Tag: Ecosystem

On average, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next, with the rest lost as heat. This makes understanding each step vital, especially what is the second nutritional level, which comprises the primary consumers that feed on producers.

According to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the most common elements on Earth, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur (CHNOPS), are also the most important nutrients for plants. To truly grasp where do nutrients originate, we must look beyond our dinner plates and delve into the fundamental processes of the planet.

Nitrogen is the fourth most abundant element in the human body, but despite making up about 78% of the atmosphere, we cannot use it directly from the air. In order to function, humans must obtain the nitrogen necessary for their survival through a process of assimilation from the food they eat.

Over one million species of animals on Earth all require food to survive, yet their methods of obtaining it and the food itself vary dramatically. Understanding why must living things have food is fundamental to understanding biology and the complex web of life on our planet.

According to scientific estimates, over 60% of newly fixed nitrogen each year is assimilated by microorganisms, highlighting the vital importance of this process for life on Earth. This essential biological function is known as assimilation in the nutrient cycle, and it ensures that inorganic elements are converted into usable organic matter for growth and development.

Over 95% of all animal species are invertebrates, and they, like all other animals, cannot produce their own food. This fundamental characteristic means that animals must consume other organisms to obtain the energy and nutrients necessary for survival, growth, and reproduction.

According to a 2023 study published by the National Science Foundation, earthworms contribute to roughly 6.5% of global grain production annually, underscoring their vital and quantifiable role in agriculture. These industrious creatures are often unsung heroes of the soil, providing essential benefits that enhance fertility and ecological balance.

Phytoplankton, the microscopic marine producers at the foundational trophic level, account for approximately 50% of the oxygen in our atmosphere. This lowest rung of the food chain is occupied by organisms known as producers or autotrophs, which synthesize their own energy, forming the essential base for all other life.

Your body is home to trillions of microorganisms, and the complex community residing in your gut is known as the gut microbiome. So, what makes biomes different from other probiotics and how do they function together for your well-being?

An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, highlighting their incredible ecological impact as nature's water purifiers. But the importance of these bivalve mollusks extends far beyond water quality, offering significant benefits for human health and coastal resilience.