Energy Transformation
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in an Ecosystem
description
Energy Transformation . in an Ecosystem. Ecology. The study of the interactions between living and non-living things. All living things rely on other things to survive. Review-Levels of Organization. Organism =individual living thing - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Energy Transformation
Ecology• The study of the
interactions between living and non-living things.
• All living things rely on other things to survive.
Organism=individual living thing
Population=group of the same species that lives in one area
Community=group of different species that live together in one area
Ecosystem=all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil, water, rocks, and other nonliving things in a given area. Ecosystems can
vary in size.
Biome=major regional or global community of organisms
Review-Levels of Organization
Energy in Ecosystems• All organisms must have a source of energy to
survive.– Must have food!
• Energy is transferred between organisms in food webs from producers to consumers.
• The energy is used by organisms to carry out complex tasks.
Where does the energy come from?
• Producers (autotrophs): make their own food• Consumers (heterotrophs): obtain energy by
eating other living or dead organisms– Herbivores– Carnivores– Omnivores– Detritivores– Decomposers
Producers (Autotrophs)• Make their own food• Converts the energy absorbed from the
sun into chemical energy through photosynthesis
• Organisms that eat only plants• Primary
consumers-eat producers
Herbivores
Carnivores• Organisms that
eat only animals• Secondary
consumers-eat primary consumers
Omnivores• Organisms that
eat both plants and animals• Tertiary
consumer-eat secondary consumer
Detritivores Organisms that
eat detritus, or dead organic
matter
Decomposers Detritivores
that break down organic matter
into simpler compounds
Showing Transformation of Energy• Food Chains• Food Webs • Energy Pyramids
Trophic Levels
• Levels of nourishment in a food chain or energy pyramid.
• Energy flows up the food chain/energy pyramid from the lowest trophic level to the highest.
• 10% of total energy is transferred to the next level
Food Chain• Diagram that follows just one path as animals find food• Arrows are used to show the direction of energy movement
Food Webs• Diagram used to show how plants and
animals are connected in many ways to help them all survive– Shows what-eats-what
• Arrows are used to show the direction of energy movement
Energy Pyramids• Diagram that illustrates how available
energy is distributed among trophic levels in an ecosystem.
• As you move up an energy pyramid:– Amount of energy being transferred decreases– Population size also decreases
Energy Pyramid
Rabbit(Herbivore)
1st Trophic Level
2nd Trophic Level
3rd Trophic Level
Energy is transferred up…from the grass, to the rabbit, and then to the hawk.
