Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

The video tutorial covers the basics of ecology, focusing on the flow of energy through ecosystems. It explains how organisms acquire energy, the role of autotrophs and heterotrophs, and the significance of food chains and webs. The tutorial also discusses the inefficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels and introduces the concept of energy pyramids, emphasizing the need for a continuous energy supply from external sources like the Sun.

What is the primary focus of ecology?

• The study of chemical reactions in cells

• The study of relationships between organisms and their surroundings

• The study of weather patterns

• The study of individual organisms

How do most autotrophs obtain their energy?

• From absorbing nutrients from water

• From chemical reactions in the soil

• From the Sun through photosynthesis

• From consuming other organisms

What is a food chain?

• A complex network of interconnected food webs

• A list of all species in a habitat

• A sequence of organisms each feeding on the previous one

• A diagram showing energy flow in an ecosystem

In a food web, what does a trophic level represent?

• The number of species in an ecosystem

• The position of an organism in a feeding sequence

• The amount of sunlight an organism receives

• The size of an organism

Why is energy transfer between trophic levels considered inefficient?

• Because energy is only transferred at night

• Because energy is stored indefinitely in organisms

• Because most energy is lost as heat and waste

• Because energy is recycled within the ecosystem

What happens to the energy that is not transferred to the next trophic level?

• It is stored in the organism permanently

• It is lost as heat and waste

• It is converted into sunlight

• It is used to create new species

What is the main reason higher trophic levels are less viable?

• They receive more energy and biomass

• They receive less energy and biomass

• They require less energy to sustain

• They have more predators

What does a pyramid of energy represent?

• The number of organisms at each trophic level

• The size of organisms at each trophic level

• The amount of energy at each trophic level

• The speed of energy transfer in an ecosystem

What is the typical percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next?

• 50%

• 25%

• 10%

• 1%

Why do ecosystems require a continuous influx of energy?

• Because energy is stored indefinitely in organisms

• Because energy is recycled within the ecosystem

• Because energy is only needed during the day

• Because energy is lost as heat and cannot be reused