Release agents

Everyday, you eat, sleep, laugh, and learn. What are these actions called? Of course, they're called release agents! Release agents are everywhere! They can be volcanic activity, forest fires, and human movements. Before we get any further, let's understand what release agents are. We all know that there is a carbon cycle, and the cycle consists carbon sources, carbon sinks, and release agents. The carbon sources are the ones which start it, the sinks are the ones which tell us where the carbon will likely be released, which means the release agents must be the last part of the cycle. These release agents are the workers which trigger the carbon sources. An example of a carbon source, is jump roping. In order, to jump rope we have to jump up and down, and swing the rope at the same time. We have to get the correct rhythm in order to jump over the rope successfully. These motions that you are doing are all human activity. In other words, they are release agents.

We know jumping rope is a release agent, but how about making tiny moves? Do they count as a release agent? Of course. One example is make a heart with you hands. You have to move and form both hands into a heart shape in order to do it, which means it is also part of human activity. As you can see, even little motions like making a peace sign, or even smiling are actually release agents.

carbon sinks

Hmm.... one day your teacher leaves science homework for you. It tells you to list three carbon sinks, but since you didn't pay attention in class, you have no idea what to do. Asking the teacher was definitely not an option, so you check it up on Google. Immediately, it tells you the definition or carbon sinks which is matter that has come from a recently living matter, such as things like limestone, shells, plastic, and long living trees.
They are the opposite of sources, which is like weathering of limestone, and other respiration of living organisms. Instead of releasing carbon, it absorbs carbon. For example, the trees are the best example. as we all know trees are the ones who are always making the oxygen we breath in clean and fresh, but without the carbon dioxide which helps it become healthy, the tree will not

survive, therefore we will not either.
Granite, is another carbon sink. As we all know crystals form by heat and pressure, but within that heat and pressure also lies carbon dioxide which helps the crystals grow. The crystals suck up the carbon, and gradually the crystal begins to cool down and become solid as time passes by.
The last example, of a carbon sink is plastic, one of the most common things we use everyday. Now why does plastic need carbon dioxide? The answer is simple. Plastic is made up with elements of carbon dioxide, oxygen, sulfur, chlorine, and many others. After you've seen three examples of what carbon sinks are, you should have a better idea of what they do and what kinds of things can count as an carbon sink. Sometimes, it's just hard to believe that something so simple, for example, a ziploc bag, actually needs carbon in order to be made.

Carbon Sources

All living organisms have carbon. Without carbon, nothing will survive, because its THAT important. Carbon source are mostly bad things that people do.

1. An example that would show this would be "deforestation." By hearing just the name, it tells you alot. This is when people are cutting down a whole buncch of trees, maybe a whole forest. Another way forests can be "deforestation" is by wildfires or any other fire. The fire can easily spread through the whole area, leaving only what is left. Most people tear down the forests to build roads, clear land for farming, and building territory.

2. Another example would be the burning of fossil fuels. Coal, oil, and gas are all fossil fuels. Oil and gas are regularly, yet coal has to be crush down to small pieces to be burnt. After the gasoline is burnt, it is shipped to gas station. There, people use the gasoline for energy in there cars or other transportation.

3. The last example of carbon source could be people breathing. Of course, breathing is very important. Without breathing, we won't be able to live. We need oxygen we inhale to use for any system that relates to the lungs. Eventually, without breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, we won't be able to live.

How is Carbon Sources Harmful?

1. The deforestation leads to humans not having the chance to survive. That's because trees are very important to the carbon cycle. Not only do they give us oxygen to breathe, yet they use the carbon dioxide we exhale to store all the necessaties needed for a tree. When the forest is gone, the carbon is let out as carbon dioxide. Too much carbon dioxide will lead to global warming.

2. Another way carbon sources is bad is because of the burning of fossil fuels. When the fossil fuels are burnt, the carbon dioxide rises into the air, with the air we breathe with. Then, eventually the carbon dioxide causes pollution, which is not good for the environment.

What's the difference between a food chain and a food web?

Food chains are the connection of hte energy between organisms. The specific order of a food chain would be the energy source (the sun), a producer, a primary consumer, a secondary consumer, and a decomposer. Food chains are simple, yet food webs are interconnections of a food chain, meaning that more connections are connected onto a food chain leading to what eats what.

What's the difference between a food web and a food chain?

Food chains are the connection of the energy between organisms. The specific order of a food chain is the energy source (sun), a producer, a primary consumer, and a secondary consumer. Yet a food web is the interconnection of the food chain, meaning that more connections are connected onto a food chain leading to what eats what.

Bye Bye Primary Consumers is NOT a Good Solution

It's just like going off topic of an essay. If the start is off, the whole thing is off! That's exactly what could happen to ecosystems and food webs. If the primary consumers became all extinct, many effects can happen. One example can be that since there will be no primary consumers to eat the producers, many producers can grow too much, or more than needed. The plants could overgrow with no one to eat them! Another effect that can happen that the secondary consumers can die out without food because there will be no more primary consumers to feed on! A food chain depends on each other, so without the primary consumer, the whole food web or food chain will be clogged up. The last reason a primary consumers can ruin the food chain (or web) is that there might not be enough nutrients because bacteria breaks down primary AND secondary consumers. So, when they're only secondary consumers to decompose, the nutrients that are need may not go to the animals or plants that need them. That's why every part of a food web or food chain counts.

The UnderWater Food Chain

Two Examples of a UnderWater food chain.

