Energy Flow in the Ecosystem

Energy Roles 1. Producers: Can make their own food Source of all energy in an ecosystem Example – PLANTS Photosynthesis: process used by plants, using carbon dioxide and sunlight, to make their own food

2. Consumers: Cannot make their own food Obtain energy by feeding on other organisms Herbivore: eats only plants Carnivore: eats only meat Omnivore: eats both plants and animals

3. Decomposers Break down waste and return raw material to an ecosystem. Example: bacteria and fungi

Energy chains and Food Webs Food Chain: series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy F.C. shows only one possible path 1st level is always a producer 1st level consumer eats producers 2nd level consumer eats 1st level consumer 3rd level consumer eats 2nd level consumer

Food Web Food Web: combination of multiple food chains overlapping Organisms can be both a 1st level consumer as well as a 2nd level consumer.

Energy Pyramids Energy pyramid: shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another. The greatest amount of energy is available at the producer level. Only 10% of the energy can move up.

http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm