Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Front

What is a producer in an ecosystem?

Back

A producer is an organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and algae.

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What is a consumer in an ecosystem?

Back

A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms, such as animals.

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What is a decomposer?

Back

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead or decaying organisms, returning nutrients to the soil, such as fungi and bacteria.

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What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

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What is carrying capacity?

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support sustainably.

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What happens to populations when resources become limited?

Back

When resources become limited, population growth slows, and the birth rate and death rate may become equal.

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How does the removal of a predator affect prey populations?

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The removal of a predator can lead to an increase in the prey population due to reduced predation pressure.

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What is the role of herbivores in an ecosystem?

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Herbivores are consumers that eat plants, playing a crucial role in transferring energy from producers to higher trophic levels.

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What is the significance of decomposers in an ecosystem?

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Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem, making them available for producers.

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, defined by how an organism obtains its energy.