Compare and Contrast Allochthonous and Autochthonous Functions Within an Ecosystem

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The Answer is Both refer to the incorporation of energy and matter into an ecosystem. Allochthonous means from outside the ecosystem, and autochthonous means from within the ecosystem. Auto is via primary production where the producers within the ecosystem sequester the energy and matter to be transferred through the trophic levels of that system. Alternatively, carbon and energy from primary productivity can be brought in from another environment. This is usually from terrestrial to water in the form of leaf litter, but sometimes can go the opposite way such as when a bear captures a fish and drags it on to land, pulling resources from the water environment and bringing them into the terrestrial one.

Compare and Contrast Allochthonous and Autochthonous Functions Within an Ecosystem

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