Lecture 23 Flashcards
Two conditions required for life
- a flow of energy
2. the continued recycling of elements
Autotrophs
primary producers that produce organic matter via photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Primary production
the production of organic matter using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Autotrophs
primary producers
Two ways primary producers make energy
photosynthesis (carbon dioxide and water) and chemosynthesis (hydrogen, sulfide, and oxygen)
Heterotrophy
uses organic matter as fuel for respiration
respiration
the release of energy as heat
Aerobic versus anaerobic respiration
Aerobic uses O2 while anaerobic does not use O2
Secondary production
heterotrophs build their body mass by eating other organisms
Macronutrients
elements that are required by all living things in large amounts
Examples of macronutrients
C, H, O, P, N, S
Limiting factor
an element that prevents the growth of an organism
What is the largest carbon sink on earth?
storage in marine sediments and sedimentary rocks
What is the biggest sink for Nitrogen on the earth?
the atmosphere
What is the biggest phosphorus sink on earth?
earth’s crust
