March 5, 2016 Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Homework Questions 1. What role does sunlight play in an ecosystem? 2. Could there be life on Earth without producers? 3. Contrast herbivores and carnivores. 1. What role does sunlight play in an ecosystem? 2. Could there be life on Earth without producers? 3. Contrast herbivores and carnivores.

Life Depends on the Sun  Photosynthesis captures energy from the sun.  Plants  Algae  And some bacteria  Produces energy rich food.  Photosynthesis captures energy from the sun.  Plants  Algae  And some bacteria  Produces energy rich food.

Roles of Producers and Consumers  Producers are organisms that make their own food.  Consumers are organisms that get their energy from other organisms.

Energy Flow Energy from the Sun Autotrophs Make Food from the Sun An elk grazes on grass. This organism is called a heterotroph A carnivore is an organism That feeds on another. Wolf eats elk.

Herbivores  An herbivore is a consumer that eats only producers.  Energy from autotroph is lost and requires large amounts of food.  Sheep graze on grass and gather food energy produced by photosynthesis.

Carnivore  A carnivore is a consumer that eats only other consumers.  Energy from herbivore is taken in to carnivore.  Coyote at right hunts mice and other small animals.  A carnivore is a consumer that eats only other consumers.  Energy from herbivore is taken in to carnivore.  Coyote at right hunts mice and other small animals.

Omnivores  Omnivores are organisms that that eats both plants and animals.  Black bear on left eat animals and berries and sometimes garbage.  Black bears are reclaiming our area.

Decomposer  A decomposer is a consumer that gets its food by breaking down dead organisms, causing them to rot.  Mushrooms are fungi that get their energy from previously living organisms.  A decomposer is a consumer that gets its food by breaking down dead organisms, causing them to rot.  Mushrooms are fungi that get their energy from previously living organisms.

Photosynthesis  Autotrophs make food by using the sun’s energy. 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + LIGHT C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2  Autotrophs make food by using the sun’s energy. 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + LIGHT C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2

Cellular Respiration  Cellular respiration is the process of breaking down food to yield energy.

Who Eats What  Food Chain is the sequence in which energy is transferred from one organism to the next as each organism eats and is eaten by another.  Trophic Level is a step in the transfer of energy through an ecosystem; the level of energy of a food chain that an organism occupies.  Food Chain is the sequence in which energy is transferred from one organism to the next as each organism eats and is eaten by another.  Trophic Level is a step in the transfer of energy through an ecosystem; the level of energy of a food chain that an organism occupies.

Producers, first level stores 100 times more energy than the trophic level highest at top Primary consumers 10 times more energy than the trophic level at top. Secondary consumers are At the top of the food chain.