Energy Pyramid Study Notes

r-species

Reproduce quickly, many offspring, short life span.
Example: insects, mice.

K-species

Reproduce slowly, few offspring, long life span.
Example: elephants, humans.

Native species

Naturally found in an area.
Example: American bison in North America.

Endemic species

Found in one specific location and nowhere else.
Example: Lemurs in Madagascar.

Foundation species

Create or define a habitat.
Example: Coral in coral reefs.

Indicator species

Show the health of an ecosystem.
Example: Frogs (sensitive to pollution).

Keystone species

Have an unusually large effect on an ecosystem.
Example: Sea otters (control sea urchins).

Ecology is how organisms…

…interact with each other and with their environment.

Ecologists study?

Interactions between organisms and their environment.

Put the 5 levels of Biological Organization in order (smallest → largest):

Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere

Difference between Biotic and Abiotic things

• Biotic = living or once-living things

• Abiotic = nonliving physical factors

Examples of Biotic things

Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, insects.

Examples of Abiotic things

Sunlight, water, air, temperature, soil, rocks.

Another name for Producers

Autotrophs

How do Producers capture energy?

Photosynthesis

Another name for Consumers

Heterotrophs

What are herbivores?

Animals that eat only plants.

What are carnivores?

Animals that eat only other animals.

What are omnivores?

Animals that eat both plants and animals.

What is a trophic level?

A step in a food chain that shows how energy flows through an ecosystem.

Food chain example (up to tertiary level)

Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake

Label them:

• Grass = Producer

• Grasshopper = Primary consumer

• Frog = Secondary consumer

• Snake = Tertiary consumer

Energy Pyramid levels (from bottom to top)

1. Producers

2. Primary consumers

3. Secondary consumers

4. Tertiary consumers

(Add decomposers to the side if asked.)

How much energy is transferred between trophic levels?

10%

How much energy is lost between trophic levels?

About 90%

Energy transfer starting with 250,000 kcal

• Producers: 250,000 kcal

• Primary consumers: 25,000 kcal

• Secondary consumers: 2,500 kcal

• Tertiary consumers: 250 kcal

What is bioaccumulation?

The build-up of a toxic substance in an organism over time.

What are POPs?

Persistent Organic Pollutants — chemicals that don’t break down and stay in the environment a long time.

Example of a POP

DDT (a pesticide)

Another substance that bioaccumulates

Mercury

Why do they bioaccumulate?

Because they are fat-soluble and don’t break down, so they build up in tissues faster than they are removed.

How is biomagnification different from bioaccumulation?

• Bioaccumulation = buildup in one organism

• Biomagnification = increase in concentration as you move up a food chain

How does methyl mercury get into humans?

By eating contaminated fish and seafood.

What is the danger of methyl mercury in humans?

It can damage the nervous system and brain.

What is an ecological niche?

The role an organism plays in its environment, including how it gets food, where it lives, and how it interacts with others.

What type of succession starts with bare rock?

Primary succession

What type of succession happens after a forest fire?

Secondary succession

Species that first invade bare rock (general term)

Pioneer species
(Examples: lichens and mosses)

End stage of succession

Climax community

What happens to biodiversity after succession?

Biodiversity increases over time.

Inside the pyramid:

Bottom (Producers):
Write: Grasses

Above that (Primary consumers):
Write: Grasshopper, Mouse, Rabbit, Bird

Above that (Secondary consumers):
Write: Frog, Snake, Owl

Top (Tertiary consumers):
Write: Hawk, Fox