Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem

Food Chains, Food Webs, Energy Pyramids

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Begins with the SUN Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 + 6O2

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Chemical reaction where green plants

Photosynthesis

use water & carbon dioxide to store the suns energy in glucose ENERGY is stored in glucose Glucose is stored as starch in plants

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Organisms that can make glucose during photosynthesis are called PRODUCERS.
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Producers use most of the energy they make for themselves.

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Producers use cellular respiration to supply the energy they need to live.
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6O2 + C6H12O6 --> 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy

CELLULAR RESPIRATION is the chemical reaction that releases the energy in glucose.
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The energy that is not used by producers can be passed on to organisms that cannot make their own energy.
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Organisms that cannot make their own energy are called CONSUMERS.
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Are first order (1 ) or primary consumers Are herbivores (plantst

Consumers that eat producers to get energy:

eaters)

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of the energy the primary consumer gets from the producer is used by the consumer.

Most

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energy moves into the atmosphere as heat.

Some of the

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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).
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A Consumer that Eats Another Consumer for Energy:

Is called a secondary or 2nd order consumer May be a carnivore or a omnivore May be a predator May be a scavenger
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energy the secondary consumer gets from the primary consumer is used by the secondary consumer.
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Most of the

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

A consumer that eats a consumer that already ate a consumer:

Is called a 3rd order or tertiary consumer May be a carnivore or a omnivore May be a predator May be a scavenger
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Consumers that eat producers & other consumers

Are called Omnivores eat plants and animals
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omnivores

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

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Consumers that eat other dead consumers are called scavengers

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The transfer of energy from the sun to producer to primary consumer then to higher order consumers can be shown in a FOOD CHAIN.

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Food Chains Show Available Energy

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More Food Chains

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

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Food Webs:

Are

interconnected food chains They show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem

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How Many Chains are in this web?

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Identify the Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers:

Count the Food Chains!

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