Unit C Chapter 2 Lesson 1
Organisms need energy for all life processes. Just like water and nitrogen, energy moves through ecosystems too. As the energy passes through, some is not used but the earth receives a new supply each day. The sun is most important source of energy for life on Earth.
Plants and algae capture the energy from the sun and make their own food. An organism that makes its own food is called a producer. When animals eat producers, it takes in the energy from the producer.
If the animal that eats the producer is eaten by another animal, the energy is passed along. Consumers are any organisms that must eat other living organisms for food. Examples: Humans, dogs, cats, bunnies, tigers, fish, birds, mice, deer, cows, wolves…..every animal on Earth.
Decomposers are consumers that get their food by breaking down animal waste and dead plants and animals. Decomposers include some fungi, worms, and bacteria. They help ecosystems by recycling the important parts of dead material. There’s an opossum in here somewhere with the maggots.
Fungal Growth Time- Lapse Fungal Growth Time- Lapse Decomposing Rabbit Time-Lapse Decomposing Rabbit Time-Lapse Unfortunately Nintendo lied to you. Eating random mushrooms will not make you grow….it just might kill you. We’re going to watch what?!
AA Predator is an animal that feeds on other living animals. PPredators are consumers that eat other consumers. PPredators hunt and kill their food. TThe animals that predators eat are called prey. Hollywood version of a Predator Nature’s version of a predator
Predators are not always animals with claws or fangs. Ex. Birds, Insects, Frogs. Predators can also be prey for other predators. Some predators have no natural enemies (besides humans.) These are apex predators.
Scavengers eat the remains of animals that have died. Examples include; vultures, jackals, and hyenas. Scavengers differ from predators because they do not hunt and kill their food. Elephant feeds many scavengers
The interactions of predators and prey affect their populations. LLarge amounts of prey can feed large amounts of predators. IIf the population of prey decreases, so will the predator population. This extremely lucky young impala was found by three cheetahs who have already eaten and were not hungry. They played with the impala instead.
Simple paths of energy in an ecosystem can be shown by a food chain. Food chains show how energy is passed from one organism to another. A Food Web shows all of the overlapping food chains in an ecosystem. Food Chain Game
An Energy Pyramid is used to show the energy lost at each step of the food chain. When a consumer eats a producer, it only gets about 10% of the plant’s energy. When a predator eats that consumer, it only gets 10% of 10% (1/100 th ) of the energy the consumer had. Because of this, most food chains have no more than 5 levels. Kcal refers to the amount of calorie energy available. Notice that it decreases by 10% at each level.
A Herbivore is an animal that eats only plants. Rabbits, deer, cows A Carnivore is an animal that is primarily a meat eater. Sharks, cats, dogs. An Omnivore is an animal that can eat both plants and animals. People, bears, turtles. What a happy omnivore. Just because I was curious I had to check up on this. Small Fry 230 calories 11g fat (17% D.V.) McChicken 360 cal. 16g fat (25% D.V.) Big Mac 550 cal. 29g fat (45% D.V.)