Most of the nutrients available for plant growth in an ecosystem are .a. deposited in rain;b. made available through the recycling of decomposers;c. maintained within that ecosystem over time;d. B and C are correct;e. A, B, and C are correct

Why are the open oceans nutrient poor? Why are coastal areas and intertidal habitats relatively nutrient rich?

If you applied a fungicide to a cornfield, what would you expect to happen to the rate of decomposition and net ecosystem production (NEP)?a. Both decomposition rate and NEP would decrease.b. Neither would change.c. Decomposition rate would increase and NEP would decrease.d. Decomposition rate would decrease and NEP would increase.

Explain why it is more energy efficient (in terms of the amount of total NPP required) to eat a pound of tofu (bean curd) than a pound of hamburger.

For which chemicals are biogeochemical cycles global? Explain.

What roles do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?

Use Figures 34.5C and 34.18 to predict how global warming (rapid increase in Earth's average temperature; see Module 7.14) might affect the water cycle.

Aquatic biomes differ in levels of light, nutrients, oxygen, and water movement. These abiotic factors influence the productivity and diversity of freshwater ecosystems. a. Productivity, roughly defined as photosynthetic output, is high in estuaries, coral reefs, and shallow ponds. Describe the abiotic factors that contribute to high productivity in these ecosystems. b. How does extra input of nitrogen and phosphorus (for instance, by fertilizer runoff) affect the productivity of lakes and ponds? Is this nutrient input beneficial for the ecosystem? Explain.

Which of the following is an ecosystem?