Energy Flow for food web google form

ecology

study of relationships between living organisms and between organisms and their environment

food web

diagram showing feeding relationships of some of a community, with arrows showing direction of the energy flow (many connected food chains) Arrows point TO the EATER from the eaten.

trophic level

level of an organism or its position in the food chain or energy pyramid, based on what it eats and what eats it. Without the bottom leve (plants) nothing else could eat!

decomposer

organism that lives on decaying organic material from which it obtains energy and nutrients. Causes rot. Examples are fungi, bacteria, insect, worms

omnivore

organism designed to digest both plants and animals. Humans, pigs, bears are examples.

biodiversity

total number of different species in an ecosystem. Bio means life. Diversity means different.

benefits of biodiversity

greater stability in tough conditions, more food choices, better chance of at least something surviving when change occurs

sun

the ultimate source of energy in ecosystems, provides radiant energy that plants change into chemical energy

energy flow

arrows point to the eaters in a food web/chain, from the thing being eaten. energy flows from the bottom of an energy pyramid to the top.

10% Rule

only 10% of the total energy produced at each trophic level is available to the next level when something is eaten.

The other 90 % of energy:

Passes out in waste

Given off as body heat

Used by organism during life processes

tertiary consumer

few apex predators at the top of a food web/energy pyramid; it takes a lot of energy to support many predators, hence there are few (lion, great white shark)

heat loss

90% of the energy we consume is lost as heat (thermal energy)

producer

those with chlorophyll who make food from radiant energy through photosynthesis (plant); autotroph

primary consumer

eats producers, is at the second trophic level up on an energy pyramid. HERBIVORE

transpiration

water loss by plants through evaporation during the water cycle

photosynthesis

food making process of green plants: CHEMICAL REACTION is carbon dioxide and water are combined with energy from the sun to produce glucose (with oxygen left over). Occurs in chlorophyll/chloroplasts of plant cells.

energy pyramid

triangular diagram showing the energy available as it moves through each level of a food chain. Only 10 % moves up to the next level, the rest is lost as heat.

adaptation

result of natural selection. A physical feature or behavior that helps organisms to survive. Example include shell shape, fur color, gills, migration, hibernation

chemical change

chemical reaction between molecules creating a new substance. Example: photosynthesis, digestion of proteins into fatty acids

vacuole

Plant cell organelle for storage of water, food and waste

chloroplast

Green, oval plant cell organelle that makes the chemical change using light to create food for a plant (photosynthesis)

gas exchange

oxygen and carbon dioxide are traded here: lungs, gills, leaves of plants

generation

Genetic material is passed from parent to offspring

chromosome

determines inherited traits

mitochondrion

Cell organelle that converts the chemical energy stored in food into ENERGY the cell to use

selective breeding

the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired traits

natural selection

Traits that allow organisms best adapted to the environment to live long enough to reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.

circulatory system

transports nutrients and wastes in animals (similar to xylem and phloem in plants)

nervous system

allows animals to respond to stimuli.

chemical energy

Energy stored in FOOD, such as sugar

radiant energy

light energy

extinction

all dead, there are none left