Energy Flow in Ecosystems

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What is energy flow in ecosystems?

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Energy flow in ecosystems refers to the transfer of energy from one organism to another through food chains and food webs, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

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What is a producer in an ecosystem?

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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?

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A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms for energy, including herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another, starting with a producer and ending with a top predator.

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that illustrates how different organisms in an ecosystem are related through feeding relationships.

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What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

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Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers, thus playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling.

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What is photosynthesis?

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Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

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What is cellular respiration?

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Cellular respiration is the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water, allowing organisms to use the energy stored in food.

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What happens to a food web if a key species is removed?

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If a key species is removed from a food web, it can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem, leading to population declines or increases in other species and potentially causing a collapse of the food web.

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What is an energy pyramid?

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An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem, illustrating that energy decreases as it moves up the pyramid.