1 Energy Flow in an Ecosystem copyright cmassengale

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Energy Flow in an

Ecosystem

copyright cmassengale

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Energy FlowEnergy Flow

• EnergyEnergy in an ecosystem in an ecosystem originally originally comes from the suncomes from the sun

• Energy flows through Energy flows through Ecosystems from Ecosystems from producers to producers to consumersconsumers–ProducersProducers (make food) (make food)–ConsumersConsumers (use food by eating (use food by eating producers or other consumers)producers or other consumers)


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ProducersProducers

•SunlightSunlight is the is the main source of main source of energy for energy for mostmost life on earth.life on earth.

•ProducersProducers contain contain chlorophyllchlorophyll & can & can use energy use energy directly from the directly from the sunsun


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AutotrophsAutotrophs•An Autotroph is any organism An Autotroph is any organism

that that can produce its own foodcan produce its own food supply!supply!

•Autotrophs are also called Autotrophs are also called ProducersProducers

•Plants, algae, some protists, & Plants, algae, some protists, & some bacteria are examplessome bacteria are examples


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Niche of a ProducerNiche of a Producer

•Captures energyCaptures energy and and transforms it into transforms it into organic, organic, stored energystored energy for the use of for the use of living organisms.living organisms.

•May be May be photoautotrophsphotoautotrophs using using light energy (e.g. light energy (e.g. plantsplants))

•May be May be chemoautotrophschemoautotrophs using chemical energy (e.g. using chemical energy (e.g. cyanobactericyanobacteria)a)


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PhotoautotrophPhotoautotroph

Producer That Captures Energy Producer That Captures Energy from the sun by:from the sun by:–PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis•Adds Adds OxygenOxygen to the to the atmosphereatmosphere•Removes Removes Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide from the Atmospherefrom the Atmosphere

AlgaeAlgaecopyright cmassengale

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•On LandOn Land–PlantsPlants

• In The SeaIn The Sea–AlgaeAlgae

• Tidal Flats & Salt MarshesTidal Flats & Salt Marshes–CyanobacteriaCyanobacteria

Habitat of Habitat of PhotoautotrophsPhotoautotrophs


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ChemoautotrophsChemoautotrophs

•Capture energy Capture energy from the bonds of from the bonds of inorganic molecules inorganic molecules such as such as Hydrogen Hydrogen SulfideSulfide

•Process is called Process is called ChemosynthesisChemosynthesis

•Often occurs in Often occurs in deep sea vents or deep sea vents or gut of animalsgut of animals

Called a Black Called a Black smoker (thermal smoker (thermal

vent)vent)copyright cmassengale

http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/expeditions/blacksmokers/black_smokers.html

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Tube Worms living in Black Tube Worms living in Black SmokerSmoker


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ConsumersConsumers

Heterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain organisms to obtain

energy. (e.g. energy. (e.g. animalsanimals))•HerbivoresHerbivores–Eat Only PlantsEat Only Plants

•CarnivoresCarnivores–Eat Only Other Eat Only Other AnimalsAnimals


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ConsumersConsumers

Heterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain energy.organisms to obtain energy.

• OmnivoresOmnivores (Humans) (Humans)– Eat Plants & AnimalsEat Plants & Animals

• Detritivores (Scavengers)Detritivores (Scavengers)– Feed On Dead Plant & Animal Feed On Dead Plant & Animal

Remains (buzzards)Remains (buzzards)• DecomposersDecomposers– Fungi & BacteriaFungi & Bacteria


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Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

Energy flows Energy flows through an through an ecosystem in ecosystem in oneone direction direction

from from producers toproducers to various levels various levels of of consumersconsumers


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Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

• Food ChainFood Chain–Simple Energy path through Simple Energy path through an ecosysteman ecosystem

• Food WebFood Web–More realistic path through More realistic path through an ecosystem made of many an ecosystem made of many food chainsfood chains


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Food ChainFood Chain

ProducerProducer ((trapped sunlight & trapped sunlight & stored food)stored food)

11stst order order ConsumeConsumerr

22ndnd Order Order ConsumConsumerer

33rdrd Order Order consumconsumerer

44thth Order Order ConsumConsumerer


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Name the Producer, Name the Producer, Consumers & Decomposers Consumers & Decomposers

in this food chain:in this food chain:


16copyright cmassengale

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Food WebFood Web



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Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

Each Level In A Food Chain or Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Food Web is a Trophic LevelTrophic Level..

•ProducersProducers–Always The First Trophic LevelAlways The First Trophic Level–How Energy Enters The How Energy Enters The SystemSystem

•HerbivoresHerbivores–Second Trophic LevelSecond Trophic Level


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Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

•Carnivores/OmnivoresCarnivores/Omnivores–Make Up The Remaining Make Up The Remaining Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

Each level depends on Each level depends on the one below it for the one below it for

energy.energy.copyright cmassengale

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Ecological PyramidsEcological Pyramids

Graphic Representations Of Graphic Representations Of The Relative Amounts of The Relative Amounts of Energy or Matter At Each Energy or Matter At Each

Trophic LevelTrophic Level

May be:May be:

Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid

Biomass PyramidBiomass Pyramid

Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numberscopyright cmassengale

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Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid


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Biomass PyramidBiomass Pyramid


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Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers



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1 Energy Flow in an Ecosystem copyright cmassengale