All Flashcards
What do food webs illustrate?
How energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem and how species interact.
Why are food webs more realistic than food chains?
Organisms often have multiple food sources and predators.
What does a trophic cascade demonstrate?
How interconnected species are and how changes in one population can affect the entire ecosystem.
Why are negative feedback loops crucial?
For ecosystem health and balance; they maintain stability.
Why are positive feedback loops concerning?
They can be difficult to reverse and can lead to significant ecosystem changes.
How do invasive species impact ecosystems?
They often create positive feedback loops, leading to decline of native species.
What is the role of producers in a food chain?
To convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the chain.
How does energy flow through a food chain?
Energy flows from producers to consumers, decreasing at each trophic level.
What happens when a keystone species is removed?
The ecosystem can drastically change or collapse due to the absence of its regulatory role.
Describe the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Higher biodiversity often leads to greater ecosystem stability and resilience.
What is the effect of increased sea otters?
Decreased sea urchins and increased kelp (trophic cascade).
What is the effect of melting ice?
Darker ground, more heat absorption, and more melting (positive feedback).
What is the effect of invasive species introduction?
Decline of native species and further ecosystem imbalance (positive feedback).
What is the effect of more herbivores in an ecosystem?
Less vegetation, leading to fewer herbivores (negative feedback).
What is the effect of deforestation on local climate?
Reduced rainfall, increased temperatures, and altered weather patterns.
What is the effect of fertilizer runoff on aquatic ecosystems?
Eutrophication, algal blooms, and oxygen depletion, harming aquatic life.
What is the effect of increased CO2 emissions on the ocean?
Ocean acidification, harming marine organisms with calcium carbonate shells.
What is the effect of habitat fragmentation on wildlife populations?
Reduced genetic diversity, increased risk of extinction, and disrupted migration patterns.
What is the effect of overfishing on marine ecosystems?
Disrupted food webs, decline of fish populations, and ecosystem imbalance.
What is the effect of pesticide use on pollinators?
Decline in pollinator populations, reduced crop yields, and ecosystem disruption.
Define Food Chain.
A linear path of energy transfer in an ecosystem.
Define Food Web.
A complex network of interconnected food chains.
Define Producers.
Organisms that make their own food via photosynthesis.
Define Primary Consumers.
Herbivores that eat producers.
Define Secondary Consumers.
Carnivores that eat herbivores.
Define Trophic Cascade.
Ripple effect in an ecosystem triggered by a change at the top of the food web.
Define Negative Feedback Loop.
A process that counteracts change, bringing a system back to its original state.
Define Positive Feedback Loop.
A process that amplifies change, leading to instability.
Define Invasive Species.
Non-native species that can cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.
Define Herbivores.
Animals that eat only plants.