Ecosystems Question Set (Answer the following questions use your own words)

1. A) Describe the differences between primary and secondary succession in terms of life and soil.
B) Describe two mechanisms that could maintain a community at one certain stage of succession.
C) Explain why a ‘mosaic’ of areas in different stages of succession is good for an ecosystem.

2. A) Name and describe the three main components of ecosystems.
B) Which component ‘drives’  the other two? (= Makes one makes the other two components ‘go’?)
C) Explain why that component ‘drives’ the other two.             

3. A) Differentiate between photosynthesis and respiration in terms of their starting materials and products.
B) Explain how the two processes are related.

4. Describe two different ways humans may degrade ecosystems by explaining what happens to cause this degradation and explicitly describe the consequences of each.

5. Explain what happened in Borneo to give the people The Plague in terms of:
A) Bioaccumulation and biomagnification (bioamplification) and
B) The trophic pyramid.

6. A) Describe in 3 words (or less) what would happen to you if you ceased all energy inputs into your body?
B) Explain why that would happen in terms of entropy.   

7. A) Differentiate between gross and net primary productivity.
B) Name a primary producer, primary consumer, and omnivore.

8. A) Differentiate between point and non-point sources of pollution.
B) Describe the process of desertification.

9. A) Name in sequence the three main stages of the basic nitrogen cycle in the soil.
B) Describe the biological and physical actions that are happening in each of the three stages.