Energy Flow in Ecosystems Components of an Ecosystem

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Components of an Ecosystem • living and non-living things interact with each other in an ecosystem. – biomass – organic matter that is alive or was once alive

Abiotic Factors vocabulary word! abiotic – non-living things in an ecosystem

Abiotic Factors The four major abiotic components are: a. climate b. soil, dead material, and rock c. topography d. natural disturbances

Abiotic Factors Find the abiotic factors Under your definition, draw some abiotic things.

Biotic Factors vocabulary word! biotic –living things in an ecosystem

Biotic Factors Biotic factors are anything that is living: a. plants b. animals c. microscopic organisms

Biotic Factors Find biotic factors Under your definition, draw some biotic things.

Energy Roles • Energy enters an ecosystem as sunlight. • Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle. • Each organism has a role to play in this energy flow – Producer – Consumer – Decomposer

vocabulary word! Producers Autotrophs • producers - make their own food and are the source of all the energy in an ecosystem • Autotrophs – Plants, algae, grass, trees, flowers, bacteria, plankton

Draw a few producers under your definition.

vocabulary word! Consumers Heterotrophs • Consumers - Cannot make their own food. They get their energy from consuming other organisms. • Heterotrophs – herbivores – carnivores – omnivores

vocabulary word! herbivore – eats plants quickly draw an herbivore or two under the definition

vocabulary word! carnivore – eats meat quickly draw a carnivore or two under the definition

vocabulary word! omnivore – eats plants and meat quickly draw an omnivore or two under the definition

Decomposers and Scavengers vocabulary word! • decomposers - break down waste and return the raw materials into the soil. • Waste and dead organisms must be removed from the environment – Bacteria – Fungi – Carrion eaters like vultures, coyotes, maggots

Decomposers and Scavengers quickly draw an omnivore or two under the definition

vocabulary word! Food Chains • food chain – diagram that shows the flow of energy from one animal to another. – first organism in a food chain is always a producer – Next organisms are consumers

Food Chain

Food Chain Quickly cut out the food chain and glue it on your paper under your definition.

Food Chains • Decomposers can be at any level

Food Web • A food chain just shows one track of energy flow vocabulary word! • food web - consists of many overlapping food chains to show feeding relationships between organisms. • Organisms can play more than one role in a food web

Food Web

Food Web

Food Web Quickly cut out the food web and glue it on your paper under your definition.

Trophic Level Organisms can be divided into trophic levels. • producers are at the bottom • Next are primary consumers (herbivores) • Secondary consumers (omnivores or carnivores) • Tertiary consumers (omnivores or carnivores)

Trophic Level Quickly cut out the trophic pyramid and glue it on your paper.

vocabulary word! Energy Pyramids • energy pyramid - shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web. • At each level upward, the amount of energy decreases due to use.

Energy Pyramids • When an organism eats food, it obtains energy • The organism uses some of this energy for living (about 90%) • Not all of this energy is available to the next consumer in line (only 10% moves to the next level)

Energy Pyramids • The most energy is available at the producer level. • The amount of energy at the producer level determines how many organisms an ecosystem can support. • The least amount of energy is available at the third level or tertiary consumer.

Energy Pyramids

Energy Pyramids Quickly cut out the energy pyramid and glue it on your paper under your definition.

Cycling of Energy • Once an organism dies, decomposers take over and break down the material it was made of. • These nutrients are put back into the soil. • Plants then use those nutrients along with sunlight to recycle that energy back into the food chain.

• Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle

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