Energy Flow Models Food Chain Food Web Food

Energy Flow Models Food Chain, Food Web, Food Pyramid

Energy Flow Models: Different models to represent how energy moves through an ecosystem. � � � Food Chains Food Webs Food Pyramids

Consumers, Producers, Decomposers Producers: Producers Decomposers Consumers

Food Chains Movement of energy from one organism to another Each step in a food chain is called a trophic level. Trophic levels : show the feeding and niche relationships between organisms.

Primary Producers Always take their energy from the sun They can do this by using: Photosynthesis!

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Consumers Primary = 1 Secondary = 2 Tertiary = 3 Primary Consumers – eat PLANTS Secondary Consumers – eat animals that eat plants Tertiary Consumers – eat animals that eat animals

Primary Consumers Eat plants or algae

Secondary Consumers Eat animals that eat plants

Tertiary Consumers High on the food chain Eat animals that eat other animals

What do you notice about the food chain?

Herbivores Eat plants

Carnivores Eat meat!

Detritovores Eat waste! (dead plants and animals, fecal matter )

Omnivores Eat plants or animals

Food Webs Why not food chains? Does every animal only eat 1 thing? NO! Food webs give a better representation of different animals eating different things.

Food Webs

Food Pyramid

Food Pyramid What is a food pyramid? Shows the movement of energy from producers to top consumers. What is the bottom of the pyramid? Plants! Are there a lot of species at the top of the pyramid? No