Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
In a forest, when leaves fall to the ground, they don’t disappear - they decompose. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi break down the leaf material into smaller compounds that return to the soil and atmosphere.
As decomposers feed, they release carbon dioxide
Researchers from the Smithsonian Forest Ecology Network tracked how much leaf mass remained and how soil nutrients changed over six months of decomposition.
Time (Months) | Leaf Mass Remaining (%) | CO2 Released (g/m²) | Soil Nitrogen (mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | 100 | 0 | 12 |
2 | 72 | 45 | 18 |
4 | 41 | 85 | 25 |
6 | 22 | 120 | 33 |
As the months pass, decomposers break down leaves, releasing
Producers use nutrients from soil to make new biomass.
Consumers eat producers.
Decomposers return nutrients and gases to the environment.
This experiment demonstrates that matter continually cycles between the living and nonliving parts of ecosystems.
Explain how decomposers help matter cycle through the ecosystem.
Use a clear Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) structure in your response.
What patterns do you see in leaf mass,
How do producers use the matter returned by decomposers?
What happens to the leaf matter during decomposition?
Explain how the cycling of nutrients supports energy flow in the ecosystem.