Question

What happens to matter in ecosystems?

Answer 1

See below.

Step-by-step explanation:

Terms in question:

• Matter: Physical or corporeal substance in general, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, especially as distinguished from incorporeal substance, as spirit or mind, or from qualities, actions, and the like.
• Ecosystems: A system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment.

The matter cycle in an ecosystem refers to the way that various forms of matter, such as water, carbon, and nutrients, move through the different living and nonliving components of the ecosystem. This cycling of matter is essential for the survival and functioning of the ecosystem as a whole. For example, in a forest ecosystem, water is taken in by plants through their roots and is then released into the atmosphere through the process of transpiration. Carbon is taken in by plants through photosynthesis and is then released back into the atmosphere through respiration. Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are taken in by plants and animals and are then returned to the soil through the process of decay. Overall, the cycling of matter in an ecosystem is a continuous process that helps to maintain the balance of the ecosystem, and allows for the production of energy and materials needed for the survival of all organisms.

Energy and Ecosystems

All living things need energy to survive. Almost all organisms on Earth get their energy from the Sun, either directly or indirectly. Organisms that are able to generate their own food, such as plants, are called autotrophs. Auto- means “self” and -troph means “to feed” or “to nourish.” Through photosynthesis, autotrophs combine sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen. The glucose is used by the autotroph either for energy or to build cellular structures. Organisms that are not able to make their own food are called heterotrophs. Hetero- means “other.” Heterotrophs must feed on other organisms to get energy. Energy moves through an ecosystem in a single direction. First, it flows from the Sun to autotrophs, or producers. Then, it flows from producers to heterotrophs, or consumers. Energy never flows backward from consumers to producers. For example, a plant cannot consume and get energy directly from a mouse. But, when a mouse dies, decomposers break down its body and return the nutrients to the ecosystem. Nutrients from the dead mouse may indirectly return to the plant through the soil.

These organisms are also known as autotrophs because they obtain their energy directly from the sun. Through the process of photosynthesis, autotrophs are able to rearrange the elements in CO2 and H2O obtained from the environment to produce the energy-rich carbohydrate, glucose, by using energy from the Sun to power the reaction. Autotrophs can then use the elements in glucose directly to make their own cellular energy in the form of ATP through the process of cellular respiration

Answer 2

In ecosystems, matter is constantly cycled and recycled through biotic and abiotic components. Matter refers to the atoms and molecules that make up living and non-living things.

Producers, such as plants, take in inorganic matter from the environment, such as carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients, and convert it into organic matter through photosynthesis. Consumers, such as animals, eat the organic matter produced by the producers and break it down through cellular respiration to release energy and produce waste.

Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down the organic matter in waste and dead organisms into inorganic matter, which can then be reused by producers. This process of cycling and recycling matter through an ecosystem is known as biogeochemical cycling.

Overall, matter is not created or destroyed in ecosystems but rather transformed and recycled through various biotic and abiotic processes.