Cycling materials and biodiversity GapFill

Plants are examples of  consumersforesterssynthesisersproducersabsorbersmanufacturers, meaning that they are responsible for making  chlorophylloxygenglucosecarbon dioxidenitratewater. This contains energy which is passed through an ecosystem. The transfer of energy can be shown using a  Punnett squarebiomass chainquadratgenetic fingerprintfood chainflow chart. Ecologists use several techniques to study ecosystems in order to work out how abundant or distributed species are. They use  protractorstrichomesset squarescompassesquadratsquadrangles or transects to perform these studies. In an ecosystem, the organisms that initially convert energy to food are eaten by primary, then secondary and tertiary  feedersdinerspredatorsproducerspathogensconsumers. Organisms that eat others are called  catchershunterspreypredatorstrappersfeeders and these feed on  preyherbivorespredatorsgamevictimsdefenders.

Materials in an ecosystem are limited and, in most cases, will be repeatedly recycled through the system; without recycling, resources such as carbon and water will not be available for other organisms. The carbon cycle removes  carbohydratescarbon dioxidestarchsootdustcarbon monoxide from the atmosphere to be used by plants, whilst returning it to the environment in processes such as  transpirationtranslationphotosynthesistranslocationrespirationtranscription and decay.

The processes described above rely on the process of decomposition. Decomposition can be affected by temperature, oxygen availability and  wind speedwind intensityhumiditysoil typesunlightpressure, and is used by farmers to produce compost. Human activities, including that of farmers, can directly affect the cycling of substances, and, if not appropriately controlled, can have a damaging impact on  biocyclesbiosystemsecosystemsecoregionsphotosystemsbiomes.

Particular ways in which humans can affect the environment include waste management, such as causing pollution to land, air and  geneswaterenergycellssoilthe Sun. Additionally, humans should reduce the excessive removal of trees from Earth - a process known as  unplantingdeforestationdecompositioncullingoverchoppingdephotosynthesis. Failure to protect the environment, particularly by burning  acid rainfossil fuelsnuclear energybiomasssolar powerfusion reactors, can cause global warming.