Section 2: Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem Autotrophs capture energy, making it available for all members of a food web. K What I Know W What I Want to Find Out L What I Learned

Essential Questions What are the producers and consumers in an ecosystem? How does energy flow through an ecosystem? What are food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramid models? Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Vocabulary Review New energy autotroph heterotroph herbivore carnivore omnivore detritivore trophic level food chain food web biomass Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Energy in an Ecosystem Autotrophs An autotroph is an organism that collects energy from sunlight or inorganic substances to make food. Autotrophs are the foundation of all ecosystems because the make energy available for all other organisms. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Energy in an Ecosystem Heterotrophs A heterotroph, or consumer, is an organism that gets its energy by consuming other organisms. An herbivore eats only plants A carnivore eats animals An omnivore eats both plants and animals A detritivore eats fragments of dead matter Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Models of Energy Flow Food chains and food webs model the energy flow through an ecosystem. Each step in a food chain or food web is called a trophic level. Organisms at each level get their energy from the trophic level below them. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Models of Energy Flow Food chains A food chain is a simple model that shows how energy flows through an ecosystem. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Models of Energy Flow Food webs A food web is a model representing the many interconnected food chains and pathways in which energy flows through a group of organisms. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Add link to concepts in motion animation from page 43 here. Desert Community Food Web Animation FPO Add link to concepts in motion animation from page 43 here. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Models of Energy Flow Ecological pyramids An ecological pyramid is a diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms at each trophic level. Biomass is the total mass of living matter at each trophic level. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem

Review Essential Questions Vocabulary What are the producers and consumers in an ecosystem? How does energy flow through an ecosystem? What are food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramid models? Vocabulary autotroph heterotroph herbivore carnivore omnivore detritivore trophic level food chain food web biomass Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem