1. Spring 2012 ENERGY FLOW THROUGH ECOSYSTEMS

2.  All organisms MUST obtain and use energy… ENERGY FLOW THROUGH ECOSYSTEMS

3. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  Each organism in an ecosystem has a role or niche.  Producer’s Role – make their own food through photosynthesis, convert the Sun’s energy to make glucose, provide food for 1 st and 3 rd level consumers.  Examples: Any plant… Grasses, shrubs, trees, algae… etc.

4. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  1 st Level Consumer (Herbivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, ONLY CONSUME PLANTS, provide food for 2 nd and 3 rd level consumers.  Examples: Deer, rabbits, rodents (mice, rats, squirrels), insects, herbivorous birds, etc.

5. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  2 nd Level Consumer (Carnivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, ONLY CONSUME OTHER CONSUMERS, provide food for 3 rd level consumers.  Examples: snakes, foxes, predatory birds, jellyfish etc.

6. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  3 rd Level Consumer (Omnivores and Large Carnivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES OTHER CONSUMERS and/or PRODUCERS, provide food for scavengers.  Examples: Humans, lions, bears, sharks, whales.

7. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  Scavenger’s Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES DEAD ANIMAL REMAINS, provide food for other scavengers.  Examples: Hyenas, buzzards, flies, snails.

8. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  Decomposer’s Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, BREAK DOWN DEAD PLANT AND ANIMAL REMAINS, provide food other organisms.  Examples: fungi, bacteria, earthworms,.

9. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS  Bacteria: are decomposers that break down animal remains.  Fungus: are decomposers that break down plant remains.  Role for BOTH: returns materials to the soil, clean up the environment

10. ENERGY FLOW  Food Chains: shows ONE possible path for the flow of energy for a particular organism in an ecosystem.  Rules: A.Must start with producers to 1 st level consumer to 2 nd, and so on. B.Must use arrows to show the direction of energy flow. Organism that is eaten Organism that is eating

11. FOOD CHAIN EXAMPLES

12.  Food Web: Many overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.  Shows relationships & dependencies to others.  Rules: A.Must start with producers to 1 st level consumer to 2 nd, and so on. B.Must use arrows to show the direction of energy flow (arrows may overlap). ENERGY FLOW

13. FOOD WEB EXAMPLE

16.  Energy Pyramids: Shows the flow of energy in a food chain with LESS energy as each level goes up.  Rules: A.Producers go on the bottom, 3 rd level consumer on top. B.Must have more producers than 1 st level consumers, more 1 st than 2 nd, more 2 nd than 3 rd, etc. ENERGY FLOW

17. ENERGY PYRAMID

20.  Autotrophs: Organisms that can make their own food. (Producers)  Heterotrophs: Organisms that cannot make their own food, they must consume. (Consumers, Scavengers, Decomposers) TWO TYPES OF ORGANISMS