Flashcards on Fundamentals of Environmental Science
Fundamentals of Environmental Science: A Student Guide
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Ecosystems
31 cards
Card 1
Question: What are the two main categories of components in an ecosystem?
Answer: Biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
Card 2
Question: Give examples of biotic components and their roles.
Answer: Producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers.
Card 3
Question: Give examples of abiotic components in an ecosystem.
Answer: Inorganic materials (e.g., carbon, nitrogen) and physical factors (sunlight, temperature, water).
Card 4
Question: How does energy typically enter and move through an ecosystem?
Answer: Energy usually enters as sunlight, powers photosynthesis in producers, then flows to consumers and ultimately exits as heat.
Card 5
Question: What is a food chain in the context of energy flow?
Answer: A sequence showing how energy passes from producers to consumers through feeding relationships.
Card 6
Question: How are nutrients like carbon and nitrogen cycled in ecosystems?
Answer: They are recycled between biotic and abiotic components through processes such as decomposition.
Card 7
Question: What are terrestrial ecosystems?
Answer: Land-based systems including forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundra.
Card 8
Question: What are the two main categories of aquatic ecosystems?
Answer: Freshwater (lakes, rivers) and marine (oceans, coral reefs).
Card 9
Question: What are artificial ecosystems?
Answer: Human-maintained systems such as croplands, aquariums, and gardens.
Card 10
Question: What does the term 'ecosystem functions' refer to?
Answer: Processes and contributions of nature that support human well-being, including direct products and indirect environmental functions.