Energy Flow and Ecosystem Dynamics

This video is a refresher on food webs and energy pyramids, explaining how energy is transferred between organisms in a food chain. It covers the roles of producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and decomposers, and discusses the importance of complex food webs for ecosystem stability. The video also explains energy pyramids, highlighting how energy decreases at each trophic level and the implications for biomass distribution.

What do the arrows in a food web represent?

• The lifespan of the organisms

• The size of the organisms

• The flow of energy between organisms

• The direction of organism movement

What percentage of energy is typically transferred from one organism to the next in a food chain?

• 50%

• 100%

• 10%

• 1%

Which organisms are considered autotrophs?

• Organisms that decompose dead matter

• Organisms that produce their own energy through photosynthesis

• Organisms that consume other organisms

• Organisms that are primary consumers

What is the primary source of energy for autotrophs?

• Photosynthesis

• Consuming other organisms

• Decomposing organic matter

• Absorbing nutrients from the soil

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• To act as top-level predators

• To produce energy through photosynthesis

• To consume primary consumers

• To break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

Why is a more complex food web considered more stable?

• It has fewer trophic levels

• It has more energy

• It has fewer organisms

• It has multiple food sources for each organism

Which type of consumer eats both plants and animals?

• Herbivores

• Carnivores

• Omnivores

• Decomposers

What percentage of energy is available to tertiary consumers in an energy pyramid?

• 0.01%

• 0.1%

• 1%

• 10%

What happens to the biomass as you move up the trophic levels in an energy pyramid?

• It fluctuates

• It increases

• It remains the same

• It decreases

Why are there fewer top-level predators in an ecosystem?

• They require less energy

• They are more susceptible to disease

• They have more offspring

• There is not enough energy to support large numbers