18. Explain why food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy but the cycling of matter.(1 point)%0D%0AResponses%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.%0D%0AThe Sun continually replenishes the Earth's matter, but the Earth has a constant amount of energy.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.%0D%0AThe Earth has a constant amount of energy and matter.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.%0D%0AThe Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy and matter.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
Food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy because energy is transferred from one organism to another in a one-way direction. The Sun provides the initial input of energy, which is then captured by producers (plants) through photosynthesis. This energy is then passed on to primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores or omnivores), and so on. As energy is transferred from one trophic level to another, some of it is lost as heat, limiting the amount of energy available at higher trophic levels.
On the other hand, the cycling of matter refers to the movement of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus through different components of an ecosystem. Unlike energy, matter is not consumed or used up, but rather recycled. For example, plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release oxygen as a byproduct. When organisms die or excrete waste, decomposers break down their organic matter and release nutrients back into the environment, which can then be absorbed by plants again. This continuous cycling of matter allows for the reuse and recycling of essential elements in ecosystems.
In summary, food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy because energy is constantly being transferred and transformed, while the cycling of matter occurs because matter is recycled and reused within an ecosystem.
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The Sun continually replenishes the Earth's energy, but the Earth has a constant amount of matter.
Food webs and energy pyramids show the flow of energy because energy is constantly being transferred and transformed as organisms consume and are consumed by other organisms. This transfer of energy is what drives all biological processes and allows organisms to grow, reproduce, and carry out their metabolic activities.
On the other hand, the cycling of matter refers to the continuous movement and recycling of chemical elements and compounds through different parts of an ecosystem. Unlike energy, matter is not consumed or lost, but rather recycled and reused. For example, carbon, nitrogen, and water are constantly being cycled through the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of ecosystems.
The reason food webs and energy pyramids focus on the flow of energy rather than matter is because energy is a one-way flow. Energy enters an ecosystem from the Sun in the form of sunlight, gets converted into chemical energy by photosynthesis, and then flows through various trophic levels as organisms are consumed. However, matter is not lost in this process and continues to cycle through the ecosystem.
To understand the flow of energy in a food web or energy pyramid, you can start by identifying the producers (such as plants) that convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Then, trace the flow of energy as it moves from the producers to primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores or omnivores), and so on. Each transfer of energy between trophic levels results in a decrease in energy, known as the 10% rule, where only around 10% of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level.
To understand the cycling of matter, you need to examine how different nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen, and water, are taken up by organisms, incorporated into their tissues, released through waste or decomposition, and then taken up again by other organisms. The cycling of matter involves processes like nutrient uptake, nutrient assimilation, nutrient release, nutrient decomposition, and nutrient recycling.
Overall, food webs and energy pyramids provide a visual representation of how energy flows through ecosystems, while matter is constantly recycled and reused within ecosystems.