1. Ecosystems, Energy, Recycling

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Energy Flow
Energy in an ecosystem originally comes from the sun
Energy flows through Ecosystems from producers to consumers
Producers (make food)
Consumers (use food by eating producers or other consumers)
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3. Feeding Relationships
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction from producers to various levels of consumers
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4. Feeding Relationships
Food Chain
Simple energy path through an ecosystem
-Doesn’t account for detritivores
-Far too long and simple
Food Web
More realistic path through an ecosystem made of many food chains
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Food Chain
3rd Order consumer
2nd Order Consumer
1st order Consumer
4th Order Consumer
Producer (trapped sunlight & stored food)
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Food Web
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8. Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Trophic Level.
Trophic Levels
Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Trophic Level.
Producers
Always the first trophic level
Where energy enters the system
Herbivores
Second Trophic Level
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9. Each level depends on the one below it for energy.
Trophic Levels
Carnivores/Omnivores
Make Up The Remaining Trophic Levels
Each level depends on the one below it for energy.
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Ecological Pyramids
Graphic Representations Of The Relative Amounts of Energy or Matter At Each Trophic Level
May be:
Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
Biomass – dry mass of an organism(s)
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Energy Pyramid
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Biomass Pyramid
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14. Primary Productivity The rate of energy captured by producers OR
The rate at which biomass is added
Determines the first level of a pyramid
Gross PP – the total amount captured
Net PP – the amount of energy available after producer maintains self (respiration)