Topic 29

Question 1

What are the 2 types on energy in an ecosystem?

Answer 1

1) Potential energy- Stored energy available for performing work
2) Kinetic energy - Expended energy, used to perform work

Question 2

What are the 2 laws of thermodynamics?

Answer 2

1st Law: Energy cannot be created or destroyed in an ecosystem
2nd Law: Energy becomes unavailable when transferred among trophic levels through feeding relationships - parts on energy is converted to unusable energy

Question 3

What is primary production?

Answer 3

The rate at which plant tissue (organic matter) is created during photosynthesis

Question 4

What are photosynthetic rates influenced by?

Answer 4

1) Leaf Morphology (surface area)
2) Modified photosynthetic pathways (C4 and CAM)
3) Adaptations to low light (Shade tolerant vs intolerant)

Question 5

What is secondary production?

Answer 5

Refers to the efficiency of consumers to transform energy into offspring and growth

Question 6

What is Assimilated Energy (A) and what is it used for?

Answer 6

Energy transferred through the cut wall, first used for respiration and then for maintenance

Question 7

What is production efficiency? What is the formula?

Answer 7

The efficiency of consumer species to transform energy consumed into secondary consumption, formula in P/A (Production/ Assimilated energy)

Question 8

What has greater P/A? Ectotherms or endotherms?

Answer 8

Ectotherms: higher energy allocation to maintain constant body temperature

Question 9

What has greater P/A? Invertebrates or Vertebrates?

Answer 9

Invertebrates

Question 10

What has greater P/A? Carnivores or Herbivore?

Answer 10

Carnivores, harder to assimilate plant tissue

Question 11

What is the ecological rule?

Answer 11

Only 10% of the energy stored as biomass within a given trophic level is converted to biomass at the next higher trophic level

Question 12

What is Mineralization?

Answer 12

Converts organic compounds into inorganic compounds for use by plants (Done by decomposers)

Question 13

What is the difference between detritivores and microbial decomposers

Answer 13

detritivores are larger animals , they both decompose

Question 14

What abiotic factors have a direct influence on decomposition rates?

Answer 14

Temperature and Moisture

Question 15

What are the two processes that the rate of internal cycling depend on?

Answer 15

1) Primary Production - Determines the rate of nutrient transfer from inorganic to organic form (nutrient uptake)
2) Decomposition- Determines the rate of organic to inorganic form (Mineralization)