1. ECOSYSTEMS: Energy Flow Food Chains

2. Autotrophs Means “self-feeder”
Organisms that derive energy from sunlight or chemical reactions
Two different processes to gain energy:
Photosynthesis
Chemosynthesis
Phytoplankton bloom
off Irish Coast

3. Photosynthesis
Chemical reaction that transforms light energy into chemical energy.
Creates carbohydrates: sugars and starches.
Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen

4. Chemosynthesis Bacteria in hydro- thermal vent communities.
Chemical reaction that transforms one type of chemical energy into a usable chemical energy.
Many derive energy from sulfur-containing molecules.
Bacteria in hydro- thermal vent communities.
Unique because they
do not derive energy
from the sun.

5. Primary Production
Autotrophic organisms are the base of all energy in ecosystems.
Called primary production:
Amount of chemical energy converted from solar energy through the process of photosynthesis
Measured by determining biomass
Biological mass = total dry weight of plant matter

7. Heterotrophs Means “other feeder”
Organisms derive their energy from the consumption of other organisms
Heterotroph Diversity
Images from Google Image Search

8. Primary Consumers Heterotrophic organisms consume producers
Consume plants or algae
Known as herbivores or plant eaters
Come in all shapes and sizes
Images from Google Image Search

9. Secondary Consumers Carnivores- meat eaters
Omnivores— eat both producers and consumers
(Humans, bears and dogs)
Detritivores (decomposers)
Eat dead organisms
Very important to ecosystem ) 
Images from Google Image Search

11. The Energy Pyramid Movement of energy through an ecosystem
Illustrated by the energy pyramid
Visual way energy moves through food chain
Each step called a trophic (feeding) level

12. Biomass Pyramid Trophic Level 4th Carnivore 3rd Carnivore 2nd
Herbivores
1st
Producers

13. The Energy Pyramid First trophic level
Base of pyramid formed by producers
Second trophic level
Primary consumers who eat producers
Third trophic level
Secondary consumers who eat primary consumers
Fourth trophic level
Tertiary consumers who eat secondary consumers
Images from Google Image Search

14. Energy Loss
Only about 10% of the energy available in an ecosystem is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
The rest of the energy is lost through heat and waste products (including nails, hair, horns, hooves, etc.)