C4.2 Energy Transfer (SL)

Flashcards covering key terms related to nutrition and energy transfer within ecosystems.

Open System

A system that exchanges both energy and matter with its surroundings.

Closed System

A system that exchanges energy but not matter with its surroundings.

Photosynthesis

The process by which photoautotrophs convert light energy into stored chemical energy.

Chemoautotrophs

Organisms that derive energy from oxidation reactions involving inorganic compounds.

Cell Respiration

The process by which living organisms release energy from organic compounds.

Trophic Level

The relative position of an organism in a feeding sequence.

Autotrophs

Organisms that synthesize organic compounds from inorganic substances.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain organic compounds by feeding on other organisms.

Decomposers

Organisms that obtain organic nutrients from dead organisms via external digestion.

Energy Pyramid

A graphical representation showing the amount of energy at each feeding level in an ecosystem.

Energy Loss

The reduction of energy availability at each stage in a food chain due to metabolic processes.

Photoautotrophs

Organisms that convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

Saprotrophs

A type of heterotrophic organism that obtains organic nutrients from dead organisms.

Biomass

The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume at a particular trophic level.