Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem Food Chains Food

Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem Food Chains, Food Webs, Energy Pyramids copyright cmassengale 1

Organisms that can store chemical energy in glucose during photosynthesis are called PRODUCERS. copyright cmassengale 2

Plants are producers (autotrophs) which use most of the energy they make for themselves. copyright cmassengale 3

Producers use cellular respiration to supply the energy they need to live. copyright cmassengale 4

6 O 2 + C 6 H 12 O 6 --> 6 H 2 O + 6 CO 2 + energy (ATP) CELLULAR RESPIRATION is the chemical reaction that releases the energy from the glucose organic compound. copyright cmassengale 5

The energy that is not used by producers can be passed on to organisms that cannot make their own energy. copyright cmassengale 6

Organisms that cannot make their own energy are called CONSUMERS or heterotrophs. copyright cmassengale 7

Consumers that eat producers to get energy: • Are first order (1 ) or primary consumers • Are herbivores (plant-eaters) st copyright cmassengale 8

Most of the energy the primary consumer gets from the producer is used by the consumer, about 90%. copyright cmassengale 9

Some of the energy moves into the atmosphere as heat. copyright cmassengale 10

Real world connection Brainstorm other real life events/ situations that lose energy as heat. Example a car running engines looses energy as heat. copyright cmassengale 11

Some energy in the primary consumer is STORED & not lost to the atmosphere or used by the consumer itself. This energy, about 10%, is available for another consumer (predator). copyright cmassengale 12

A consumer that eats another consumer for energy: • Is called a secondary consumer May be omnivore May be • • • or 2 nd order a carnivore or a a predator a scavenger copyright cmassengale 13

Most of the energy the secondary consumer gets from the primary consumer is used by the secondary consumer. copyright cmassengale 14

Some of the energy is lost as heat, but some energy is stored and can be passed on to another consumer. copyright cmassengale 15

A consumer that eats a consumer that already ate a consumer: • Is called a 3 rd order or tertiary consumer • May be a carnivore or a omnivore • May be a predator • May be a scavenger copyright cmassengale 16

Consumers that eat producers & other consumers are omnivores Omnivores eat plants and animals copyright cmassengale 17

Consumers that hunt & kill other consumers are called predators. The animals that are hunted & killed are called prey. copyright cmassengale 18

Consumers that eat other dead consumers are called scavengers copyright cmassengale 19

The transfer of energy from the sun to producer to primary consumer then to higher order consumers can be shown in a FOOD CHAIN. copyright cmassengale 20

Food Chains Show Available Energy copyright cmassengale 21

More Food Chains The arrows show the direction of energy flow. copyright cmassengale 22

Another way of showing the transfer of energy in an ecosystem is with an ENERGY PYRAMID copyright cmassengale 23

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 • • • copyright cmassengale 24

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Food Webs: • Are interconnected food chains They show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem • copyright cmassengale 26

How Many Chains are in this web? copyright cmassengale 27

Identify the Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers: Count the Food Chains! copyright cmassengale 28

In closing Use one or more of the sentence stems to summarize you understanding of this activity. What I now know that I did not know…. . What surprised me was…. . I wonder if…. I think the ______ was hard to understand because_____ I think the _____concept was the easiest because____ copyright cmassengale 29