Energy Roles in Ecosystems Producers, Consumers, Decomposers

Producers

Producers Make their own food for energy Use energy from the sun They are a source of energy for other organisms

Consumers

Consumers

Consumers

Can NOT make their own food Consumers Can NOT make their own food Get energy from producers or other consumers Herbivores - only eat plants Carnivores – only eat meat Omnivores – eat both plants and meat

Decomposers http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.oate.decompose/decomposers/

Decomposers Get their energy by breaking down wastes and dead organisms Trash collectors of ecosystem Some are too small to see

Food Chains and Food Webs Moving energy through an ecosystem

Food Chain Arrow ALWAYS points in the direction ENERGY is moving Start with the sun (ENERGY!) The producer, followed by consumers Ends with decomposers, then starts over again

Food Web

Food Webs Connects all the food chains Arrows are the same as a food chain Doesn’t include decomposers “Top” organisms aren’t eaten for food

Competition When organisms fight for resources Plants Animals Sunlight Soil water Animals Space Water Light Food mates

Symbiosis Long-term relationship 1) Both organisms are helped 2) One is helped, nothing happens to the other 3) One is helped, one is harmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTGcS7vJqbs

Resources Brain pop on food chains https://www.brainpop.com/science/ecologyandbehavior/foodchains/ Producers, consumers, decomposers game http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/producersconsumersgame.htm Food Chains game http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm