Energy Flow 2 1 Energy Flow Every organism

Energy Flow 2. 1

Energy Flow • Every organism has a role is plays in the ecosystem in which it lives. – This is known as a niche. • Every organism takes energy from the ecosystem, and gives energy back to the ecosystem. – The way this energy moves from one organism to the next is known as energy flow.

Producers • Organisms that make their own food – usually through photosynthesis. • Examples: Grasses, Trees, Flowers, Bacteria, Algae

Consumers • Organisms that eat (consume) other organisms to break it down and get energy. • Herbivores or primary consumers eat only producers (ie. Plants) • Carnivores or secondary consumers eat other consumers • Omnivores are consumers that eat both producers and consumers.

Detrivores • Detrivores – organisms that feed on waste material in the ecosystem such as dead bodies, plant debris, and animal feces • Eg. Earthworm, woodlice

Decomposer • Decomposers – organisms that break down waste and dead organisms into usable nutrients • Eg. Bacteria and Fungi

Food Chain • Food Chain – is a single pathway taken by nutrients and energy from plants to animals and from one animal to the next. • Each step in the food chain is know as a trophic level

Trophic Level • The trophic level describes where the organism gets its energy from, and who they give energy to, in an ecosystem. • Organisms that eat the same type of food belong to the same trophic level.

Trophic Level • Notice that at each trophic level, some energy is lost to the surroundings.

Food Web • In reality, ecosystems have more complex interactions. • A single organism may eat may different fods, and be food for more than one organism.

Food Web

Ecological Pyramid • Another way to illustrate ecosystems is by using an ecological pyramid.

Pyramid of Energy • Represents how much energy is available to each trophic level. • Approximately 10% of the energy is passed to the next trophic level. This limits the number of trophic levels to 3 or 4.

Pyramid of Numbers • Represents the actual number of organisms present in each trophic level • Shape will depend on the ecosystem

Pyramid of Biomass • Represents the total mass of living things in each trophic level