Biology unit 36.2: Energy flows through an ecosystem

What determines the energy budget in an eco system?

In many ecosystems, it begins by the sunlight entered to the ecosystem

How much of the light energy is used for photosynthesis?

Only about 1%

What is biomass?

Organic material produced by the producers

What is primary productivity?

The primary productivity is the rate at which producers produce biomass

What sets the energy budget in an ecosystem?

The level of primary productivity

What is net productivity

The total amount of organic materials produced minus the amount used by the producers themselves to fuel their own process

Give an example of energy being spent in a food web

1. A caterpillar eats a leaf

2. 35% of the leaf’s energy is transferred to the caterpillar

3. The caterpillar spends the energy for movement and reproduction

4. 50% of the energy is for wastes

What is an energy pyramid

Empathizes the energy loss from one trophic level to the next

How much of the energy is converted into biomass on average?

Only about 10%

How much energy is lost from heat?

90%

What is a biomass pyramid?

Represents the actual biomass in each trophic level

What is a pyramid of numbers?

Depicts the number of individual organisms in each trophic level of an ecosystem with the producers found at the foundation and the producers above them