1. Ecology Continued Introducing … Energy Flow!

2. Let’s take a step back. What is Ecology?
Any guesses?
Definition: The study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

3. Levels of Organization
Organism
_____________ = one individual that is made of at least one cell, requires energy, grows and develops, reproduces, and responds to it’s environment
_____________ = a group of organisms that are similar enough that they can breed.
_____________ = groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.
_____________ = assemblages of the different populations that live together in a defined area.
_____________ = a collection of all the organisms that live together in a particular place as well as their nonliving or physical environment.
_____________ = a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.
Species
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome

4. Another way to organize organisms is in an Ecological Pyramid
Definition: diagram that shows the amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food web or food chain.
Energy Pyramid: only 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level.
How is energy transferred?

5. Energy lost at each step
Energy Pyramid
Energy lost at each step
Energy Flow

6. Ecological Pyramids Continued
Biomass Pyramid: shows the total amount of living tissue (biotic matter) available at each trophic level.
REMEMBER: Each trophic level harvests only about one tenth of the energy from the level below, it can also only support about one tenth the amount of living tissue.

7. Biomass Pyramid

8. Ecological Pyramids Continued
Numbers pyramid: shows the number of species at each trophic level.

9. Energy Flow Sunlight Plants
Energy flow through an ecosystem in one direction, from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to various heterotrophs (consumers).
___________ is the main source of energy for life on Earth
This energy is harnessed by ___________, which are examples of autotrophs
Sunlight
Plants
Autotrophs (Producers)
Grass, Sunflowers, Wildflowers, Sage
Prairie Ecosystem
All energy comes from the sun

10. Energy Flow Step 1 = Autotrophs
What does autotroph mean?
Make food for self
Also known as producers
Plants are the most familiar autotrophs
Lesser known autotrophs use chemical energy to make carbohydrates
Ex. bacteria

11. Energy Flow Step 2 = Heterotrophs
Also known as consumers
What does heterotroph mean?
Rely on other organisms for their energy and food
Heterotrophs (Consumers)
Prairie Ecosystem
All energy comes from the sun
Autotrophs (Producers)
Grass, Sunflowers, Wildflowers, Sage

12. Different Categories of Heterotrophs
Herbivores
_________ obtain energy by eating plants
_________ eat animals for energy
_________ get energy from both plants and animals
_________ feed on the remains of plants, animals and other dead matter for energy
Carnivores
Omnivores
Detritovores

13. Another Way to Categorize Heterotrophs
Primary Consumers = eat autotrophs
Secondary Consumers = eat primary consumers
Tertiary Consumers = secondary consumers
Scavengers = eat dead things
Decomposers = break down dead organic matter and release minerals back to soil
Let’s add these to our Energy Pyramid…

14. Bacteria, Fungus, Insects
Decomposers
Bacteria, Fungus, Insects
Scavengers
Eagle, Coyote
Secondary Consumers
Hawk, Badger, Eagle, Rattlesnake
Primary Consumers
Prairie Dog, Bison, Mice
Autotrophs (Producers)
Grass, Sunflowers, Wildflowers, Sage
Prairie Ecosystem
All energy comes from the sun

15. Trophic Relationships
What does tropic mean?
Eating/feeding
Food Chains are a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating or being eaten.
Food webs show the complex interactions within an ecosystem.
Each step in a food chain or web is called a trophic level. Producers make up the first step, consumers make up the higher levels.

16. Food Chains vs. Food Webs

17. Cycles of Matter
Unlike the one-way flow of energy, matter is recycled within and between ecosystems.
These cycles are the Water cycle, Nutrient Cycle, Carbon Cycle, Nitrogen cycle and Phosphorus cycle.
These are ___________ resources (cannot be created or destroyed)
NON-RENEWABLE

19. Biomagnification – What is it?