Ecosystems and Trophic Levels Flashcard

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What are secondary consumers?

Back

Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers. They can be carnivores (meat-eaters) or omnivores (eating both plants and animals).

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What is a biomass pyramid?

Back

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

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What might cause a decrease in a rabbit population in an ecosystem?

Back

Factors such as a higher population of predators (like snakes), diseases, or a decrease in food availability can cause a decrease in the rabbit population.

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How many trophic levels does a Mountain Lion occupy as a consumer?

Back

A Mountain Lion typically occupies 3 trophic levels in a food web.

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What is the correct flow of matter in a food web?

Back

The flow of matter in a food web typically follows the sequence: plants -> nematodes -> arthropods -> animals.

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What are trophic levels?

Back

Trophic levels are the hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, defined by how organisms obtain their energy, such as producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and so on.

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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, showing how energy and nutrients flow.

Front

What role do primary consumers play in an ecosystem?

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Primary consumers are herbivores that eat producers (plants) and are the second trophic level in the food chain.

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What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

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A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms where each is eaten by the next, while a food web is a more complex network of interconnected food chains.

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What are top predators?

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Top predators are organisms at the top of the food chain that have no natural predators and play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems.