Food Pyramids and Cycles

Food Pyramids From 1 trophic level to the next, only 10% of the energy in that trophic level can be passed on For this reason often times we represent food chains as trophic pyramids Where does the rest of the energy go – it is given off as heat

Food Pyramids Also at each level the number of organisms decrease as you move up the food pyramid For this reason there are also many more autotrophs as compared to the number of top-level heterotrophs The longer the food chain the less efficient the process is

Law of Conservation Because energy is neither created nor destroyed, its absence must be accounted for, hence energy just changed forms NOT LOST The total weight of all the animals at each trophic level is called biomass Biomass should decrease as you go up the pyramid

Water Cycle Water evaporates from water sources (lakes or oceans), also water can transpire out of plants to get into a vapor form Once in a vapor form, it condensates forming clouds If enough condensation occurs we get precipitation (rain, snow, ect.) and the cycle starts over

The Carbon Cycle CO2 is put into the air when Any animals breathes (respiration) Any fuel is burned CO2 is taken out the air when photosynthesis occurs (using plants) The carbon that is trapped in our bodies after we die eventually becomes the raw materials for fossil fuels, which when burned give off CO2