1. Energy Transfer in an Ecosystem

2. Why do organisms need energy?
To carry out essential functions
Growth
Movement
Maintenance
Repair
Reproduction
Sun
Autotrophs
Organisms that eat autotrophs
Organisms that eat other organisms
The amount of energy an ecosystem receives and the amount that is transferred from organism to organism affect the ecosystem’s structure!!!!!

3. Producers
Organisms that manufacture their own foods by capturing energy and using it to make organic molecules
Plants (Terrestrial)
Some protists (Aquatic)
Some bacteria (Aquatic)

4. Producers Photosynthetic Chemosynthetic
Use solar energy to power the production of food
Chemosynthetic
Use energy stored in inorganic molecules to produce carbohydrates
Deep Ocean Creatures

5. Consumers Heterotrophs that cannot manufacture their own food
Get energy by eating other organisms or organic wastes
All animals, most protists, all fungi, many bacteria

6. Types of Consumers What are 4 types of consumers? Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores
Detritivores

7. Herbivores vs. Detrivores
Eat producers
Example: Giant panda
Feed on the “garbage” of an ecosystem
Example: Earthworm
Waste, such as dead organisms, fallen leaves, and wastes = detritus
Decomposers are those bacteria and fungi that cause decay by breaking down complex molecules

8. Carnivore vs. Omnivore Carnivore Omnivore Eat other consumers
Ex] Lions
Eat both consumers and producers
Ex] Pigs

9. Create your own graphic
Label the types of organisms according to energy flow
Producers: make energy-storing molecules
Herbivores: consume producers
Carnivores: consume herbivores
Omnivores: consume producers & herbivores
Detritivores: consume producers, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores

10. Energy Flow When an organism eats another, energy is transferred
Therefore energy flows from producers to consumers
Group organisms based on energy flow in an ecosystem

11. Food Chains and Food Webs
A single pathway of feeding relationships in an ecosystem
Interrelated pathway of food chains in an ecosystem

12. Energy Transfer
On average, only 10% of the total energy consumed in one level is incorporated into the next level.
Why so low?
Some escape being eaten
Some die and decompose
Some used for cellular respiration
Some can’t be broken down
Some lost as heat from metabolism

13. Limitations of Trophic Levels
Low rate of energy transfer explains why there are only a few trophic levels in an ecosystem
High trophic levels contain less energy, so they can only support a few individuals

14. What is the organic material in an ecosystem called?
Biomass

15. What is an organism called that eats both producers and consumers?
Omnivore

16. How much of the total energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?
Approximately 10%