Trophic Level Distribution of Energy Important Vocabulary Trophic

Trophic Level Distribution of Energy

Important Vocabulary • Trophic level –a set of species occupying one level of the ecological food chain.

Situation 1 Energy from the sun is captured by the leaves in the prairie grass and is used for photosynthesis to make food stored in the plants. Along comes a prairie dog, that eats the grass for energy. A black- footed ferret sneaks up and takes the prairie dog away to eat for dinner.

Situation 2 • A Nettle plant takes energy from the sun to photosynthesize. Nettle aphids love to eat the nettle plant which attracts ladybugs who lay their eggs on the nettle and their larvae gobble up the nettle aphids.

Situation 3 • The pecan tree takes the energy from the sun and uses it to make food. The pecan stores energy in its nut. A squirrel takes many of these nuts and eats them for energy. A fox catches and eats the squirrel.

EXPLORE Materials: (for each group) -2 liter coke bottle 6 cups

2, 000 m. L of soda Calculate and distribute according to the chart for this level.

2, 000 m. L of soda Calculate and distribute according to the chart for this level. 600 400 200 600 200

Take the “stored energy” cup (should have 200 m. L) Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart.

Take the “stored energy” cup (should have 200 m. L) Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart. 60 40 20 60 20

Take the “stored energy” cup (should have 20 m. L) Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart.

Take the “stored energy” cup (should have 20 m. L) Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart. 6 4 2 6 2

Stored Energy Cup How many m. L are left in this cup?

Stored Energy Cup How many grams are left in this cup? 2 m. L Only 10% was passed along to the next trophic level each time an organism was eaten.

EXPLAIN • Photosynthesis – color green – 600 squares (30% of 2000) • Unused Energy from sun- color yellow – 400 squares (20% of 2000) • Reproduction – color red – 600 squares (30% of 2000) • Respiration – color blue – 200 squares (10% of 2000) • Stored Energy – do not color - leave blank – 200 squares (10% of 2000)

EXPLAIN • Look at the uncolored stored energy block of 200 squares. (eaten by a primary consumer) • Movement – color green – 60 squares – (30% of 200) • Digestion – color yellow – 40 squares – (20% of 200) • Reproduction – color red – 60 squares – (30% of 200) • Respiration – color blue – 20 squares – (10% of 200) • Stored Energy – do not color – leave blank – 20 squares (10% of 200)

EXPLAIN • Look at the block of 20 uncolored squares for stored energy (eaten by a secondary consumer). • Movement – color green – 6 squares – (30% of 20) • Digestion – color yellow – 4 squares – (20% of 20) • Reproduction – color red – 6 squares – (30% of 20) • Respiration – color blue – 2 squares – (10% of 20) • Stored Energy – do not color – leave blank – 2 squares (10% of 20)

Energy “Pyramid”