Question

what are the differences between flow of matter and of energy in an ecosystem ?why?

Answer 1

Flow of energy just means how energy is transferred across the ecosystem? For example, if you have a grass and a grasshopper, the movement of energy would start at grass, providing 10% of its energy to the grasshopper, and the grasshopper can provide 10% of its energy to its predator, like toad. 

Flow of matter is like flow of water, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, carbon dioxide, etc. In photosynthesis and cellular respiration, oxygen molecule is disposed as a waste product in plants, and animals breath in the disposed oxygen. At the same time, we release carbon dioxide for the plants to consume and give us oxygen again.