Environmental Science Chapter 5 How Ecosystems Work – Flashcards
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What is the ultimate source of energy?
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sun
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What is the type of succession which occurs where an environment previously existed?
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seondary succession
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What type of succession occurs where an environment has not previously existed
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primary
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What is cellular respiration? What is the equation for it?
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process of breaking down food to yield energy C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + energy
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What is photosynthesis? What is the equation?
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Photosynthesis is the process used by plants, algae and certain bacteria to harness energy from sunlight into chemical energy. six carbon dioxide plus six water results in glucose plus six oxygen.
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What form of carbon is found in animals and plants which died millions of years ago?
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fossil fuels
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What is the gradual process of change and replacement of the types of species in an ecosystem is _________ succession
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ecological
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The use of what item causes an increase in nitrogren and phosphorus in lakes and streams?
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fertilizer
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What are nitrogen fixing bacteria
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bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia
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Organisms that only eat producers are known as what
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primary consumers (herbivores)
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What type of succession would you expect to find on new islands formed by volcanoes?
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primary succession
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compare a food chain and a food web
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A food chain only follows just one path as animals find food A food web consists of many chains
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A final and stable community is known as what?
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climax community
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What type of natural disasters help forest communities by allowing trees to release their seeds?
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natural fires
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What is used by bacteria in deep ocean ecosystems to make their own food
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hyrdrogen sulfide
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What are decomposers? give an example
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break down dead organisms bacteria and fungi
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what are the first organisms to colonize any newly available areas
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pioneer species
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How much energy is passed from one trophic level to the next
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10%
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How do humans influence the carbon cycle
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they burn fossil fuels that release carbon into the atomosphere
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Where are nitrogen fixing bacteria found
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they live within the roots of plants, called legumes
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What begins the process of breaking down rocks in primary succession
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Over many years lichens break down rock into sand.
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A lion would be what type of consumer
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secondary consumers (carnivore)
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What is old-field succession
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The form of ecological succession which occurs on abandoned farmland is referred to as old field succession.
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What are algal blooms and why does it occur
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blue-green algae. in freshwater as well as marine environments. because of excess nitrogen and phosphorus
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Explain the statement "all flesh is grass" in terms of the energy flow in an ecosystem
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(writing)
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Why is a pyramid used to represent energy level at the various trophic levels.
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there is more producers than tertiary consumers
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Extra energy in organisms is stored as what
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fat and sugar
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What type of succession occurs after a volcano or flood
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secondary
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What type of consumers obtain energy from producers
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primary
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what type of vegetation would you expect to find in a field undisturbed for 150 years
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mature oak forest
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How do consumers get their energy
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eat each other
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What is at the bottom of the food chain
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producers
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What item is found in a carbon sink
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limestone
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What part do plants play in the carbon cycle
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oxygen
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what is the initial source of food in aquatic ecosystems
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algae, phyto plankton
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give some examples of fossil fuels
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coal, oil, natural gas
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Why is succession possible
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lichens and bacteria
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Nitrogen makes up what percentage of the atmosphere
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78%
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Give an example of secondary succession
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volcano
