Question

Ecosystems have ______.

Options

• energy inputs and outputs

• nutrient cycling but not outputs

• one trophic level

• both energy inputs and outputs, and nutrient cycling, but not outputs

Answer 1

Ecosystems have both energy inputs and outputs, and nutrient cycling, but not outputs.

Explanation:

Ecosystems have energy inputs and outputs because they receive energy from the sun, which flows through producers, consumers, and decomposers, eventually being lost as heat to the environment. They also have nutrient cycling, in which elements are recycled within the system through biogeochemical cycles, ensuring nutrients return to the environment after decomposition. Thus, ecosystems involve both energy flow (non-cyclic) and nutrient cycling (cyclic) processes.