QUIZ NO.

01
PEOPLE AND ECOSYSTEM
NOVEMBER 22, 2021

I. Please answers on your own opinion and site example for every
situation given:

1. What is an Ecosystem? Discuss the three Ecosystem components? Site

example each. (20 points)

 An ecosystem consists of all the organisms – both living and non-

living, and the physical environment with which they coexist. These
biotic and abiotic components work together and thus enables the
nutrient to cycle and for energy to flow. An ecosystem can be as wide
as the plains or as narrow or small as a pond. There are three
components of an ecosystem naming: niche – or in other words the
role of an organism in a specific ecosystem. Take a spider as an
example, it plays a vital role of controlling the number of insects in an
area. Another ecosystem component is the habitat – or in simpler
words the place where an organism lives. It can be the hot deserts or
as cold as the tundra. Lastly, competitive exclusion principle. Example
of these is when in area there are spiders, so being spiders, they of
course consume insects, however, another animal come into play – a
frog. There would then be a competition for food source and of
course looking at the example as they continue to battle, the frog
would eventually outdo the spiders.

2. How does scientist learn about Ecosystems? Site Example (20 points)

 Scientists use various ways to learn or study various types of

ecosystems. Depending on the field of their study, scientists that
study ecosystems – ecologists in other words, tend to make use of
 variety of ways, tools, and approaches to measure different aspects
of ecosystem structure and function. Examples of those are
observations of actual samples or ecosystem where one can really
see the interactions undergoing on a certain area. Using past studies/
experiments is also a way since it would make a great guide to
navigate the course of a study. And lastly, modeling of a certain
ecosystem and then comparing them to identify differences and or
similarities and many more.

3. What are the Properties of Ecosystem? Site an example on each property?

(20 points)

 As ecosystems is a combination of many different types of things –

both living and non-living, one can really have a hard time in studying
them. Ecosystems have different properties to better classify and
identify them. One is structure where it describes an ecosystem by
their size and location, its latitude or whether an ecosystem is
located somewhere far from stable water source. Second is function,
and ecosystem exist and play different functions to support the life
within it, take photosynthesis and respiration cycle as examples.
Third, control by determining movement of air, water supply, key
nutrients, and other materials. Lastly is temporal dynamics whereas
ecosystems age the change within it is recorded like how trees grow
or how the land shifted for a certain time. All of these properties
then help in creating a systematic framework to classify ecosystems
to be able to organize information that scientists have collected
about ecosystems.

4. What are the two (2) main reasons how the geographic position affects the
primary production? Site Example. (20 points)

 First reason on how the geographic position affects the primary

production is the continental shelf. This is the part of a continent that
 is submerged in relatively shallow sea. Because of the shallow
bottom along the continental shelf, it then can trap nutrients and
prevent them from sinking to greater depths making it relatively
easier for these nutrients to be brought back to the surface when
they remain trapped in the shallows. The central ocean generally has
very low primary production. Second is eutrophication which is the
process of enrichment of waters with excess plant nutrients. Example
of it is when there is runoff from land that naturally contains a high
abundance of nutrients which then get deposited in coastal waters
and result to the stimulation of production.

5. Differentiate Biochemical Proxy Method to Demographic Methods of

Productions? Give examples? (20 points)

 Biochemical proxy method is a way of measuring growth of

organisms by examining easy to measure substances. Tough easy, it
is usually expensive, but it can be used in multiple species at once.
On the other hand, demographic methods is a methods where large
errors are frequent and requires good estimates of population size
and mass. Example of differentiating the two is when identifying the
population of a certain species and its growth, in Biochemical Proxy
Method collection of feces is a way this can show what the species is
eating and how it affects them making it easy to determine their
growth and number, however demographic method estimations
based on sightings and other observations is done and by applying
certain calculations the estimated results are collected.