Question 1

Ecosystem ecology is primarily concerned with

Accepted Answer

Ecosystem ecology primarily focuses on the movement of energy and materials through ecosystems, including the processes of nutrient cycling, energy flow, and trophic interactions. This field of study helps us to understand the connections and interrelationships between different components, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, in the ecosystem.

Question 2

Biogeochemical cycles involve

Accepted Answer

Biogeochemical cycles involve the movement of chemicals (including all chemical elements) through ecosystems, as they are cycled through abiotic and biotic components such as the atmosphere, soil, water, and organisms. It is not limited to just one nutrient or just primary producers.

Question 3

What is gross primary production?

Accepted Answer

Gross primary production (GPP) is the total rate at which an ecosystem's producers convert solar energy into chemical energy as biomass. It is the amount of carbon fixed during photosynthesis, before any cellular respiration by plants or other organisms takes place.

Question 4

The replacing forests with agricultural or urban areas can significantly affect the water cycle.Why is this?

Accepted Answer

Forests play an important role in water cycle by transpiring large amounts of moisture into the atmosphere. Deforestation reduces tree cover, which leads to less moisture being evaporated and transpired from plants resulting in less precipitation and hence can affect the water cycle.

Question 5

In subarctic saltmarshes,scientists have found that the addition of calcium has no effect on productivity,but additional iron does increase productivity.In this example,iron

Accepted Answer

The fact that the addition of iron increases productivity in subarctic saltmarshes indicates that iron is a limiting factor, meaning that it is a nutrient that is scarce and limits the growth of plants in the marshes. The addition of iron alleviates this limitation, allowing for increased productivity.

Question 6

If gross primary production were to increase in an ecosystem,it would be reasonable to expect that

Accepted Answer

An increase in gross primary production (GPP) would provide more energy and resources for the herbivores in the ecosystem, leading to an increase in their biomass. This is because more energy is available for consumption and growth. The other options are not necessarily true, as an increase in GPP does not necessarily mean nutrients are no longer limiting factors, net primary production may increase, cellular respiration may not decrease, and the trophic web may or may not become more complex.

Question 7

Which of these ecosystems has the lowest productivity?

Accepted Answer

The open ocean has the lowest productivity due to its low nutrient availability and lack of photosynthetic organisms. It also has a large volume of water, making it harder for nutrients to be circulated and support a high level of primary productivity.

Question 8

You are studying salt marsh ecosystems and find that in one of your study sites the biomass of herbivores within it is 10 kJ/m².Based on the graph below,what would you predict about the primary productivity of this salt marsh relative to other ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are studying salt marsh ecosystems and...

Question 9

Trophic-level transfer efficiency averages about

Accepted Answer

Trophic-level transfer efficiency, which measures the amount of energy that is transferred from one trophic level to the next, averages about 10%. This reflects the general rule that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next level due to energy losses primarily from metabolic processes and heat.

Question 10

In food webs,chain lengths

Accepted Answer

Food webs tend to have short chain lengths because the transfer of energy between trophic levels is inefficient and only a small fraction of energy is transferred from one level to the next. As a result, there is not enough energy to support longer chains.

Question 11

A hectare of wheat fixes 32,000 kg of carbon per year through photosynthesis and uses 7,000 kg of carbon per year for cellular respiration.The net primary productivity of the wheat field is therefore _____ kg of carbon/hectare/year.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A hectare of wheat fixes 32,000 kg...

Question 12

Examine the map above (Figure 46.9),which shows indices of aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity based on concentrations of chlorophyll a.
Based on this index,primary productivity of aquatic systems:

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
Examine the map above (Figure 46.9),which shows...

Question 13

What are the most important transformers of energy in ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Plants and algae are the most important transformers of energy in ecosystems as they are the primary producers and convert solar energy into organic matter through photosynthesis. Without them, there would be no source of energy for other organisms in the ecosystem to consume. While detritivores, primary consumers, bacteria, and secondary consumers all play important roles in cycling nutrients and breaking down organic matter, they are not the primary transformers of energy in the ecosystem.

Question 14

How does DDT in the environment affect many birds?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does DDT in the environment affect...

Question 15

Lead is known to biomagnify and accumulates in the bones of organisms.What do you think is the fate of lead in the body of a tiger that has died of natural causes? Assume the tiger occupies the highest trophic level of its ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

When the tiger dies, decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down its tissue, including the bones which contain accumulated lead. The decomposers release the lead back into the environment, where it can be taken up by plants and other organisms, continuing to cycle through the food chain.

Question 16

How do primary producers provide energy for the food chain?

Accepted Answer

Primary producers, such as plants or algae, produce their own organic molecules through the process of photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. This organic matter serves as the foundation for the food chain, as it is then consumed by primary consumers (herbivores), which are then consumed by secondary consumers (carnivores), and so on. Without primary producers, there would be no source of energy for the food chain.

