1. ECOSYSTEMS
FOOD CHAINS AND WEBS

2. ENERGY FLOW IN ECOSYSTEMS
The greatest amount of energy is in the bottom level- or the producers
Producers are photosynthetic

3. Biomass Total mass of organisms in a given area
Producers make up the most biomass of any trophic level
Ex. Plants, phytoplankton, seaweed

4. PRODUCERS Photosynthetic Contain most of the energy in a food web
Autotrophic-make their own food

5. PRIMARY CONSUMERS Eat producers Herbivores-eat plants only
Heterotrophic-get energy from food source
Often prey animals-hunted by predators

6. SECONDARY CONSUMER Often eats primary consumer and producer
Omnivore- eats meat (insects are meat) and plants
Heterotrophic
Could also be a small
carnivore

7. TERTIARY CONSUMER Can be top of the food chain
Carnivore- eats meat only
Predator- hunts prey
Has no natural predators

8. SCAVENGERS Eat animals that are already dead.
Do not usually hunt prey.

9. DECOMPOSERS Eat dead and decaying plant and animal matter and waste.
Examples: Bacteria and Fungi

10. DETRITIVORE Eats only dead matter, particularly dead plant matter
Ex.: Earthworms

11. PREDATOR Organism that actively hunts prey.
In the animal Kingdom, predators often have eyes on the front of their heads for better visual acuity.

12. PREY Organisms that are hunted by predators.
In the animal kingdom, prey animals often have eyes on the sides of their heads for better peripheral vision.

13. SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Long-standing relationships between organisms in an ecosystem

14. MUTUALISM
Relationship where both organisms benefit

15. COMMENSALISM
Relationship where one organism benefits, and the other is unaffected.

16. PARASITISM
Relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
Examples: mosquitoes, ticks, tapeworms

17. FOOD CHAIN
Interconnection of organisms where the transfer of energy is shown by arrows

18. FOOD WEBS Interconnected organisms in an ecosystem.
The arrow is always pointing to the thing doing the eating!

20. Energy Transfer and Energy Loss
Only 10% of available energy is transferred to the next trophic level
90% lost as heat
Most biomass is in producer level
Any ecosystem can only support a small number of predators

21. VOCABULARY Producer Mutualism Primary consumer Commensalism
Secondary consumer Parasitism
Tertiary consumer Predator
Herbivore Prey
Carnivore Scavenger
Omnivore Decomposer
Autotroph Biomass
Heterotroph Food chain
Symbiosis Food web
Trophic level Detritivore