How does the way that matter cycles through an ecosystem differ from the way that energy flows?

Unlike the one way flow of energy, matter is recycled within and between ecosystems.

Explanation:

1. Which limiting factor(s) in this lab simulation are biotic?

Limiting factor is resource/condition that could limit the growth or the population of an organism in the ecosystem. Some factor could be deleterious(like predator) and reduce the population while other could be advantageous(like food) and increase the population. The biotic factor consist of living things.

The biotic factor in this simulation would be alligator and the mosquito.

2. Which limiting factor(s) in this lab simulation are abiotic?

Abiotic factor  consist of nonliving things. The non-living factor in this scenario would be the pollution. Increased pollution could damage all the biotic factor and might limit them. The damage might not be equal as some organism could be more sensitive to the pollution than the other.

3. Which limiting factor impacted the cricket frog population the most? Use evidence to support your answer.

I would say that the predator/alligator is limiting factor that impacted the cricket frog population the most. If you compare the condition of simulation 1 and simulation 2, alligator population is the one that undergo highest change. The population increased by 40,000 in simulation 1 and decreased by 35,000 in simulation 2.

4. Which limiting factor impacted the cricket frog population the least? Use evidence to support your answer.

I think the pollution is the limiting factor impacted the cricket frog population the least. The changes of the pollution number is least when compared to other factor. It doesn't change in simulation 1. The pollution decreased by 15,000 in simulation 2 while the alligator decreased by 35,000 and the mosquito increased by 35,000

5. Mosquitoes can carry and transmit disease to animals and humans. Explain how the cricket frog plays an important role in limiting the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile virus and malaria.

The frog predate the mosquito, so the population of frog will decrease the population of the mosquito. The mosquito borne illness is transmitted by the mosquito that contact the pathogens. If the population of mosquito decreased, there will be less mosquito that contact the pathogens. There will be less mosquito that transmit the disease too.

6. Predict the long-term effects of these limiting factors on the cricket frog population in the pond ecosystem.

Increase in predator population will decrease the population of food, and if the food start to decline the predator population will be decreased. Their interaction will prevent the population of one factor to become too big.

In long term, these factors will achieve a stable range. Unless there is a new limiting factor that cause changes in their interaction, the population should be kept at the stable range.