Solar-powered Almost all energy for living things comes from the sun. Less than 1% is used by living things.

Producers or Autotrophs Organisms who can make their own food…. 1.P lants 2.S ome algae & some bacteria

Photosynthesis- converting sunlight into energy-rich sugar (glucose) plants, algae & some bacteria Chemosynthesis- converting energy in chemicals into sugar bacteria in hot springs or volcanic vents

Organisms that must consume other organisms for energy. –A–A–A–Animals, fungi, many bacteria & protists

Types of Consumers Type What it eats Example organisms Herbivores plants only panda, giraffe Carnivores animals only snake, wolf, owl Omnivores plant & animal human, bear, blue jay Detritivores Dead plant & animal remains snail, earthworm, mites Decomposers Breaks down dead stuff bacteria & fungi

Food Chains Shows what eats what & direction of energy flow

Food Web Complex network of food chainsComplex network of food chains –Organisms tend to eat several or even many different things.

Trophic levels each step or level or a food chain

Ecological Pyramids Diagram used to show the relative amounts of energy, matter, or numbers of organisms in a food chain. 3 types: 1.Energy pyramid—usable energy decreases as you move up from level to level—only 10% moves on to next level 2.Biomass pyramid—amount of living tissue decreases as you move up from level to level 3.Pyramid of numbers—# of organisms usually decreases as you move up from level to level –E–Exception: forest—not as many trees as consumers like insects, but much more biomass

Limits Food chains are usually limited to 3 or 4 links. –W–WHY? You lose so much energy (90% is lost, 10% moves up to next level). Hence, you start to run out of energy at the top.