Nutrition and Energy Flow Autotrophs – Producers Plants Heterotrophs – Consumers Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores Decomposers

Food chains Food chains show how energy and nutrients flow from autotrophs to heterotrophs then eventually to decomposers.

Decomposers – use dead stuff

WEBS Food webs represent how food chains can interconnect and show the possible way for materials to be transferred within an ecosystem.

Food Webs

Energy Pyramids Notice that you lose 10% at each level. So how much Energy is lost between the primary producers and the tertiary consumers?

Energy from the sun Energy from the sun fuels life in the ecosystem. Materials of life like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and water do not increase they just get recycled throughout the ecosystem.

The Water Cycle!!!!

http://www.toppermost.biz/Evaporation.html Check out this animation.

The Carbon Cycle

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Carbon dioxide in the water

Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorous Cycle