Pyramids of Energy Pyramids of energy illustrate the amount of energy contained within the biomass of organisms at each trophic level The length of each box, or bar, represents the quantity of ener...
Chi-squared Test for Association Looking for associations between species The distribution of species in a habitat is rarely random; it usually depends on factors such as soil type, water availabil...
Identification of Trophic Level Classifying species as autotrophs, consumers, detritivores, or saprotrophs A species can be classified as an autotroph, consumer, detritivore, or saprotroph on the b...
Wasted Energy - Heat The process of respiration in living organisms releases heat as a by-product This applies in producers, consumers, detritivores, and saprotrophs This heat energy is lost from e...
Initial Source of Energy The sun is the initial (first) source of energy for most food chains Light energy from the sun is converted by producers into chemical energy stored in the tissues of plant...
Obtaining Inorganic Nutrients The individual organisms in an ecosystem need organic molecules to build their cells and tissues These molecules contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosph...
Community Species do not exist by themselves in their own isolated environment; they interact with other species, forming communities A community can be defined as: Multiple populations of differen...
Autotroph vs Heterotroph Organisms need energy in the form of ATP to survive The energy stored in ATP comes from other organic molecules, such as carbohydrates, and is transferred during the proces...
Species A species can be defined as: A group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring The ability to breed and produce fertile offspring is a useful method of distinguishing sp...
