Directions: Use the information above and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information above and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
In a forest ecosystem, carbon moves through living things and the environment in a continuous cycle. Plants (producers) take in carbon dioxide
Animals (consumers) eat the plants, transferring that carbon into their own bodies. When these animals breathe, they release some carbon back into the air as
Researchers from the U.S. Forest Carbon Monitoring Program measured how much carbon was stored in different parts of a temperate forest ecosystem.
Ecosystem Component | Average Carbon Stored (tons/ha) | Annual Carbon Released (tons/ha/yr) |
|---|---|---|
Trees and Plants (Producers) | 180 | 7 |
Animals (Consumers) | 5 | 3 |
Soil and Decomposers | 120 | 6 |
Plants take in carbon from the air → store it as plant tissue.
Animals eat plants → carbon moves into their bodies.
Decomposers break down dead matter → carbon returns to soil and air.
The environment (air) continuously receives
This data demonstrates that matter cycles within ecosystems and between the biosphere and atmosphere. Carbon moves through every living organism, returning to the air or soil where it can be used again by producers – showing that Earth’s matter is finite but always recycled.
Explain how carbon moves among producers, consumers, decomposers, and the environment.
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
Based on Table 1, which ecosystem component stores the most carbon, and what does this show about its role in the cycle?
How does carbon enter the bodies of consumers?
What happens to carbon when plants and animals die?
Explain how matter cycling in the forest is connected to the energy plants use during photosynthesis.