Question

Explain the following with suitable examples.
What is the difference between the flow of matter and of energy in an ecosystem? Why?

Answer 1

Matter is a substance that has mass and takes up space. Examples are solids, liquids and gases. Whereas, energy is the ability to do work. Examples of energy include sunlight, sound energy, etc. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, in fact, it can be converted from one form to another.

Complete answer:
1. Flow of matter: The flow of matter involves circulation and recycling of nutrients in a cyclic manner within the biosphere. Here, the biosphere is the source of nutrients. Matter flows through the ecosystem in the form of nutrients from non-living organisms to living organisms. When any living organism dies, nutrients are released back into the soil. Hence, the matter can be recycled in the ecosystem.
2. Flow of energy: Energy describes a property. The flow of energy involves the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another trophic level in a unidirectional or non-cyclic manner. Sun is an important source of energy here. Food chains are models that represent the energy moving in an environment. Energy comes in many different forms such as heat, light, chemical, etc. Energy cannot be interconverted and cannot be used totally.

Note: All living organisms need energy and matter from the environment. The matter is important to make new cells and to create new organisms (reproduction). On the other hand, energy is required for the biosynthesis of molecules and to drive all the chemical and physical processes in the body.