Ecosystems and open systems

what is an ecosystem

a community and its abiotic environment interacting with each other

what is an open system

allows both energy and matter to be exchanged with its surroundings

what is a closed system

allows for the exchnage of energy with the surrounding environment but resitricts the flow of matter

what is sunlight

the initial source of energy that sustains most ecosystems

what is it needed to produce and why

glucose, for photosynthesis

what do food chains where no light can penetrate rely on

bacteria gaining energy from chemical processes

what do plants, eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria do, and what are they called

carry out photosynthesis, reffered to as producers/autotrophs

what type of life may organsims adapt to

life in a cave

what do the streams in some caves do

bring dead organic matter supplying a source of energy

what do caves that not recive influx do

energy is produced by chemoautotroph bacteria

what do these chemoautotrophs do

chemical reactions with sulphides, methane or other inorganic materials

what has to happen in marine/freshwater ecosystems

light must pass through water to reach producers

transmission is not 100% and so

only shorter wavelengths will penetrate further in pure water

where does the source of energy originate in the deep sea

bacteria which can use sulfides (sulfur-bearing minerals) from emissions