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Ecosystem Structure. Passing of Energy All Energy starts from the sun Photosynthetic plants convert...
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Transcript of Ecosystem Structure. Passing of Energy All Energy starts from the sun Photosynthetic plants convert...
Ecosystem Structure
Passing of Energy
All Energy starts from the sun Photosynthetic plants convert
energy from the sun into food The energy moves through the
ecosystem as one organism eats another
Autotrophs / Producers
An organism that converts the sun’s energy (or inorganic substances) into food
Heterotrophs / Consumers
Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms
Can eat plants or animals
Food Chains
A model of the flow of energy through organisms in a community
Flow of energy is shown by arrows
Transferred Energy
At each step in the food chain only 10% energy is passed to the organism
90% of the energy is lost in the form of HEAT
90%HEAT
90%HEAT
90%HEAT
Trophic Levels
Each step in the transfer of energy
Producers are 1st trophic level… they form the base of all food chains
Primary Consumers / Herbivores
Feed directly on producers
Make up the 2nd trophic level
Secondary & Tertiary Consumers / Carnivores
Eat only meat
Feed on primary & secondary consumers
Make up the 3rd and 4th trophic levels
Omnivores
Eat both producers and consumers
Scavengers
Consumer that feeds on the tissue of dead animals
Decomposers (recyclers)
Feed on wastes and dead organic matter from all trophic levels
Ecological Pyramid
Shows the relationship between producers & consumers in 3 ways: Biomass Energy # of organisms
Biomass
Total mass of all organisms in a food chain or ecological community
Biomass Pyramid
There is less biomass as you move up trophic levels
Energy Pyramid & 10% Law
Only 10% of energy is passed to next level
1st trophic level is important in determining the rest of the levels
# of organism pyramid
Population of each trophic level decreases as you move up the trophic levels
Food Web
Shows the interconnected food chains in a community or ecosystem
A lot of food chains together