How do organisms get their energy?How do organisms get their energy?

All living things need All living things need energyenergy to grow, change, to grow, change, hunt, reproduce, produce wastes, and maintain their hunt, reproduce, produce wastes, and maintain their life spanlife span

Not all living things get their energy from the same Not all living things get their energy from the same biotic (living)biotic (living) or or abiotic (non-living) factorsabiotic (non-living) factors ProducersProducers – make their own food using sunlight, – make their own food using sunlight, water, and minerals from soilwater, and minerals from soil ConsumersConsumers – take in their food from an outside – take in their food from an outside source (other plants and/or animals)source (other plants and/or animals) Decomposers Decomposers – get their energy from dead or – get their energy from dead or decaying matterdecaying matter

What is a producer?What is a producer? ProducerProducer - an organism that uses an outside energy - an organism that uses an outside energy

source to make its own foodsource to make its own food Examples: Moss, grass, flowers, shrubs, trees, algae, Examples: Moss, grass, flowers, shrubs, trees, algae,

seaweed (Microscopic: volvox, euglena, spirogyra)seaweed (Microscopic: volvox, euglena, spirogyra) Most producers use the Most producers use the sunsun, and contain , and contain

chlorophyll, a chemical needed for chlorophyll, a chemical needed for photosynthesisphotosynthesis (gives organism its green color)(gives organism its green color)

Producers like plants are important because they Producers like plants are important because they give us oxygen, food, convert the sun’s energy into give us oxygen, food, convert the sun’s energy into something usable. something usable.

Examples of ProducersExamples of ProducersFlowers

Moss

Grass

TreesCacti

Algae

Microscopic ProducersMicroscopic ProducersSpirogyra Euglena

Volvox Phytoplankton

What is a consumer?What is a consumer? ConsumerConsumer – an organism that cannot make its – an organism that cannot make its

own foodown food Examples: birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, Examples: birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals,

bugs, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, spongesbugs, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, sponges

They obtain energy by eating other organismsThey obtain energy by eating other organisms

The 3 types of ConsumersThe 3 types of Consumers Herbivores Herbivores – eat only plant matter– eat only plant matter

Examples: deer, rabbits, mice, Examples: deer, rabbits, mice, cows, horses, gazellescows, horses, gazelles

Carnivores Carnivores – eat only meat (other – eat only meat (other animals)animals) Examples: frogs, jaguars, lions, Examples: frogs, jaguars, lions,

panthers, scavengers (eat only panthers, scavengers (eat only the remains of other animalsthe remains of other animals

An An insectivoreinsectivore is a carnivore that is a carnivore that eats only insectseats only insects (ex: ant-eater) (ex: ant-eater)

OmnivoresOmnivores – eat both plants and – eat both plants and animalsanimals Examples: bears, humans, pigsExamples: bears, humans, pigs

Predator and PreyPredator and Prey PredatorPredator – a consumer that – a consumer that

captures and eats other captures and eats other consumersconsumers

PreyPrey – the consumer that is – the consumer that is eateneaten

Both Both predator and prey predator and prey must be consumersmust be consumers Fish eating algae is not a Fish eating algae is not a

predator-prey relationship predator-prey relationship because algae is a producerbecause algae is a producer

Example: Example: The bear is the predatorThe bear is the predatorThe fish is the preyThe fish is the prey

What is a decomposer?What is a decomposer? DecomposerDecomposer – an organism that gets its food by – an organism that gets its food by

breaking down dead or decaying matterbreaking down dead or decaying matter Examples: bacteria, fungi, worms, fliesExamples: bacteria, fungi, worms, flies

Decomposers Decomposers recycle once-living matterrecycle once-living matter by by breaking it down into simpler substancesbreaking it down into simpler substances

The substances can then serve as food for The substances can then serve as food for decomposers, be absorbed by plant roots, or be decomposers, be absorbed by plant roots, or be consumed by other organismsconsumed by other organisms

Without decomposers, Earth would be filled with Without decomposers, Earth would be filled with dead organisms. dead organisms.

New organisms would not be able to grow because New organisms would not be able to grow because nutrientsnutrients would not have been would not have been recycledrecycled..

DecomposersDecomposers

Mushrooms

Worms

Flies

Bacteria (are microscopic)

Bread Mold

A A scavengerscavenger is a consumer that eats the is a consumer that eats the remains of animals that were once livingremains of animals that were once living

Scavenger: a turkey vulture may eat some of the coyote’s leftovers. A scavenger can pick bones completely clean.

Decomposer: any prairie dog remains not eaten by the coyote or the turkey vulture are broken down by bacteria and fungi that live in the soil.

Who’s Who?Who’s Who?

Producer

Consumer/Herbivore

Consumer/Carnivore

Consumer/Carnivore

Decomposer

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