Ecosystems

Question 1

Biosphere

Answer 1

All parts of and around Earth where life can be found

Question 2

Atmosphere

Answer 2

Layer of gases surrounding the planet

Question 3

Hydrosphere

Answer 3

All water on the earth’s surface

Question 4

Lithosphere

Answer 4

The solid outer part of the earth, mainly composed of rock

Question 5

Ecosystems

Answer 5

Cyclical flow of material from abiotic environments through biotic communities and back

Question 6

Autotrophs

Answer 6

An organism that can produce its own food (usually via photosynthesis). Only requires inorganic nutrients and an outside energy source to produce organic nutrients. Also called producers

Question 7

Heterotrophs

Answer 7

Organisms who depend on other sources for their food

Question 8

Herbivores

Answer 8

An animal that feeds only on plants (heterotroph)

Question 9

Carnivore

Answer 9

An animal that feeds only on meat (heterotroph)

Question 10

Omnivore

Answer 10

An animal that feeds on both plants and meat (heterotroph)

Question 11

Decomposers

Answer 11

Organisms that break apart dead organisms into simpler inorganic materials (heterotrophs)

Question 12

Trophic level

Answer 12

Composed of all the organisms that feed at the same level in a food chain

Question 13

10% rule of energy transfer

Answer 13

Only 10% of energy available at one trophic level is passed on to the next.

Question 14

Reservoir

Answer 14

Source normally unavailable to producers (fossil fuels, minerals, etc)

Question 15

Exchange pool

Answer 15

source from which producers generally take chemicals (atmosphere, soil, water)

Question 16

Biogeochemical Cycle

Answer 16

Energy transfers from reservoirs to exchange pools (hydrologic and carbon cycles)

Question 17

Hydrologic Cycle

Answer 17

Fresh water evaporates into clouds, precipitation enters the ground and aquifers, water eventually returns to the ocean

Question 18

Carbon Cycle

Answer 18

Producers withdraw carbon from atmosphere, organisms eat producers and breathe out the carbon. Or carbon is also released in burning fossil fuels, which enters atmosphere, then producers then organisms, and finally decomposers add carbon back to fossil fuel source.

Question 19

Mauna Loa

Answer 19

A part of Hawaii that is experiencing an steady increase of carbon dioxide.

Question 20

Greenhouse effect

Answer 20

greenhouse gases allow sunlight into the atmosphere and reflect infrared back, but traps heat in the atmosphere.

Question 21

Greenhouse gases

Answer 21

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, water vapor

Question 22

Potential cycle that an increase in temperature may cause

Answer 22

if you increase temperature then more water will evaporate, more clouds will form, and more heat trapped will be trapped by water vapor and other gases in clouds, which will increase the earth’s temperature.

Question 23

Carbon dioxide

Answer 23

Let’s light pass but prevents heat rays from passing. So CO2 in the atmosphere prevents heat from the earth going back into space. The increase in carbon dioxide is leading to global warming

Question 24

Evidence for temperature increase

Answer 24

Ocean and land temperatures are rising, glaciers are receding, shrubs growing in previously inhabitable parts of Alaska, many birds and butterflies are moving north and breeding earlier.

Question 25

Consequences of Global Warming

Answer 25

Temperatures in polar regions will increase. Glaciers will melt and sea levels will rise. Increased rain and storms along coast, dryer conditions inland. Droughts will cause agricultural yields to lessen. Many species will go extinct.

Question 26

Renewable energy

Answer 26

Energy from a source that can't be depleted such as wind, solar, or geothermal power