Biology 2581B Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Autotroph, Chemotroph, Detritivore
Document Summary
Energy flow is the movement of energy through a food chain. The largest source of energy for most ecosystems is the sun (photosynthesis) Organisms are energy transformers, converting energy from one form to another. Energy that is not used in an ecosystem is eventually lost as heat. Any energy remaining in a dead organism is consumed by decomposers. Nutrients can be cycled through an ecosystem, but energy is lost from the system over time. Ecosystem = a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. Studies at this level might include following energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and environment. E. g. impact of increase in organic matter from a sewage works. Components of an ecosystem: abiotic (water, air, nutrients, solar energy) or biotic (plants, animals, fungi, and microbes) Convert light energy into chemical energy (stored in sugars) Includes: plants (not carnivorous species), algae, and photosynthetic prokaryotes (bacteria, Photosynthetic organisms can also trap inorganic carbon.