More Ecology and Cycles of Matter

Warm-up

If the following organisms were arranged in

a food pyramid, which organism would have

the least amount of total energy available?

(shrubs, lizards, insects, coyotes)

A. Coyote B. Insect

C. Lizard D. Shrub

Energy Flow

• Food Web–The depiction of a

network of feeding relationships

Energy Flow• Trophic Levels:

Each step in a food chain–Producers make

up the bottom level

–Consumers make up the upper levels

–Each level depends on the level below it

Draw Pyramid

Energy Flow• Biomass Pyramid:

amount of potential food available for each trophic level– Biomass: amount of living

tissue

• Pyramid of Numbers: based on the numbers of individual organisms

Cycles of Matter

• The water cycle: –All living things require

water to survive–Precipitation,

transpiration, evaporation etc

Cycles of Matter

• The Carbon Cycle: –Carbon is the key

ingredient of living tissue

–Respiration, photosynthesis, feeding, erosion etc.

Cycles of Matter

• The Nitrogen Cycle–Necessary for amino acids–Nitrogen fixing bacteria on roots “fix”

atmospheric nitrogen to be used by plants.

–Consumers get nitrogen by eating producers