Ecosystem Energy Flow and Productivity

What is the primary energy source for most ecosystems on Earth?

• Chemicals

• Heat

• The Sun

• Biomass

Which model best illustrates the flow of energy and the loss of energy as heat at each step in an ecosystem?

• Food web

• Food chain

• Ecological pyramid

• Biogeochemical cycle

What are the primary inputs required for photosynthesis to occur?

• Oxygen, glucose, and heat

• Carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight energy

• Hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and water

• Glucose, oxygen, and water

In deep ocean hydrothermal vent ecosystems, what is the primary energy source utilized by chemosynthetic bacteria?

• Sunlight

• Heat from the vents

• Chemicals like hydrogen sulfide

• Oxygen

Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is calculated by subtracting what from Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)?

• Energy lost as heat

• Energy consumed by primary consumers

• Energy used by producers for respiration

• Energy transferred to decomposers

What does Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) represent in an ecosystem?

• The total energy available to consumers.

• The energy used by producers for respiration.

• The overall amount of energy converted by producers from sunlight or chemicals.

• The energy remaining after producers use some for their own needs.

Based on typical Net Primary Productivity (NPP) rates, which terrestrial biome generally exhibits the highest productivity?

• Temperate Deciduous Forest

• Savanna

• Tropical Rain Forest

• Boreal Forest

Why is there a significant loss of energy at each successive trophic level in an ecosystem?

• Organisms at higher trophic levels are less efficient at hunting.

• Energy is converted into heat during metabolic processes like respiration.

• Decomposers consume a large portion of the energy.

• Producers do not capture all available solar energy.

Approximately what percentage of energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next in an ecosystem?

• 1%

• 10%

• 50%

• 90%

How is biomass typically measured in a biomass pyramid?

• The total energy produced over a year.

• The amount of living material present at one specific point in time.

• The rate of energy transfer between trophic levels.

• The number of individual organisms at each level.