Energy Flow All energy on the Earth originates from the SUN! This energy is taken in by plants, known by scientists as primary producers. Other organisms then eat the plants to gain energy. We call these organisms primary consumers. When a consumer eats another consumer, it's known as a secondary consumer.

Energy Flow

Food Chains Herbivores: an organism that gets its energy and nutrients by eating mostly or only plant tissue. Carnivores: an organism that gets its energy and nutrients by eating mostly or only animal tissue. Omnivores: an organism that gets its energy and nutrients by eating both animal and plant tissue. Detritovores: an organism that gets its energy and nutrients by eating mostly dead animal and plant tissue.

Energy Pyramids Energy pyramids are picture representations of the trophic levels by which energy from the sun is transferred in an ecosystem. Trophic levels are levels in an ecosystem, consisting of organisms sharing the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy. As you go up each level, you lose 10% of energy from the previous level.

Energy Pyramid

Food Webs A food web is a picture representation of the complicated, interconnected system of food chains in an ecosystem. REMEMBER: When thinking of what animal eats another, the arrow always points away from what is being eaten!

Food Webs