How are the flow of nutrients and energy through an ecosystem different?

Answer 1

Flow of energy (energy becomes usuless heat energy) is nonconservative but flow of nutrients (there is no loss in matter due to conservation) is conservative

Because energy lost (becomes usuless heat energy) between one creature and its enemy causes the amount of energy in the food chain to decrease steadily, 90% of the total energy stored in a plant or its flesh becomes usuless when it is consumed by its predator (consumer).

However, matter is conserved. For example, if you consume 5 milligrams of salt with your meal, the nutrients are either stored or utilized by your body in the same proportion as they were consumed. This is because matter is conserved.

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Answer 2

Cooper Alexander

Nutrients cycle within an ecosystem, while energy flows through it. Nutrients are recycled among organisms, whereas energy is unidirectional and eventually lost as heat.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.