ENERGY FLOW IN ECOSYSTEMS


ENERGY FLOW: the energy transfer from one organism to another in an ecosystem.


HOW DO ORGANISMS INTERACT WITH THE ECOSYSTEM?

  1. OBTAINS FOOD ENERGY

  2. CONTRIBUTES ENERGY

HOW ARE ENERGY FLOW AND FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS MODELLED?

3 models:

  • Food chains: show the flow of energy from plant to animal and from animal to animal

  • Food web: interconnected food chains

  • Food pyramid: shows the loss of energy from one trophic level to another

    • 80 to 90 percent is used for chemical reactions + lost as heat

WORDS TO KNOW:

  • Producers: produces food (plants)

  • Consumers: eat plants and other organisms

  • Trophic level: each step in a food chain


HOW DO DEAD ORGANISMS CONTRIBUTE TO ENERGY FLOW?


DECOMPOSITION: breakdown of organic wastes and dead organisms

BIODEGRADATION: when living organisms carry out decomposition


  • DETRIVORES: obtain energy and nutrients by eating dead plants and animals, as well as animal waste

    • Examples: small insects, earthworms, bacteria, fungi

  • DECOMPOSERS: change wastes and dead organisms into nutrients that can be used again by plants and animals

    • Examples: bacteria, fungi