Energy Flow
Through an
Ecosystem
Food Chains, Food Webs,
Energy Pyramids
1
•Begins with the
SUN
•Photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll
C6H12O6 + 6O2
2
Organisms that can
make their own food
during photosynthesis
are called PRODUCERS
(AUTOTROPHS).
3
Producers use
most of the
energy they make
for themselves.
4
The energy that is not
used by producers can
be passed on to
organisms that cannot
make their own
energy.
5
Organisms that
cannot make their
own energy are called
CONSUMERS
(Heterotrophs).
6
Consumers that eat producers
to get energy:
•Are first order (1 ) or
primary consumers
•Are herbivores (plantst
eaters)
7
A Consumer that Eats Another
Consumer for Energy:
•Is called a secondary or
2nd order consumer
•May be a carnivore or
a omnivore
•May be a predator
•May be a scavenger
8
A consumer that eats a
consumer that already ate a
consumer:
•Is called a 3rd order
or tertiary consumer
•May be a carnivore or
a omnivore
•May be a predator
•May be a scavenger
9
Consumers that eat producers
& other consumers
Are called
omnivores
Omnivores
eat plants
and
animals
10
Consumers that hunt &
kill other consumers are
called predators.
The animals that are
hunted & killed are
called prey.
11
Predator-Prey Relationship
Consumers that eat
other dead consumers
are called scavengers
13
The transfer of
energy from
the sun to
producer to
primary
consumer then
to higher order
consumers can
be shown in a
FOOD CHAIN.
14
Food Chains Show Available Energy
15
More Food Chains
16
Food Webs:
•Are
interconnected
food chains
They show the
feeding
relationships in
an ecosystem
•
17
How Many Chains are in
this web?
18
Identify the Producers, Consumers, &
Decomposers:
Count the
Food
Chains!
19
Trophic Level
Each Level In A Food Chain or
Food Web is a Trophic Level.
Producers
Always The First Trophic Level
How Energy Enters The System
Herbivores
Second Trophic Level
20
Trophic Level
Carnivores/Omnivores
Make Up The Remaining
Trophic Levels
Each level depends on the
one below it for energy.
21
Another way
of showing the
transfer of
energy in an
ecosystem is
the
ENERGY
PYRAMID
22
Energy Pyramids Show
•Amount of available
energy decreases for
higher consumers
Amount of available
energy decreases down the
food chain
It takes a large number
of producers to support a
small number of primary
consumers
It takes a large number
of primary consumers to
support a small number of
secondary consumers
•
•
•
23
24
ENERGY PYRAMID
25
BIOMASS: total weight of living matter at
each trophic level
26
CYCLES IN NATURE
Carbon
Cycle
27
The Nitrogen Cycle