Download ES 103 - Chapter 4 – Summary Materials

ES 103 - Chapter 4 Summary
ES 103 - Chapter 4 – Summary Materials
Important Questions and Learning Objectives
Define ecology and distinguish among the following hierarchical levels of ecology:
population, community, ecosystem, landscape, biosphere
State the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Understand the importance of these
laws as they relate to energy transfer among organisms.
Distinguish between these two forms of energy transformation: photosynthesis and
cellular respiration
Understand how energy flows through trophic levels involving producers, consumers,
and decomposers
Explain what a pyramid of energy represents, define the second law of thermodynamics,
and relate how the shape of a pyramid of energy is due, in part, to the second law of
thermodynamics.
Distinguish between food chains and food webs. Relevance of keystone species to
discussions of food webs
Draw and distinguish between the 3 ecological pyramids: pyramid of numbers, biomass
and energy. Relate the structure of the pyramid of energy to the second law of
thermodynamics
Explain the process of Biological magnification. In your explanation, provide a textbook
example of biological magnification.
Important Terms
Ecology
Environment
Emergent properties
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Landscape
Biosphere
1st Law of Thermodynamics
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
Photosynthesis
Cellular respiration
Producers (=autotrophs)
Consumers (=heterotrophs)
primary consumers (=herbivores)
secondary consumers
tertiary consumers
carnivores
omnivores
detritivores
Decomposers
food chain
food web
keystone species
Pyramid of numbers
Pyramid of biomass
Pyramid of energy
inverted pyramid
Biol. Magnification