Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 1 Introduction 1 a

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 1. Introduction 1 a. Species are organized by what they eat and by what eats them.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 2. Producers 2 a. Producers (autotrophs) = plants and some bacteria. - The entry point for all of the energy used on Earth.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 3. Heterotroph 3 a. Heterotrophs (consumers) = any organism that eats organic compounds or other organisms to get its food.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 4. Herbivors, 4 a. Herbivores= Animals that Carnivores, eat only plants. and Omnivores 4 b. Carnivores= Animals that only eat other animals. 4 c. Omnivores= Animals that eat both plants and animals.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 5. Decomposers 5 a. Decomposers= Organisms that feed on and break down dead organic material. - They recycle abiotic materials back into the ecosystem.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 6. Trophic Pyramid 6 a. Ecologists place organisms into different trophic levels (who’s eating who).

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems Level 1 Producers

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems Level 2 Primary Consumers • Aka First Order Consumers

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems Level 3 Secondary Consumers • Aka Second Order Consumers

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems Level 4 Tertiary Consumers • Aka Third Order Consumers

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 7. Matter vs. Energy 7 a. Matter moves in cycles between abiotic and biotic realms. 7 b. Energy moves in a one way path.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 8. Movement of Energy 8 a. On Earth, energy enters an ecosystem from the abiotic realm starting with the sun, and moves into the plants. 8 b. The energy then moves into the trophic levels.

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 9 a. Unlike matter, energy gets “worn 9. Grass and Rabbit Example out” each time it moves. Example: 1. Grass captures energy from the sun during photosynthesis. 2. Rabbit eats grass but doesn’t get ALL of the grasses energy. 3. The grass used a lot of the energy from the sun to perform its own life functions (growing, repairing itself, etc…)

Trophic Hierarchy in Ecosystems 10. Ten% Rule 10 a. This is known as the 10% Rule. - Approximately only 10% of the energy that enters a trophic level is available to the next level up.

Checkpoint • Calculate the % Energy passed on to each trophic level.

Agenda: 3/19/13 • Assignment: –Energy Pathways • Homework: –Complete any unfinished assignments