5. How does the definition of ecosystems expand on the concept of the community?
- The ecosystem consists of all the organisms living in a community AND the abiotic factors with which they interact with.
6. What is needed to maintain a self-sustaining ecosystem?
- Primary producers, or autotrophs
7. Define the following energy budget terms:
a. Primary productivity - The rate at which light energy or inorganic chemical energy of organic compounds by autotrophs in an ecosystem that ultimately support all other levels; usu. A photosynthetic organism.
b. Gross primary productivity - The total primary productivity of an ecosystem.
c. Net primary productivity - The GPP minus the energy used by the producers for cellular respiration; represents the storage of chemical energy in an ecosystem available to consumers.
8. Which ecosystems have the highest productivity per unit area?
- Tropical rain forests, lakes &streams, and algal beds & reefs
9. What factors do you think contribute to such high productivity?
- They have the most amount of primary producers available and the least amount of consumers.
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