In 3–5 sentences, compare and contrast the flow of matter and energy for land-based ecosystems and marine ecosystems. How and why are they similar, and how and why are they different?
Both land-based ecosystems and marine ecosystems have a flow of matter and energy. They are similar in the sense that both ecosystems rely on the transfer of energy from producers to consumers through food chains and food webs. Additionally, both ecosystems experience nutrient cycling, where elements necessary for life are recycled back into the environment. However, the main difference lies in the types of organisms that inhabit each ecosystem and the medium through which energy and matter move. While land-based ecosystems have terrestrial organisms that transfer energy mainly through the air and soil, marine ecosystems rely on aquatic organisms and the movement of water for energy and matter flow.
