1. Rangeland Ecology

2. Hierarchy of Ecological Levels Figure from: www.goldiesroom.org www.goldiesroom.org On-line biology class

3. Basic Energy Flow Producers Plants Decomposers Fungi & Bacteria Consumers Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores Inorganic Nutrients H 2 O, O 2 CO 2, N, Minerals

4. Trophic Levels Autotrophs Producers Heterotrophs Decomposers Heterotrophs Consumers This pattern of energy flow among different organisms is the TROPHIC STRUCTURE of an ecosystem.

5. Fate of Solar Energy  Fuels Photosynthesis  Warms Earth  Powers Water Cycle

6. Producers Convert Solar Energy into Chemical Energy through Photosynthesis Producers = Autotrophs = Plants & Algae 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + sunlight & chlorophyll  C6H 12 O 6 + 6O 2

7. Producers  Convert Solar Energy into Chemical Energy through Photosynthesis  Energy is stored in glucose bonds Glucose is converted and stored as simple sugars and starch in plants

8. Consumers  Eat other living plants, animals or microbes  Get energy from preformed organic molecules  heterotrophs Herbivore - plant eaters Carnivore - meat eaters Omnivore - mixed plant/animal diet

9. Consumers  Primary Consumers Eat Plants Herbivores  Secondary Consumers Eat Primary Consumers Carnivores  Tertiary Consumers Eat Secondary Consumer Carnivores

10. Detrivores  Organisms that eat detritus  Detritus  Dead plants, animals, & microbes & fecal wastes of animals  Get energy from preformed organic molecules  Decomposers  Live on detritus in such a way that it decays Subgroup of detrivores

11. Food chains & webs  Food chain  pathways of feeding relationships Producer-consumer relationships Parasite-host relationships  Food web  Complex pattern of interconnected food chains

12. A food chain Nutrients

13. A food web Nutrients

14. Trophic levels Nutrients 1 st Trophic Level Producers 2 nd Trophic Level Primary Consumers 3 rd Trophic Level Secondary Consumers 4th Trophic Level Tertiary Consumers