Biology

keystone species

species that is critical for the survival of the ecosystem.

example: elephants, they eat plants and produce waste with the seeds intact, which fosters plant growth. this produces more food for herbivores. then, carnivores/omnivores eat the herbivores. acacia seeds would not germinate without elephants

water in plants

water is absorbed into the roots, then goes to the stem, then reaches the leaves where photosynthesis occurs.

excess water is released through the stomata, which are small openings on the leaf surface.

stomata

absorbs co2 for photosynthesis, releases oxygen + excess water

surrounded by guard cells

photosynthesis

co2 + sunlight + h2o yields glucose and oxygen

a process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.

cellular respiration

o2 + glucose yields ATP, co2, and h2o

ATP is energy used to power cellular processes in living organisms.

only ___ do photo synthesis

producers

true or false: all living things (basically) use cellular respiration

true

without ____, all other trophic levels cannot survive

producers

mitosis stages

prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase, and cytokinesis

mitosis definition

a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth.

interphase

Interphase is the phase of the cell cycle in which a typical cell spends most of its life. Interphase is the "daily living" or metabolic phase of the cell in which the cell obtains nutrients and metabolizes them, grows, replicates its DNA in preparation for mitosis, and conducts other "normal" cell functions.^[1]

prophase

the first stage of cell division, before metaphase, during which the chromosomes become visible as paired chromatids and the nuclear envelope disappears. The first prophase of meiosis includes the reduction division

metaphase

the second stage of cell division, between prophase and anaphase, during which the chromosomes become attached to the spindle fibers.

anaphase

the stage of meiotic or mitotic cell division in which the chromosomes move away from one another to opposite poles of the spindle.

telophase

the final phase of cell division, between anaphase and interphase, in which the chromatids or chromosomes move to opposite ends of the cell and two nuclei are formed.

Why are there more producers than consumers?

• Energy loss in the food chain:

  When energy moves from producers to primary consumers, then to secondary consumers, and so on, around 90% of the energy is lost as heat at each level, leaving only about 10% to be transferred to the next trophic level. 

• Producers harness sunlight:

  Producers, like plants, directly capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis, providing the foundation of the food chain with the most readily available energy. 

• Pyramid of biomass:

  This energy loss creates a pyramid structure where the producer level has the largest biomass, followed by progressively smaller biomass at higher consumer levels. 

effect of exercise on cellular respiration in humans

exercise causes faster cellular respiration by increasing the demand for ATP in working muscles. this leads to more oxygen uptake, glucose utilization, and mitochondrial activity. This process is essential for providing the energy needed to sustain exercise and support muscle function. AS A RESULT MORE CARBON DIOXIDE is produced and expelled from the body through increased breathing rates

trophic levels

	Trophic LevelWhere It Gets Food
1st Trophic Level: Producer	Makes its own food
2nd Trophic Level: Primary Consumer	Consumes producers
3rd Trophic Level: Secondary Consumer	Consumes primary consumers
4th Trophic Level: Tertiary Consumer	Consumes secondary consumers

ways plants adapt to survive in their environment

Vining plants climb on other plants in order to reach the sunlight

Spines discourage animals from eating plants for food or water.

Thick bark retains moisture and protects trees from wildfires