1. Dynamic Ecosystems
Part 2: Energy Flow

2. Food Chains energy Food chains show “who eats who” in an ecosystem.
They show the transfer of __________ from one organism to another.
energy

3. Food Chains grass mouse mouse owl
The arrow () means “is eaten by” and shows the direction that energy flows.
The ________ is eaten by the _________. The ___________ is eaten by the _______. The _______ is eaten by the _____.
grass
grasshopper
grasshopper
mouse
mouse
owl

4. Food Chains up trophic level
Each step in a food chain is known as a ______________.
Energy moves ______ the trophic levels.
trophic level up

5. Feed directly on plants
Trophic Level
Definition
Examples
Producers
Plants are producers. They produce energy for the ecosystem through photosynthesis
Primary consumers
(herbivores)
Feed directly on plants
Secondary consumers
Feed on primary consumers
Tertiary consumers
Feed on secondary consumers

6. Herbivores
eat only plants

7. Carnivores
eat mainly meat
Omnivores
eat both plants and meat

8. Decomposers
Eat decaying matter (like dead plants and animals). They help put nutrients back into the soil for plants to use.

9. ex. vultures, hyenas, seagulls, ravens
Scavengers
carnivores that feed on dead animals
ex. vultures, hyenas, seagulls, ravens

10. Top carnivore
________________–term given to a consumer that is not eaten by anything in the food chain. Often considered the “top of the food chain”.

11. What is the food chain here?
What is the food chain here?
Producer?
Primary Consumer?
Secondary Consumer?

12. Food Webs
__________ show all possible paths for _______ to flow in an _______________. They are made up of lots of food _________.
food webs
energy
ecosystem
food webs

13. Food Webs The  still shows the direction of energy flow. An organism
can occupy more
than one trophic
level

14. Which one is more stable?

21. Place these food chains into a food web…
CarrotRabbitFox
GrassRabbitFox
GrassGrasshopperOwl
GrassGrasshopperBirdFox
GrainsMiceOwl
GrainsBirdsFox
GrainsGrasshopperBirdOwl

22. Draw the food web… GrassDeerHuman GrassCowHuman
GrassGrasshopperCoyote
GrassGrasshopperSnake Hawk
GrassGrasshopperHawk
GrassMouseHawk
GrassMouseSnakeHawk
GrassMouseCoyote