1. Energy flow in an ecosystem
Chapter 3.

2. Food Web in the Antarctic
Humans
Blue whale
Sperm whale
Killer whale
Elephant
seal
Crabeater seal
Leopard
seal
Adélie
penguins
Emperor
penguin
Petrel
Fish
Squid
Carnivorous plankton
Herbivorous
zooplankton
Krill
Phytoplankton
Fig. 3-17, p. 48

3. Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
Biomass
Ecological efficiency
Pyramid of energy flow

4. Pyramid of Energy Flow Fig. 3-18, p. 49 Heat Heat Decomposers Tertiary
consumers
(human)
Heat 10
100
1,000
10,000
Usable energy
available at
each tropic level
(in kilocalories)
Secondary
consumers
(perch)
Heat
Primary
consumers
(zooplankton)
Heat
Producers
(phytoplankton)
Fig. 3-18, p. 49

5. Biomass Productivity Gross primary productivity (GPP)
Net primary productivity (NPP)
NPP and populations

6. Differences between GPP and NPP
Sun
Photosynthesis
Energy lost and
unavailable to
consumers
Respiration
Gross primary
production
Net primary
production
(energy
available to
consumers)
Growth and reproduction
Fig. 3-19, p. 49

7. Net Primary Productivity in Major Life Zones and Ecosystems
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Swamps and marshes
Tropical rain forest
Temperate forest
Northern coniferous forest
(taiga)
Savanna
Agricultural land
Woodland and shrubland
Temperate grassland
Tundra (arctic and alpine)
Desert scrub
Extreme desert
Aquatic Ecosystems
Estuaries
Lakes and streams
Continental shelf
Open ocean
800 1,600 2,400 3,200 4,000 4,800 5,600 6,400 7,200 8,000 8,800 9,600
Average net primary productivity (kcal/m2/yr)
Fig. 3-20, p. 50