Energy Flow in Ecosystems and Biogeochemical Cycles

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What is runoff?

Back

Runoff is surface water that travels across the land and eventually reaches a body of water.

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What does an energy pyramid represent?

Back

An energy pyramid is a diagram that represents the amount of energy stored in trophic levels.

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What are fossil fuels?

Back

Fossil fuels are energy sources formed from decayed plants and animals millions of years ago, used to power vehicles and heat homes.

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What are biogeochemical cycles?

Back

Biogeochemical cycles describe how water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pass from the physical environment to living organisms.

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Who are decomposers?

Back

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead matter and release nutrients back into the environment.

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What is a biomass pyramid?

Back

A biomass pyramid is a graphical representation showing the total mass of living matter at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Front

What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers, or autotrophs, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

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What is the water cycle?

Back

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

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What is the nitrogen cycle?

Back

The nitrogen cycle describes the process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms, essential for life.

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What is the carbon cycle?

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The carbon cycle is the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment.