16. Click to show how matter and energy move through ecosystems

Answer 1

In ecosystems, matter and energy move through several different processes and pathways. Here is a simplified overview of how matter and energy move through ecosystems:

1. Autotrophs (Producers): Autotrophs, mainly plants and some photosynthetic bacteria, capture energy from the sun and convert it into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. They also take in inorganic nutrients from the environment.

2. Energy Transfer: The primary source of energy in ecosystems is the sun. Autotrophs use this energy to produce organic matter, such as glucose, through photosynthesis. This energy is then transferred to the ecosystem through various pathways.

3. Heterotrophs (Consumers): Heterotrophs, including animals, obtain energy by consuming autotrophs or other heterotrophs. They break down the organic compounds obtained from their food sources to release energy for their metabolic processes.

4. Food Chains and Food Webs: Energy transfer occurs through a series of feeding relationships in an ecosystem. This forms food chains, where energy is transferred from one organism to another as they consume each other. Food webs, on the other hand, represent the complex interconnected feeding relationships within an ecosystem, illustrating multiple feeding interactions.

5. Decomposition: When plants and animals die, decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down their organic matter into simpler inorganic compounds. This decomposition process releases nutrients back into the environment, making them available for reuse by autotrophs.

6. Nutrient Cycling: The nutrients released through decomposition are taken up by autotrophs again, completing a cycle known as nutrient cycling. This cycle helps maintain the availability of essential nutrients within the ecosystem.

7. Energy Loss: As energy transfers from one trophic level to another through food chains, some energy is lost as heat at each transfer. This limits the length and complexity of food chains, as only a fraction of the energy is passed on to higher trophic levels.

8. Energy Flow: Overall, energy flows through ecosystems in a unidirectional manner, from the sun to autotrophs, then to heterotrophs and decomposers, and eventually dissipates as heat.

It is important to note that matter, in the form of nutrients, is cycled through the ecosystem, while energy continually flows in a one-way direction.