ENERGY TRANSFORMATION (FOOD CHAIN/WEB, ETC)

• Energy Flow

  • is a one-way process in an ecosystem
  • Energy flows from the sun, to the producers, and to the consumers
  • flow of energy between organisms can be shown by a food chain or food web
• Food Chain

  • is a sequence of organisms used as food and organisms that feed on them
  • is a flow diagram that begins with a plant and shows food/energy is passed through a series of organisms in a community
  • series wherein energy is transferred from the producers to consumers
• Food Web

  • shows the complex feeding interrelationships between organisms in an area
  • consists of interconnected food chains
  • overlapping food chains
  • complex series of the food chain
  • interlocking of food chains
• TROPHIC LEVELS

  • Producers
  • Primary Consumers
  • Secondary Consumers
  • Tertiary Consumers
  • Decomposers
• Producers

  • organisms that are capable of converting energy from the sun
  • occupies the first trophic level
• Consumers

  • organisms that consume food for his/her energy supply
  • obtain energy from the producer
  • are at succeeding trophic levels ending with the highest trophic level
• Pyramid of Biomass

  • shows the decreasing amount of matter or tissue
• Biomass

  • is the total mass of organisms in a food chain or food web
• Energy Pyramid

  • illustrates the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food chain or web
• GREATEST AMOUNT OF BIOMASS AND ENERGY - Base/Bottom (producers)

  LEAST AMOUNT OF BIOMASS AND ENERGY - top
• Only 10% of biomass and energy are transferred to the next trophic level
• All organisms obtain energy by indirectly or directly feeding on producers
• Decomposers

  • microscopic organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms
• Decomposition

  • state of rotting or decay of organic materials
  • the nutrients that come from this decomposition get back to the soil
• CONSUMERS (based on what they eat)

  • Herbivores
  • Carnivores
  • Omnivores
• DECOMPOSERS (types)

  • Fungi
  • Bacteria
• ENERGY FLOW

  • is a one-way process
• How does ENERGY flow?

  from the sun, to the producers, to the consumers
• The flow of energy can be shown by a food chain or food web.
• FOOD CHAIN

  • is a sequence of organisms used as food and the organisms that feed on them
  • is a flow diagram that begins with a plant and shows how food/energy is passed through a series of organisms
• PYRAMID OF BIOMASS

  • shows the decreasing amount of matter or tissue
• BIOMASS

  • is the total mass of organisms in a food chain or food web
• GREATEST AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND BIOMASS

  • Producer level/bottom
• LEAST AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND BIOMASS

  • top level/consumers
• The Producers use the process called PHOTOSYNTHESIS