In this module, we have learned that ecosystems can range widely in size and have boundaries that are either natural or defined by humans. Energy from the Sun is captured by producers during the process of photosynthesis and released during the process of respiration. The energy captured by producers helps to determine the productivity of different ecosystems around the world. This energy moves from producers through the many trophic levels. The efficiency of such energy transfers determines the biomass found in different trophic levels. In the next module we will apply this understanding of how energy moves through an ecosystem to consider how matter cycles around an ecosystem.
Module 6 AP® Review Questions
1. Autotrophs
use photosynthesis.
are able to survive without oxygen.
are primary consumers.
are at the top of the food chain.
cannot assimilate carbon.
2. A zebra is an example of
a secondary consumer.
a producer.
a detritivore.
a primary consumer.
a scavenger.
3. If gross primary productivity in a wetland is 3 kg C/m2/year and respiration is 1.5 kg C/m2/year, what is the net primary productivity of the wetland?
1.5 kg C/m2/year
2 kg C/m2/year
3 kg C/m2/year
4.5 kg C/m2/year
Impossible to determine from the given information
4. The average efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels is approximately
1 percent.
4 percent.
10 percent.
40 percent.
50 percent.
5. The gross primary productivity of an ecosystem is
the total amount of biomass.
the total energy captured by photosynthesis.
the energy captured after accounting for respiration.
the energy available to primary consumers.
the biomass of the producers.
6. Ecosystem boundaries are
based primarily on topographic features.
boundaries to nutrient flows.
never based on human created features.
are only used for ecosystems smaller than a few square hectares.
depend on many subjective factors.
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