#07Q Energy Flow in Ecosystems

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What is an energy pyramid?

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An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem, illustrating how energy decreases as it moves from producers to top predators.

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Who are the producers in an ecosystem?

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Producers are organisms, such as plants and phytoplankton, that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the energy pyramid.

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level is a position in a food chain or energy pyramid that indicates the organism's role in the flow of energy, such as producers, herbivores, and carnivores.

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What is the role of herbivores in an ecosystem?

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Herbivores are organisms that consume plants (producers) for energy and are found at the second trophic level in the energy pyramid.

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What is the role of carnivores in an ecosystem?

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Carnivores are organisms that eat other animals (herbivores or other carnivores) for energy and are typically found at higher trophic levels in the energy pyramid.

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What is a decomposer?

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Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and completing the energy cycle in an ecosystem.

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How much energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next?

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Typically, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level, with the rest lost as heat.

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that illustrates how different organisms in an ecosystem are related through energy flow.

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What is the significance of the top predator in an ecosystem?

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The top predator is at the highest trophic level and has the least amount of energy available, but plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.