Question

Burning fossil fuels releases extra carbon dioxide, which the ocean absorbs and causes acidification that harms shell-forming organisms like corals and shellfish. It also contributes to global warming, which raises ocean temperatures and can create dead zones and stress marine life. By reducing fossil fuel use we lower CO2 emissions, slow acidification and warming, and help keep ocean chemistry and temperatures closer to conditions that marine organisms are adapted to.

There is less biomass at the top because energy is lost at each trophic level, mostly as heat, so only a small fraction (about 10%) of the energy moves up to the next level. Producers (plants) capture energy from the sun and make lots of biomass, but when herbivores eat plants and carnivores eat herbivores, most energy is used for life processes and lost. Because less energy is available higher up, fewer organisms can be supported at the top levels, which is why tertiary consumers are rare compared to many producers.

The equation C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O shows one glucose molecule is broken down into six carbon dioxide and six water molecules, so the same atoms are just rearranged. This demonstrates that matter is conserved and recycled as plants and other organisms break down and release molecules back into the environment.


make these 3 things shorter

Answer 1

1) Burning fossil fuels raises CO2, causing ocean acidification and warming that harm shell-formers and other marine life; cutting fossil fuel use reduces CO2 and helps protect oceans.

2) Only ~10% of energy passes to the next trophic level, so most energy is lost as heat and top predators have far less biomass than producers.

3) C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O shows glucose is broken into CO2 and H2O, demonstrating that atoms are conserved and matter is recycled.