ecosystems

Question 1

what is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

a relatively self contained community of interacting organisms and the environment they live in and interact with

Question 2

what is dry mass?

Answer 2

the mass of an organism or tissue after all the water has been removed

Question 3

what is biomass of an organism?

Answer 3

the mass of living material of the organism or tissue. the chemical energy that is stored within the organism or tissue

Question 4

what method could you use to calculate biomass?

Answer 4

use a calorimetry to calculate chemical energy stores within the dried plant sample

Question 5

what is the calculation for effiency of energy

Answer 5

effiency of energy transfer = (net productvity of secondary consumers / net productivity of primary consumers ) x 100

Question 6

how can human activity manipulate the transfer of biomass for producers?

Answer 6

artificial light on overcast days, optimising plant distances, irrigationto maximise growth in dry weather, fertilisers, selective breeding, pesticides, fungicidies, ploughing to kill weeds

Question 7

how can human activity manipulate transfer of biomass for primary consumers (grazers)

Answer 7

use of good quality feeds, antibiotics, vaccines, control predation w fencing, reduce competition e.g. deer or sheep, indoor husbandry to reduce energy loss from movement