Question 17

The giant interconnected global ecosystem is called the

Accepted Answer

The term "biosphere" refers to the interconnected global ecosystem in which all living organisms exist and interact with each other and their environment. It includes all the biotic (living) factors such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, as well as the abiotic (non-living) factors such as water, air, and soil. The biosphere is a complex and dynamic system that is constantly changing and adapting to its surroundings.

Question 18

Primary production is generally highest in

Accepted Answer

The answer of Primary production is generally highest in
...

Question 19

The movement of chemicals through ecosystems is known as

Accepted Answer

Biogeochemical cycling refers to the movement of chemicals (such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) through ecosystems. Gross primary production and net primary production are measures of the amount of energy or biomass produced by photosynthesis. Community ecology is the study of interactions among species in a community. Biomagnification refers to the accumulation of harmful chemicals in higher trophic levels of a food chain.

Question 20

A single oak tree can support hundreds of beetles,caterpillars and other primary consumers.This would be best represented by

Accepted Answer

The answer of A single oak tree can support hundreds...

Quiz 46: Ecosystem Ecology

Ecosystem ecology is primarily concerned with

Biogeochemical cycles involve

What is gross primary production?

The replacing forests with agricultural or urban areas can significantly affect the water cycle.Why is this?

In subarctic saltmarshes,scientists have found that the addition of calcium has no effect on productivity,but additional iron does increase productivity.In this example,iron

If gross primary production were to increase in an ecosystem,it would be reasonable to expect that

Which of these ecosystems has the lowest productivity?

You are studying salt marsh ecosystems and find that in one of your study sites the biomass of herbivores within it is 10 kJ/m².Based on the graph below,what would you predict about the primary productivity of this salt marsh relative to other ecosystems?

Trophic-level transfer efficiency averages about

In food webs,chain lengths

A hectare of wheat fixes 32,000 kg of carbon per year through photosynthesis and uses 7,000 kg of carbon per year for cellular respiration.The net primary productivity of the wheat field is therefore _____ kg of carbon/hectare/year.

Examine the map above (Figure 46.9) ,which shows indices of aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity based on concentrations of chlorophyll a. Based on this index,primary productivity of aquatic systems:

What are the most important transformers of energy in ecosystems?

How does DDT in the environment affect many birds?

Lead is known to biomagnify and accumulates in the bones of organisms.What do you think is the fate of lead in the body of a tiger that has died of natural causes? Assume the tiger occupies the highest trophic level of its ecosystem.

How do primary producers provide energy for the food chain?

The giant interconnected global ecosystem is called the

Primary production is generally highest in

The movement of chemicals through ecosystems is known as

A single oak tree can support hundreds of beetles,caterpillars and other primary consumers.This would be best represented by

Quiz 46: Ecosystem Ecology

Ecosystem ecology is primarily concerned with

Biogeochemical cycles involve

What is gross primary production?

The replacing forests with agricultural or urban areas can significantly affect the water cycle.Why is this?

In subarctic saltmarshes,scientists have found that the addition of calcium has no effect on productivity,but additional iron does increase productivity.In this example,iron

If gross primary production were to increase in an ecosystem,it would be reasonable to expect that

Which of these ecosystems has the lowest productivity?

You are studying salt marsh ecosystems and find that in one of your study sites the biomass of herbivores within it is 10 kJ/m2.Based on the graph below,what would you predict about the primary productivity of this salt marsh relative to other ecosystems?

Trophic-level transfer efficiency averages about

In food webs,chain lengths

A hectare of wheat fixes 32,000 kg of carbon per year through photosynthesis and uses 7,000 kg of carbon per year for cellular respiration.The net primary productivity of the wheat field is therefore _____ kg of carbon/hectare/year.

Examine the map above (Figure 46.9) ,which shows indices of aquatic and terrestrial primary productivity based on concentrations of chlorophyll a. Based on this index,primary productivity of aquatic systems:

What are the most important transformers of energy in ecosystems?

How does DDT in the environment affect many birds?

Lead is known to biomagnify and accumulates in the bones of organisms.What do you think is the fate of lead in the body of a tiger that has died of natural causes? Assume the tiger occupies the highest trophic level of its ecosystem.

How do primary producers provide energy for the food chain?

The giant interconnected global ecosystem is called the

Primary production is generally highest in

The movement of chemicals through ecosystems is known as

A single oak tree can support hundreds of beetles,caterpillars and other primary consumers.This would be best represented by

You are studying salt marsh ecosystems and find that in one of your study sites the biomass of herbivores within it is 10 kJ/m².Based on the graph below,what would you predict about the primary productivity of this salt marsh relative to other ecosystems?