Algae ---> Sea Urchin ---> Sea Otter ---> Bacteria
Plankton ---> Shrimp ---> Harp Seal ---> fungi

The very beginning Energy Source

Right before the producer, comes something else. Yet, it provides energy for the producer. The one thing that gives to producers also known as the sun! You may not have known, but the sun is very inportant when it comes to food webs. If there were no sun, there would probably be no producer and it would DEFINATELY ruin the food chain. But, right after the energy source, the sun, are the producers who starts it all. It provides one of the most important things in order for the producer to stay independent and stay on its own.

Producer Start It All
Producers are very independent, and a very important part of the food chain. As part of a food chain or food web, the producer takes the sun's energy to create their own food and produce on its own. The food they create is sugar, created from the process called photosynthesis. They collect the sun's energy, carbon dioxide, and water to create the sugar for food.

An example of the producer is the algae in the oceans. The algae has two different types of chlorophyll that captures the sun's energy to produce its own food! Some algae grow on its own inside the water plants in the ocean. But algae mostly grows in damp places in the water such as aquatic enviroment. Many different types of algae grow in the water, yet filamentous algae are the plant nutrient.

There is a lot of things in the world, and these things all start from one specific thing, called the producer. Take the plankton for an example. The sun first gives off its natural energy to the people. With water and oxygen, slowly the plant grows green and healthy, causing it to grow tasty and fresh fruits which are later eaten by other small animals. As you can see, the producer is the main source to the whole world, and the objects that live in this world continue the cycle on and on. This cycle goes on and on, nonstop, and the world will always kill itself and recreate. Think of it like the human cycle. Every day, humans will die, but everyday humans will be born. All in all, producers are the main sources to the world, and they are the one that makes our life so full of life, energy, and excitement.

Primary, primary, it Eats first

Don't you just love when you're the first one at the dinner table and you get the foods you want? Well that's how primary consumers are like. They are the first to dig in. A primary producers must eat the plants or producers for it to eat food. Since they eat, or consume, other things, they are called "producers." Most hebivores are primary consumers because they only eat plants (producers).

An example of a primary consumer is the sea urchin. Sea urchins live in the mid to low level of the tide to find the food. They feed directly to algae and other producers such as, seaweed. Sea urchins mostly live in the sea located in rock pools, kelp forests, and coral reefs. Different types of sea urchins include, the Caribbian sea urchin, pencil urchin, slate pencil urchin, purple sea urchin, and the sea potato urchin. (Aren't those funny names?)

Another example of a primary consumer is the shrimp. The shrimp feed directly on the plankton swimming through the water. They belong in a group called "crustaceans." Since most shrimp are constantly being fished out of the ocean, in ruins the food chain (and/or the food web) because it may not provide enough food for the secondary consumers that feed on it.

Secondary Consumers

First the worst, second the best! Don't feel so depressed, after we all know that second is better than first. The secondary consumer is the second one to eat its meal. it carries on the primary consumers duties, and later on gets decomposed by the decomposer.

An example of a secondary consumer is the harp seal. First the shrimp sacrifices itself and gives its life to the seal. The seal then carries on its duties and later when its dead it gets decomposed by decomposers, for example bacteria. Just like the primary consumer, the secondary consumer is very important to the food chain and without it, the world would not go in a correct order, and many animals would die of starvation, because the food that they eat is not there. Do not pity the animals that sacrificed themselves, because they are the ones that create the world's food of choice, and they are the ones who make the world so full of "life" and "nature".

Another example of a secondary consumer would be the sea otter. One of the foods that a sea otter would eat is the sea urchin, a primary consumer. The sea otter uses a hard tool, such as a rock, and breaks open the hard shell of the urchin. Of course, a sea otter would need to eat in order to live, that's why they are called, secondary consumers. A secondary consumer would eat a primary consumer which makes a food chain (or web) go on and on in a circle.

Decomposers: Bacteria Breaks Down!

It's clean up time! What do we do when the dead carcasses of the animals lie in the ocean. Someone has to clean it up, but who? This is when the decomposers come to use. The decompose the animals and make them into something better.

Take bacteria for an example. Even though when it looks like it is just staying there on the ocean floor, actually bacteria is releasing carbon and giving it to the plants. This makes the plants grow better because we all know plants need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Decomposers are at the end of the cycle, but do not look at them very lightly. Without them, the world would be full of dead animal bodies, which is why these small creatures are so important. Remember, not only can these magicians make these bad things disappear, but they can also tranform them into good things that help our environment become a better place!

Whenever a secondary or even a primary consumer dies, it eventually becomes part of the soil. That's because the body of the primary or secondary consumer lays restlessly on the soil which takes time to break down. The decomposers, such as worms, fungi, and bacteria, breaks down the dead animals (and even plants) into fresh new nutrients! These nutrients that broke down from decomposers, are for the producers that need to! One important of a decomposer is the marine worms in the ocean! Worms in the ocean ARE very unusual, but they still contain an important part in a food chain. They break down secondary and even a primary consumer's body to make nutrients!

Leftovers are for scavengers

A scavenger, maybe the least common of them all? Of course, they're like vaccum cleaners! They consume the leftover and carcass of a dead animal! When a dead animal, lies down on the ocean floor, it must be cleaned up after! There are no vaccumbs in the ocean, so that is why we have a scavenger, who feeds on the animal's dead body.

One example of a scavenger, and a popular one too, would be the hermit crab. Hermit crabs mostly eat anything they find. It not neccesarily is only a scavenger, but it can also be a primary and secondary consumer, since it eats almost anything. It sweeps the ocean sand clean, leaving a spotless place with, possibly leftover bones!

Another example for a scavenger is the shark! Just like a hermit crab, the shark eats different things. Such as, seals, planktons, and other sharks! It still feeds on dead bodies in the oceans, which you can still call a scavenger. Again, the shark can be called a primary consumer AND a secondary consumer.

Scavengers are sure a big part in the food chain (and/or food web)