Author Question: Name and describe the roles of the three main trophic categories that make up the biotic structure ... (Read 42 times)

jerry coleman · **on:** Jul 15, 2018

Name and describe the roles of the three main trophic categories that make up the biotic structure of every ecosystem. Give examples of organisms from each category.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why is it important for renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels? What are the prospects for getting it done?

What will be an ideal response?

lgoldst9 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The three main trophic categories are the producers, the consumers, and the decomposers. Producers capture energy from the Sun or from chemical reactions to convert carbon dioxide to organic matter. Most producers are green plants. Consumers feed on organic matter as their source of energy. Examples of consumers include all animals, fungi, and most bacteria. Decomposers have the ability to digest and feed off of detritus, which includes leaves, grasses, and fecal wastes and dead bodies from higher trophic levels. Examples of decomposers include scavengers, like vultures, and other detritus feeders like earthworms, some species of fungi, and also some bacteria and other microbes.

Answer to Question 2

Two major reasons to replace fossil fuels are their limited availability and impact on the environment. When burned, fossil fuels contribute to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the environment. The current administration has made strides in decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels, but the need to get over political and infrastructure issues here in the United States limits our ability to move forward with renewable energy sources.