Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Flow of Energy Overview

  • Energy is essential for all organisms to live.

  • The sun is the primary energy source for most ecosystems.

Key Concepts

  • Producers (Autotrophs):

    • Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis.

    • Example: Plants.

  • Consumers (Heterotrophs):

    • Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other living things.

    • Herbivores: Eat only producers.

    • Carnivores: Eat only other consumers.

    • Omnivores: Eat both producers and consumers.

  • Decomposers:

    • Organisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi) that break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients into the ecosystem.

  • Food Chains and Food Webs:

    • Diagrams that illustrate the flow of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

  • Trophic Level:

    • The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

    • Only 10% of energy is passed to the next level.

  • Ecological Pyramid:

    • A representation of the amount of usable energy and biomass at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Energy Transfer

  • As energy moves up the trophic levels, the amount available decreases significantly (by 90% loss at each level).

Energy is important for all living things.

The sun is the main source of energy for most ecosystems.

Key Concepts

Producers (Autotrophs):

  • Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis.

  • Example: Plants.

Consumers (Heterotrophs):

  • Organisms that get energy by eating other living things.

    • Herbivores: Eat only producers.

    • Carnivores: Eat only other consumers.

    • Omnivores: Eat both producers and consumers.

Decomposers:

  • Organisms (like bacteria and fungi) that break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients into the ecosystem.

Food Chains and Food Webs:

  • Diagrams showing how energy flows from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

Trophic Level:

  • The level an organism is in a food chain.

  • Only 10% of energy is passed to the next level.

Ecological Pyramid:

  • A diagram that shows the amount of usable energy and biomass at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Energy Transfer

As energy moves up the trophic levels, the amount available decreases significantly (losing 90% at each level).