62

Bioremediation

Answer 62

The use of organisms (bacteria, fungi, plants) to detoxify ecosystems

Question 63

Biological augmentation

Answer 63

The use of organisms to add essential materials to a degraded ecosystem