Energy Pyramids & Food webs

Unicellular

Organisms made of a single cell that perform all necessary life functions.

Multicellular

Organisms made of multiple cells that work together to perform life functions.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and transfers energy within cells.

Cellular Respiration

The process in which cells convert glucose + oxygen into energy (ATP) + carbon dioxide + water. This process is essential for providing energy for cellular activities.

Glucose

A simple sugar that serves as a primary energy source for cells and is a key reactant in cellular respiration.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods (sugar/glucose) with the help of chlorophyll located inside the chloroplast. Used to convert carbon dioxide + water into glucose + oxygen.

Producers/Autotroph

Organisms that can create their own food using sunlight or inorganic substances, primarily through photosynthesis. They form the base of the food chain by providing energy for other organisms.

Consumers (5 Types)

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy. They can be classified into various categories such as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritovores, and decomposers. These organisms play a crucial role in the ecosystem by transferring energy from producers to higher trophic levels.

Herbivore

A consumer that primarily feeds on plants and other autotrophs for energy.

Omnivore

A consumer that eats both plants and animals, obtaining energy from a variety of food sources.

Carnivore

A consumer that primarily feeds on other animals, obtaining energy through predation or scavenging.

Detritovore

A consumer that feeds on decomposing organic matter, aiding in nutrient recycling in ecosystems.

Decomposers

Organisms such as fungi and bacteria that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Primary consumer

An herbivore that feeds directly on producers, such as plants, to obtain energy.

Secondary consumer

An organism that feeds on primary consumers, typically carnivores or omnivores.

Tertiary consumer

A predator that feeds on secondary consumers, often occupying the top level in a food chain.

Energy pyramids

A graphical representation that shows the flow of energy through trophic levels in an ecosystem, illustrating energy loss at each level. 90% energy lost at each trophic transfer.

10% Rule

The principle that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next, while the rest is lost as heat and through metabolic processes.

Food chain

A single linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow through an ecosystem. The arrows show the transfer of energy and feeding relationships between organisms.

Biomass Pyramid

A graphical representation that illustrates the total biomass at each trophic level in an ecosystem, demonstrating the amount of organic matter available to organisms at different levels.

Trophic levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, each representing a different position in the food chain where organisms interact through feeding relationships. The levels on the energy/food pyramid.

Positive feedback loop

is a process where an initial change in a system triggers further changes that enhance or amplify that effect, often leading to exponential growth or decline.

Negative feedback loop**

A process that counteracts initial changes in a system, promoting stability by reducing the effects of fluctuations and helping maintain equilibrium. Preferred by nature.

Boom & Bust cycles

Fluctuations in population size characterized by rapid growth followed by sharp declines, often due to resource depletion or environmental changes.

Overgrazing

A recurring pattern where livestock consume grass at a rate faster than it can naturally regrow, leading to land degradation and desertification.

Desrtification

The process by which fertile land becomes increasingly arid/dry and unproductive, often due to overgrazing, deforestation, or climate change.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the different species, genetic variability, and ecosystems present. More biodiversity is better.