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Distinguish between the following :
(a) Grazing food chain and detritus food chain

(b) Production and decomposition

(c) Upright and inverted pyramid.

(d) Food chain and food web

(e) Litter and detritus

(f) Primary and secondary productivity.

(a) Differences between grazing food chain and detritus food chain

Grazing food chain	Detritus food chain
1. Primary source of energy is Sun.	1. Primary source of energy is detritus.
2. Plants forms the first trophic level.	2. Microbes form the first trophic level.
3. Food chain is large	3. Food chain is small.

(b) Differences between production and decomposition

Production	Decomposition
1. It is the process of formation of organic food material by the process of photosynthesis.	1. It is the process by which complex organic compounds are broken into simpler inorganic substances.
2. It is done by green plants.	2. It is done by bacteria and fungi.
3. Sunlight is needed	3. Sunlight is not needed.

Upright Pyramid	Inverted Pyramid
1. When the number of biomass of organsisms at the producer level is the highest as compared to the others in the ecosystem. The biomass in the subsequent trophic levels decreases. Then the pyramid formed is called an upright pyramid.	1. When the number or biomass at the producer level is the lowest and there is subsequent increase in the biomass in the higher trophic levels then the pyramid formed is an inverted pyramid
2. Pyramid of energy is always upright.	2. Pyramid of biomass and number can be inverted.

(d) Differences between food chain and food web

Food Chain	Food Web
1. A linear that depicts the food or energy relationship among organisms.	1. It is the network of various food chains which are interconnected with each other like a web.
2. It is not branched	2. It has many interlinks and braches.

(e) Differences between litter and detritus

Litter	Detritus
1. It refers to all kinds of waste matter above the ground.	1. Dead plant remains like leaves, bark, flowers and dead remains of animals including faecal matter is called detritus.
2. It contains both bio-deradable as well as non-biodradable matter.	2. It contains bio-degradable matter.

(f) Differences between primary productivity and secondary productivity

Primary Productivity	Secondary Productivity
1. The amount of biomass or organic matter produced per unit area over a time-period by plants during photosynthesis is called primary productivity.	1. The rate of formation of new organic matter by consumers is called secondary productivity.

Fill in the blanks with suitable words :
1. Plants are called as .......................because it fixes carbon dioxide.

2. In ecosystem, dominated by trees, the pyramid is.......................type.

3. In aquatic ecosystems, the limiting factor for the productivity is.......................

4. Common detritivores in our ecosystem are.......................

5. The major reservoir of carbon is.......................

Define ecological pyramids and describe with examples, pyramids of number and biomass.

Define decomposition and describe the processes and products of decomposition.

Give an account of energy flow in an ecosystem.

Write important features of a sedimentary cycle in an ecosystem.

Outline salient features of carbon cycling in an ecosystem.

Which one of the following has the largest population in a food chain ?

The second trophic level in a lake is :

Secondary producers are :

What is the percentage of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), if incident solar radiation is considered 100% ?

Describe the components of an ecosystem.

What is primary productivity ? Give brief description of factors that affect primary productivity.

Describe the advantages for keeping the ecosystems healthy.

Explain the carbon cycle with the help of a simplified model.

Explain how does:

(a) a primary succession start on a bare rock and reach a climax community?
(b) the algal bloom eventually choke the water body in an industrial area?

(a) Explain primary productivity and the factors that influence it.

(b) Describe how do oxygen and chemical composition of detritus control decomposition?

It is often said that the pyramid of energy is always upright. On the other hand, the pyramid of biomass can be both upright and inverted. Explain with the help of examples and sketches.

(a) Explain the significance of ecological pyramids with the help of an example.
(b) Why are the pyramids referred to as upright or inverted?

(a) Taking an example of a small pond explain how the four components of an ecosystem function as a unit.
(b) Name the type of food chain that exists in a pond.

Distinguish between the following : (a) Grazing food chain and detritus food chain (b) Production and decomposition (c) Upright and inverted pyramid. (d) Food chain and food web (e) Litter and detritus (f) Primary and secondary productivity.