1. EQ: How do Energy and Matter Move In an Ecosystem?

2. Sunlight is the main source of energy for life on Earth.
Producers/Autotrophs – use energy from the environment (often sunlight) to make their own food
- Ex: Plants and algae

3. Plants and algae make food in a process called Photosynthesis

4. Consumers/Heterotrophs Get energy from the food they eat.

5. Types of Heterotrophs Herbivores – eat plants Carnivores – eat animals
Omnivores – eat plants and animals
Decomposers – breaks down dead organic matter for energy

7. Tracking Energy Flow
Food Chains: series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.
willow elk wolf

9. Each step in a food chain is called a trophic level
1st level: Producers
2nd level: Primary Consumers
3rd level: Secondary Consumers
4th level: Tertiary Consumers

10. Arrows show the direction energy is being transferred.
leaf caterpillar robin
Rule of 10 – only 10% of the energy available in one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next level. Most energy is lost as heat.

12. Food webs – shows network of food chains in an ecosystem

13. Community Interactions
Competition – for food, water, shelter, mates
Predation
Symbiosis – two species live closely together

14. Types of Symbiosis Mutualism – both species benefit
Commensalism – 1 organism benefits; the other is unharmed
Parasitism – 1 benefits, 1 is harmed

15. Commensalisms
Mutualism
Parasitism

16. Habitat – where an organism lives
Niche – an organism’s specific role in its environment
Ex. Place in food web

17. Limiting Factors
Limiting factors are things in an environment that prevent a population from growing infinitely.
Examples include things such as: water, food, mates, space, air, etc.
All populations are kept in check by limiting factors.

18. Carrying Capacity
The largest population that an environment can support
Once carrying capacity is reached populations will begin to decrease as individuals move away or die off because of limiting factors.