How Organisms Get Their Energy C42 – C59

How Organisms Get Energy The sun is the most important source of energy for life on Earth. Plants and algae capture the energy from the sun and use them to make their own food. The sun’s energy is stored in the food these organisms make. The sun always comes first in every food chain.

Producer An organism that makes its own food is called a producer. When an animal eats a producer, it takes the producer’s energy.

Consumer A consumer is an organism that eats other organisms. If an animal is eaten by another animal, the energy is passed along.

Decomposer A decomposer is a type of consumer that gets its food by breaking down animal wastes and the remains of dead plants and animals. A type of recycling. They include fungi and bacteria. The decomposer always comes last in every food chain.

Predators, Prey & Scavengers Animals that feed on other living animals are called predators. The animals that predators eat are called prey. Animals that eat the remains of animals that are already dead are called scavengers.

Food Chains and Food Webs Food Chains show how energy is passed through several organisms. All food chains begins with the sun and a producer. Food Webs show overlapping and much more complicated relationships.

3 Types of Symbiosis Symbiosis means ‘living together’. It is a relationship between two organisms of different species. One of the organisms will benefit from the relationship.

Parasitism When one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed. The parasite benefits. The host is harmed. Parasites don’t usually kill their host. Examples: ticks, fleas, red spider mites (outside body) and tapeworms (inside body)

Mutualism When the relationship benefits both organisms involved, none are harmed. Examples: flowers and bees; bacteria living in stomachs for digestion Cleaning relationships: plover (bird) picks insects off giraffes, buffaloes and crocodile teeth

Commensalism When one organism get what it needs to live and the other is not harmed. Example: Egret’s hunt insects near grazing animals mouths. They get more insects than if they had to hunt alone. clownfish/sea anemone – for protection shark/remora fish – for transportation