Energy Flow in Ecosystems Food Chains & Food Webs

3 Roles Producer – Makes its own food usually plants or one-celled organisms Algae Phytoplankton, tiny organisms that live in the ocean Some types of bacteria Consumer – Obtains energy from eating other organism Omnivore, herbivore, carnivore, scavenger Decomposer – Break down wastes and dead organisms and return the raw materials to the environment fungi and bacteria

Organisms that make their own food are producers.

Organisms that depend on others for food are consumers. Herbivores - plant eaters

Carnivores - meat eaters

Omnivores - plant and meat eaters

Scavengers - feed off dead organisms

Organisms that break down wastes and dead organisms & return the raw materials to the environment are decomposers.

Decomposer

Food Chain A series of events in which 1 organism eats another and obtains energy Shows 1 possible path along which energy can move

Food Chain Arrows point in the direction of the organism that is eating the other. It means “Is eaten by” http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/fooodchains.htm Arrows also show the direction of energy flow.

Food Chain 1st organism always a producer 2nd organism is a primary consumer that eats the producer – 1st level consumer (primary consumer) 2nd level (secondary) consumer eats the 1st level consumer 3rd level consumer (tertiary) feed on secondary consumers

Food Chain Position in the food chain is related to size. Larger organisms are normally further up the food chain than smaller organisms

Food Web A more realistic way to show energy flow in an ecosystem Shows many overlapping food chains in an ecosystem

Energy Pyramid A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from 1 feeding level to another in a food web At each level Energy is lost Only about 10% of the energy in 1 level is transferred to the next level Where does the energy go?

carnivores and omnivores http://teach.fcps.net/trt2/links/foodchain.htm 2nd level consumer carnivores and omnivores 1st level consumer herbivores plants producers

Energy Pyramid MOST ENERGY IS AVAILABLE AT THE PRODUCER LEVEL AT EACH LEVEL THERE IS LESS AVAILABLE ENERGY THAN AT THE LEVEL BELOW

Energy loss from Food Chain/Web Organisms use the energy they get to survive: Movement Body heat Reproduce Carry out Chemical Reactions Energy passed on is from growth. The bigger the organism eaten, the more energy the next organism gets.