Chapter 8, Problem 26A

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The effect of the loss of forests on cellular respiration in other organisms

Introduction:

Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway in which organic molecules are broken down to release energy for different cellular functions. This process occurs in two parts: glycolysis and aerobic respiration. The glycolysis pathway does not require oxygen but aerobic respiration utilizes oxygen to produce energy-carrying molecules ATP. Byproducts of cellular respiration are carbon dioxide and water molecules.

Explanation of Solution

Autotrophs like green plants trap the light energy and convert it into chemical energy by the process called photosynthesis and make organic compounds such as sugars.

Along with the glucose molecule, oxygen is also produced in this process which is utilized for cellular respiration by the plant and by all other organisms.

Loss of forest ultimately decreases the oxygen availability in the environment, which hamper the aerobic process of cellular respiration and as a result, it adversely affects the production of ATP molecules.

The other adverse effect of loss of forest is the scarcity of food for consumers in the food web. As a result, the availability of substrate (sugar molecule) for the process of cellular respiration will reduce.

Conclusion

Cellular respiration and photosynthesis are the interdependent processes. Photosynthesis utilizes carbon-dioxide, which has produced in cellular respiration and, Cellular respiration utilizes oxygen, which has produced in the process of photosynthesis.