No, slugs are not autotrophs. Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants, algae, and some bacteria. Slugs, on the other hand, are heterotrophs, which means they obtain their food by consuming other organisms or organic matter. Slugs typically feed on decaying plant material, leaves, and other organic matter in their environment.
are slugs an autotroph?
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18. Explain why food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy but the cycling of matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.
The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.
The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.
The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.
The Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.
The correct explanation for why food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy but the cycling of matter is:
The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
Explanation:
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Flow of Energy:
- Energy from the Sun enters ecosystems through photosynthesis in plants. This energy is then transferred through the food chain (or food web) as organisms consume one another.
- Energy is lost at each trophic level primarily as heat due to metabolic processes (this is in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics), which is why energy flow is often depicted as a pyramid. Thus, energy is not recycled; it flows in one direction—from the Sun to producers and then to various levels of consumers—until it dissipates.
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Cycling of Matter:
- In contrast, matter (such as nutrients, carbon, and water) cycles through ecosystems. This means that while energy flows through the system and is eventually lost, matter is constantly recycled and reused. For instance, when organisms die, their bodies decompose, returning nutrients to the soil, which can then be taken up by plants.
- The total amount of matter on Earth remains relatively constant because it is conserved in ecological processes, entering and exiting different forms and locations through biogeochemical cycles.
In summary, while energy enters the ecosystem from an external source (the Sun) and flows through it, matter is recycled within the ecosystem, maintaining a relatively stable quantity over time.
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