Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem Food Chains Food

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

• Begins with the SUN • Photosynthesis 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + sunlight & chlorophyll C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 copyright cmassengale 2

Photosynthesis • Chemical reaction where green plants use water & carbon dioxide to store the sun’s energy in glucose ENERGY is stored in glucose Glucose is stored as starch in plants • • copyright cmassengale 3

Organisms that can make glucose during photosynthesis are called PRODUCERS / Autotrophs. copyright cmassengale 4

Producers use most of the energy they make for themselves. copyright cmassengale 5

Producers use cellular respiration to supply the energy they need to live. copyright cmassengale 6

6 O 2 + C 6 H 12 O 6 --> 6 H 2 O + 6 CO 2 + energy CELLULAR RESPIRATION is the chemical reaction that releases the energy in glucose. copyright cmassengale 7

The energy that is not used by producers can be passed on to organisms that cannot make their own energy. copyright cmassengale 8

Organisms that cannot make their own energy are called CONSUMERS / Heterotrophs. copyright cmassengale 9

Consumers that eat producers to get energy: • Are first order (1 ) or primary consumers • Are herbivores (plant-eaters) st copyright cmassengale 10

Most of the energy the primary consumer gets from the producer is used by the consumer. copyright cmassengale 11

Some of the energy moves into the atmosphere as heat. copyright cmassengale 12

Some energy in the primary consumer is STORED & not lost to the atmosphere or used by the consumer itself. This energy is available for another consumer (predator). copyright cmassengale 13

A Consumer that Eats Another Consumer for Energy: • Is called a secondary or 2 nd order consumer • May be a carnivore or a omnivore • May be a predator • May be a scavenger copyright cmassengale 14

Most of the energy the secondary consumer gets from the primary consumer is used by the secondary consumer. copyright cmassengale 15

Some of the energy is lost as heat, but some energy is stored and can passed on to another consumer. copyright cmassengale 16

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 17

Consumers that eat producers & other consumers Are called omnivores Omnivores eat plants and animals copyright cmassengale 18

Consumers that hunt & kill other consumers are called predators. The animals that are hunted & killed are called prey. copyright cmassengale 19

Consumers that eat other dead consumers are called scavengers copyright cmassengale 20

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 21

Food Chains Show Available Energy copyright cmassengale 22

More Food Chains copyright cmassengale 23

Another way of showing the transfer of energy in an ecosystem is the ENERGY PYRAMID copyright cmassengale 24

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 25

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Food Webs: • Are interconnected food chains They show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem • copyright cmassengale 27

How Many Chains are in this web? copyright cmassengale 28

Identify the Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers: Count the Food Chains! copyright cmassengale 29

Type of Organism # in Food Web on 1 slide back Produces Consumers Decomposers copyright cmassengale 30