Energy FlowEnergy Flow

EQ: How does energy flow EQ: How does energy flow through living systems?through living systems?

Interactions and InterdependenceInteractions and Interdependence

Ecology: the Ecology: the interaction interaction between between animals and animals and the the environmentenvironment

The earth can The earth can be divided into be divided into different levels different levels of of organizationorganization

ProducersProducers

Defined as something Defined as something that produces or converts that produces or converts energy from the sun into energy from the sun into energy that animals can energy that animals can useuse

Another term for these Another term for these organisms is autotrophsorganisms is autotrophs

These organisms perform These organisms perform photosynthesis and are photosynthesis and are the basis for the food the basis for the food chainschains

PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis

The process by The process by which plants which plants convert the sun’s convert the sun’s energy to sugar energy to sugar with the help of with the help of carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide

The bi-product of The bi-product of this process is this process is oxygenoxygen

ConsumersConsumers

An organism that An organism that consumes (eats) consumes (eats) energy produced energy produced by plants or other by plants or other animalsanimals

Another term for Another term for these organisms is these organisms is heterotrophsheterotrophs

Different Types of ConsumersDifferent Types of Consumers

Herbivores: eat only plantsHerbivores: eat only plants Carnivores: eat only meatCarnivores: eat only meat Omnivores: eat both plants and meatOmnivores: eat both plants and meat Detritivores: feed on the remains of other Detritivores: feed on the remains of other

organismsorganisms Decomposers: break down dead materialDecomposers: break down dead material

Food ChainsFood Chains

Show the flow of energy between Show the flow of energy between organismsorganisms

Only one possible prey item shown at Only one possible prey item shown at each leveleach level

Simplest way to show interactionsSimplest way to show interactions

Example of a Food ChainExample of a Food Chain

Phytoplankton Zooplankton Angel Fish Sea Turtle

Food WebFood Web

Shows the flow of energy between all Shows the flow of energy between all members of an ecosystemmembers of an ecosystem

Shows complex interactionsShows complex interactions Allows one to see what would happen if Allows one to see what would happen if

one species is removedone species is removed

Food WebFood Web

Food PyramidFood Pyramid

Each organism on the food chain is placed Each organism on the food chain is placed into a different trophic levelinto a different trophic level

The organism with the most energy is The organism with the most energy is placed on the bottom and the organism placed on the bottom and the organism that receives the least energy is placed on that receives the least energy is placed on toptop

Shows the loss of energy as you go up the Shows the loss of energy as you go up the food chain from plants to top predatorsfood chain from plants to top predators

Pyramid of NumbersShows the relativenumber of individualorganisms at eachtrophic level.

Biomass PyramidRepresents the amount ofliving organic matter at each trophic level. Typically, thegreatest biomass is at the base of the pyramid.

Energy PyramidShows the relative amount of energy available at each trophic level. Organisms use about 10 percent of this energy for life processes. The rest is lost as heat.

Ecological Pyramids

Food PyramidFood Pyramid

Food Pyramid LayersFood Pyramid Layers

The bottom level of a food pyramid are the The bottom level of a food pyramid are the primary producersprimary producers The plants and algae that perform The plants and algae that perform

photosynthesis to convert the suns energy to photosynthesis to convert the suns energy to chemical energychemical energy

The second level are the primary The second level are the primary consumersconsumers These are the organisms that eat the These are the organisms that eat the

producersproducers These organisms are called herbivoresThese organisms are called herbivores

Food Pyramid LayersFood Pyramid Layers

The next level contains the secondary The next level contains the secondary consumersconsumers These are the organisms that eat the primary These are the organisms that eat the primary

consumersconsumers These animals are considered carnivores if there diet These animals are considered carnivores if there diet

is strictly other animals or omnivores if they also is strictly other animals or omnivores if they also include plants in their dietinclude plants in their diet

The top level is the tertiary consumersThe top level is the tertiary consumers These animals eat the secondary consumersThese animals eat the secondary consumers Usually the top predators in an ecosystemUsually the top predators in an ecosystem

Example of a Food PyramidExample of a Food Pyramid

Phytoplankton

Zooplankton

Angel Fish

Sea Turtle

Producer

PrimaryConsumer

SecondaryConsumer

TertiaryConsumer

Energy TransferEnergy Transfer

Only 10 percent of the energy is Only 10 percent of the energy is transferred between levelstransferred between levels This is because an animal needs to expend This is because an animal needs to expend

energy in order to capture and eat its preyenergy in order to capture and eat its prey If it is taking too much energy to capture the If it is taking too much energy to capture the

prey than the animal will abandon the hunt prey than the animal will abandon the hunt (cheetah and gazelle)(cheetah and gazelle)

If there was 1000kg of energy at the producer If there was 1000kg of energy at the producer level than the top predator would only get 1 kglevel than the top predator would only get 1 kg

Energy transferEnergy transfer

Phytoplankton

Zooplankton

Angel Fish

Sea Turtle

1000 kgOf energy

100 kgOf energy

10 kg Of energy

1 kgOf energy

Explains why a seaTurtle must eat so muchTo survive