1: What is primary productivity? What do we measure it in? (Units)
Primary productivity is the amount of biomass producers within an ecosystem lay down. We measure it in grams of carbon per meter squared per year or g C/m^2/ yr.
2: What are producers? Who are the main producers in the ocean? How is this measured in an aquatic environment?
The producers are the base of the food pyramid which and are the autotrophs. The main producers in the ocean are phytoplantkon. This is measured based on the amount of light reflected back from the ocean
3: What is a trophic level? List and define the trophic levels. (Give examples) In which direction does the arrow go in a food web? Explain.
Trophic levels are eating levels going the bottom to the top. Producers are organisms that make their own food; consumers are organisms that can't make their own food so they eat producers. The second level is secondary consumers. The third level is third level consumers. The arrow goes up since it starts from what is being eaten to what is eating it.
4: What is a food web? How is it different than food chains?
A food web shows all of the connections and interactions. This is different from food chains since a food chain shows the upward flow of energy through the consumers/producers
5: Explain the limiting factors for growth in ecosystems. Explain logistic growth.
The limiting factors for growth in ecosystems are food, density, competition, and geological changes. Logistic growth is the growth of a species until it reaches its limit
6: What is the carrying capacity (K) of an ecosystem?
The carrying capacity is the maximum limit of a species an ecosystem can support
7: What factors affect the carrying capacity of a population? Explain how wolves and elk populations are linked and how they will reach equilibrium.
The factors that affect the carrying the capacity of a population are over population, not enough food, or too much competition. Wolves and elk populations are linked because if wolf population decreases the elk population will increase. If wolf increase the elk population will decrease and with this change will occur continuously till the population is the same for elk and wolves or reaches equilibrium
8: Summarize the story of the White bark Pine and how humans can impact an entire ecosystem by choices we make (directly or indirectly).White bark Pine is typically found in higher areas. It is a type of pine that can survive low temperatures and produce pine nuts for squirrels to eat. Global changes are creating warmer conditions which cause a decrease population of White bark Pines. With the influence of humans the whole ecosystem will be affected causing there to be less nuts for squirrel store and less for bears to eat as well
Primary productivity is the amount of biomass producers within an ecosystem lay down. We measure it in grams of carbon per meter squared per year or g C/m^2/ yr.
2: What are producers? Who are the main producers in the ocean? How is this measured in an aquatic environment?
The producers are the base of the food pyramid which and are the autotrophs. The main producers in the ocean are phytoplantkon. This is measured based on the amount of light reflected back from the ocean
3: What is a trophic level? List and define the trophic levels. (Give examples) In which direction does the arrow go in a food web? Explain.
Trophic levels are eating levels going the bottom to the top. Producers are organisms that make their own food; consumers are organisms that can't make their own food so they eat producers. The second level is secondary consumers. The third level is third level consumers. The arrow goes up since it starts from what is being eaten to what is eating it.
4: What is a food web? How is it different than food chains?
A food web shows all of the connections and interactions. This is different from food chains since a food chain shows the upward flow of energy through the consumers/producers
5: Explain the limiting factors for growth in ecosystems. Explain logistic growth.
The limiting factors for growth in ecosystems are food, density, competition, and geological changes. Logistic growth is the growth of a species until it reaches its limit
6: What is the carrying capacity (K) of an ecosystem?
The carrying capacity is the maximum limit of a species an ecosystem can support
7: What factors affect the carrying capacity of a population? Explain how wolves and elk populations are linked and how they will reach equilibrium.
The factors that affect the carrying the capacity of a population are over population, not enough food, or too much competition. Wolves and elk populations are linked because if wolf population decreases the elk population will increase. If wolf increase the elk population will decrease and with this change will occur continuously till the population is the same for elk and wolves or reaches equilibrium
8: Summarize the story of the White bark Pine and how humans can impact an entire ecosystem by choices we make (directly or indirectly).White bark Pine is typically found in higher areas. It is a type of pine that can survive low temperatures and produce pine nuts for squirrels to eat. Global changes are creating warmer conditions which cause a decrease population of White bark Pines. With the influence of humans the whole ecosystem will be affected causing there to be less nuts for squirrel store and less for bears to eat as well