1. Energy Flow in Ecosystems

2. Energy Roles *Every organism has a role in the movement
of energy through an ecosystem.
*All organisms will be either a producer,
consumer, or decomposer.

3. Feeding Relationships
Producer-
all autotrophs (they can make their own food)
they trap energy from the sun and go through photosynthesis
they are always at the bottom of a food chain
Examples include: plants,
algae, and some bacteria
How do they trap the sun’s energy? Through what process? What is that process similar to in animal cells?

4. Feeding Relationships
Consumer- Decomposers
Breakdown the complex compounds of dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be absorbed
Ex: FBI: fungi, bacteria, and insects
Humans and bears are omnivores but a large and important subset of omnivores are the decomposers. They breakdown dead producers and release the energy back into circulation.

5. Feeding Relationships
Consumer-
all heterotrophs
they ingest food
Examples:
Herbivores: eat only plants (Ex: cow)
Carnivores: eat only animals (Ex: lion)
Omnivores: eat both plants and animals (Ex: bear)
Scavengers: a carnivore that feeds on the bodies of dead organisms (Ex: vulture or ant)
Energy moves up the food chain through the producer/consumer relationship.

6. Trophic Levels
Each link in a food chain is known as a trophic level.
Trophic levels represent a feeding step in the transfer of energy and matter in an ecosystem.

7. Trophic Levels
Food chain- simple model that shows how matter and energy move through an ecosystem

9. Trophic Levels
Food web- shows all possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level
Represents a network of interconnected food chains

10. Food chain Food web
(just 1 path of energy) (all possible energy paths)

11. ENERGY PYRAMID- a diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another.
The most energy is available at the producer level. (bottom)
The amount of energy decreases as you go up.
Only 10% of the energy moves to the next level.

12. E N R G Y Producers- Autotrophs Trophic Levels
Tertiary consumers- top carnivores
Secondary consumers- small carnivores
Primary consumers- Herbivores
Producers- Autotrophs