1. Energy Flow (Part 1)

2. Why do we need energy in an Ecosystem
Every organism requires energy to carry out life process:
Growing
Moving
Reproducing

3. Producers (Autotroph)
Can convert light from sun to the chemical energy (SUGAR). Example: plants and zooplankton

4. Producers Supports all other tropic levels
Terrestrial Ecosystem (on land)
plants are the producers
Aquatic Ecosystem (sea)
phytoplankton
bacteria
algae
aquatic plants are the producers

5. Consumers (Heterotroph)
Obtain chemical energy (SUGAR) by eating producers or other consumers

6. Consumers In trophic levels above producers
Categorized by what they eat
Herbivore – eats only producers
Not just plant eaters

7. Carnivore
Eats other consumers

8. Eats both producers and other consumers
Omnivore
Eats both producers and other consumers

9. Consumers Primary Consumers – feeds directly on producers
In Terrestrial Ecosystem – grazing mammals like
deer
In Aquatic Ecosystem – can be zooplankton

10. Consumers Secondary Consumers – eat primary consumers
In Terrestrial Ecosystem – eat insects, carnivores
that eat rodents and
grazing mammals
In Aquatic Ecosystem – Small fish (eat
zooplankton)

11. Consumers
Tertiary Consumers – (3rd Level Consumer) eat secondary consumer

12. Decomposers
Break down waste and dead organisms Example: bacteria and fungi They recycle chemicals within an ecosystem

13. The Path of Energy
Energy is not recycled within an ecosystem, but flows through it and out.
Producers must continue to receive energy so they can transfer that energy; if not the ecosystem could not survive.

14. Food Chains
Trophic Level – A feeding level in an ecosystem Food Chain – the pathway of food transfer from one trophic level to another

15. Food Webs
Food Web – the pattern of feeding by interconnected and branching food chains. - a bunch of food chains put together

16. Energy Diagrams Energy Pyramids (AKA Food Pyramid)
energy loss from one level to the next.
only 10% of available energy is actually transferred.
90% is lost as HEAT.

17. The Carbon and Oxygen Cycle
CO₂ is also released to the atmosphere by:
decomposers
Burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas)
Forest Fires
Volcanic eruptions
Animal breathe out CO2
Plants absorb CO2

18. The Carbon and Oxygen Cycle

19. Mostly involves nonliving processes
The Water Cycle
Mostly involves nonliving processes
Evaporation of oceans
Transpiration – Evaporation from plant’s leaves
Condensation in clouds
Precipitation (rain)

20. Human Activities vs. Ecosystem
Deforestation – The clearing of forest for agriculture,
lumber, and other uses
eliminating plants that absorb CO₂
Greenhouse Effect – the process by
which atmospheric gases trap heat

21. Human Activities vs. Ecosystem
Acid Rain – the precipitation that contains nitric
and/or sulfuric acids.
Pollution – The addition of substances to the
environment that results in a negative
effect.

22. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
Resource – any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food ,or space. Renewable Resource – can be produced or replaced by a healthy ecosystem.

23. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
Nonrenewable Resource – natural processes cannot replenish them within a reusable amount of time.

24. Sustainable Resources
Sustainable Development – using resources in such an environmentally conscious way