Energy Transfer in the Biosphere

Question 1

What does the term ALBEDO refer to?

Answer 1

The amount of energy reflected by clouds, water and land

Question 2

Describe Photosynthesis

Answer 2

The process when producers(algae, plants, etc.) convert radiant energy into chemical energy.

Question 3

Chemical energy vs Radiant Energy

Answer 3

Chemical energy is stored in bonds of carbs such as glucose/sugar, and Radiant energy comes from the sun as visible light, etc.

Question 4

What are Autotrophs?

Answer 4

Autotrophs produce their own food, by using the suns energy. (producers)

Question 5

What is Chemosynthesis?

Answer 5

Occurs when there is an absence of light. Microorganisms use hydrogen sulfide to produce their OWN carbohydrate-based energy.

Question 6

What is produced in the process Chemosynthesis?

Answer 6

This process produces sulfuric acid instead of oxygen.

Question 7

Describe the process of cellular Respiration?

Answer 7

The process in which chemical energy (stored in bonds of glucose) is being converted into ATP.
- Note that ATP serves as the body’s main fuel source.

Question 8

Describe a Heterotrophs?

Answer 8

Heterotrophs obtain their food from other organisms. (Consumers)

Question 9

Fermentation process?

Answer 9

Where bacteria can preform the process of cellular respiration WITHOUT oxygen.
- Metabolic process where organisms convert starch /sugar to alcohol or an acid.

Question 10

What product is released during the process of fermentation.

Answer 10

During fermentation the process of cellular respiration occurs, except instead of ATP being produced, Pyruvate is produced.

Question 11

Types of Consumers

Answer 11

1. Primary Consumers (HERBIVORES)
2. Second Consumers (OMNIVORES/CARNIVORES)
3. Tertiary Consumers (TRUE CARNIVORES)
4. Decomposers (BACTERIA/FUNGI)

Question 12

1st Trophic Level

Answer 12

The FIRST trophic level provides ALL chemical energy required for all the consumers. This level is all producers, providing their resources.

Question 13

2nd level

Answer 13

This level includes herbivores, organisms that eat the plants. Where nutrients are consumed

Question 14

3rd Level

Answer 14

Consume herbivores, eating organisms from the 2nd. Called Secondary Consumers

Question 15

4th Level

Answer 15

Carnivores who eat other carnivores.

Question 16

5th Level

Answer 16

This level is the apex predators/top of the food chain. They are not consumed by any organism.

Question 17

Decomposers

Answer 17

Considered to have their own trophic level. Break down dead animal and plant matter. (detritivores)

Question 18

Which trophic level has the greatest amount of energy?

Answer 18

It is proven that the largest amount of energy is found in the first trophic level in a food chain. There is less and less energy available to the higher trophic levels because the organisms at the top of the food chain must consume way MORE than organisms at the bottom of the food chain to obtain energy.

Question 19

Food Webs

Answer 19

used to represent energy transfer within an ecosystem.
- WAY MORE ACCURATE

Question 20

RULE OF 10

Answer 20

The energy that is transferred through trophic levels, varies among different kinds of organisms.
- The rule is that 90% of energy is lost within each step.

EXAMPLE:
- The first trophic level could have 10, 000 KJ and the last trophic level would only have 1KJ

Question 21

What is Bioaccumulation

Answer 21

The accumulation/buildup of a substance overtime in a living organism(CONTAMINENT)
- could be a heavy metal or pesticide, etc.

Question 22

Why does bioaccumulation occur?

Answer 22

This occurs when an organism absorbs or intakes a substance faster than it can be eliminated or excreted.
- rate of intake exceeds the rate of excretion.

Question 23

Which trophic level does Bioaccumulation impact the most?

Answer 23

The animals at the top of the food chain are more affected by bioaccumulation. WHY?
- because, the eat the most organisms which are more likely to have already intake chemicals and toxic materials.

Question 24

How does bioaccumulation affect our health?

Answer 24

Could take part in food poisoning as these toxins could be in the food we are consuming.

Question 25

What can we do about bioaccumulation?

Answer 25

We can reduce the use of heavy metals and toxic chemicals being release in our lives. Because waters and foods are constantly being contaminated by the flow of chemicals in our air. Which leads to animals intaking toxic chemical, that are eventuality consumed by humans.

Question 26

Biomagnification

Answer 26

Pollutant or pesticide increases its concentration in the tissues of organisms as it travels up the FOOD CHAIN.

Question 27

Ecological Pyramids

Answer 27

1) Numbers
2) Biomass
3) Energy

Question 28

Pyramid of Numbers

Answer 28

Because there is way more energy in the lower trophic levels, and less in the higher levels, we have the “pyramid of numbers” to organize the pyramid with numbers representing the number of organisms in each level.

Question 29

Pyramid of Biomass

Answer 29

Represent the fry mass of living organisms. Demonstrate how energy is TRANSFERRED from one trophic to the other. this pyramid focuses on the actual size of the organism verses just a number.

Question 30

Pyramid of Energy

Answer 30

Show the total amount of energy that is transferred through each trophic level. These types of pyramids are always upright , because it has to be shown that there is less energy at the lower trophic levels.