Energy flow and the circulation of matter

At the end of this activity, students should be able to:
– recognize the complex associations between the species in a single ecosystem
– recognize the multiplicity of pathways of energy flow and matter circulation in an ecosystem
– understand the one-way nature of energy flow through the environment and the cyclical nature of the flow of matter through the environment
– understand how the balance of matter and energy in the natural environment can be interpreted in economic terms.