Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants) in an ecosystem. For example, a rabbit is a primary consumer because it feeds on grass.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers. For example, a snake that eats a rabbit is a secondary consumer.

Front

Define a keystone species.

Back

A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. If removed, it can cause significant changes in the ecosystem.

Front

What happens when a population nears its carrying capacity?

Back

When a population nears its carrying capacity, resources become limited, leading to a slowdown in population growth, where the birth rate and death rate become equal.

Front

How many organisms can feed on a single producer in a food web?

Back

The number of organisms that can feed on a single producer varies; in some cases, multiple organisms can depend on one producer for energy.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow through the system.

Front

What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers, such as plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food web.

Front

What is an apex predator?

Back

An apex predator is a predator at the top of the food chain that has no natural predators of its own, such as a lion or a great white shark.

Front

Explain the concept of energy flow in ecosystems.

Back

Energy flow in ecosystems refers to the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another, starting from producers to primary consumers, then to secondary consumers, and so on.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, defined by how an organism obtains its energy, such as producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers.