ESS topic 2.2 - Energy and biomass

photosynthesis (2.2.3, 2.2.4)

The process by which plants use sunlight to produce glucose from carbon dioxide and water.

cellular respiration (2.2.3, 2.2.6)

The process of breaking down glucose to release energy for cellular activities.

glucose (2.2.4)

A simple sugar that serves as a primary energy source for living organisms.

biomass (2.2.4)

The total mass of living organisms in a given area or ecosystem.

autotroph (2.2.4)

An organism that produces its own food using light or chemical energy.

producer (2.2.5)

An organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

consumer (2.2.9)

An organism that obtains energy by eating other organisms or their products.

herbivore (2.2.9)

An animal that feeds primarily on plants.

detritivore (2.2.9)

An organism that feeds on dead plant and animal matter.

predator (2.2.9)

An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.

parasite (2.2.9)

An organism that lives on or in a host organism and benefits at the host's expense.

saprotroph (2.2.9)

An organism that obtains nutrients by absorbing dissolved organic matter.

scavenger (2.2.9)

An animal that feeds on dead organisms it has not killed itself.

decomposer (2.2.9)

An organism that breaks down dead plant and animal matter, releasing nutrients.

food chain (2.2.10, 2.2.11)

A linear sequence of organisms through which energy and matter flow in an ecosystem.

trophic level (2.2.11)

A feeding position in a food chain or web.

gross productivity (GP) (2.2.13)

The total rate of energy capture by producers in an ecosystem.

net productivity (NP) (2.2.13)

The rate of energy storage by producers or consumers after accounting for respiration.

food web (2.2.15)

A network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.

biomass (2.2.16)

The total mass of living organisms in a given area or ecosystem.

ecological pyramid (2.2.17)

A graphical representation of energy, biomass, or numbers at different trophic levels.

pyramid of numbers (2.2.17)

An ecological pyramid showing the number of organisms at each trophic level.

pyramid of biomass (2.2.17)

An ecological pyramid representing the total dry mass of organisms at each trophic level.

pyramid of energy (2.2.17)

An ecological pyramid depicting the amount of energy at each trophic level.

bioaccumulation (2.2.18)

The gradual build-up of substances in an organism's tissues over time.

biomagnification (2.2.18)

The increasing concentration of substances in organisms at higher trophic levels.

microplastics (2.2.19)

Tiny plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, often found in aquatic environments.

heterotroph (2.2.21)

An organism that cannot produce its own food and must consume other organisms.

photoautotroph (2.2.22)

An organism that uses light energy to produce its own food.

chemoautotroph (2.2.22)

An organism that uses energy from chemical reactions to produce its own food.

chemosynthesis (2.2.22)

The process by which some organisms produce food using chemical energy instead of light.

primary productivity (2.2.23)

The rate at which producers capture and store energy as biomass.

secondary productivity (2.2.24)

The rate of biomass production by consumers in an ecosystem.

net primary productivity (2.2.25)

The rate of biomass production by producers after accounting for their own respiration.

maximum sustainable yield (MSY) (2.2.26)

The largest harvest that can be taken from a population without depleting it.

ecological efficiency (2.2.28)

The percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next.

entropy (2.2.29)

A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system.