Energy and Nutrients in the EcosystemEnergy and Nutrients in the Ecosystem

Energy……..Energy……..

The ability to do workThe ability to do work

Builds cells and tissuesBuilds cells and tissues

GrowthGrowth

ReproductionReproduction

Responding to environmentResponding to environment

Energy is passed from organism to organism by feeding relationships in the ecosystem!!!

Trophic Levels Trophic Levels (feeding levels)

Each step in the transfer of Each step in the transfer of energy in a communityenergy in a community

ProducersProducers

ConsumersConsumers

DecomposersDecomposers

Producers/Autotrophs: can make their own foodProducers/Autotrophs: can make their own food

Use photosynthesis to convert sunlight in to Use photosynthesis to convert sunlight in to chemical energychemical energy

Produce carbohydrates for immediate use or Produce carbohydrates for immediate use or storage for laterstorage for later

Examples include plants, algae, and some bacteriaExamples include plants, algae, and some bacteria

•Consumers/Heterotrophs: Consumers/Heterotrophs: (obtain food by eating other (obtain food by eating other organisms)organisms)

•Ex: Animals, fungi, protists, and most bacteriaEx: Animals, fungi, protists, and most bacteria

•Types of Consumers:Types of Consumers:

Primary ConsumersPrimary Consumers

Secondary ConsumersSecondary Consumers

Tertiary ConsumersTertiary Consumers

Energy flows through an ecosystem. From the Energy flows through an ecosystem. From the sun to producers to consumers to decomposers, sun to producers to consumers to decomposers, energy powers the interactions of ecosystems.energy powers the interactions of ecosystems.

•Shows the flow of energy from one organism to another through each trophic level

•Energy flow is represented by an arrow

•Arrow goes in direction of energy

•A food web is a A food web is a representation of all of representation of all of the the interconnected food interconnected food chainschains in an ecosystem in an ecosystem

•Food webs show Food webs show multiple feeding multiple feeding relationshipsrelationships

Ecologists use ecological pyramids to represent Ecologists use ecological pyramids to represent the relationships among trophic levelsthe relationships among trophic levels

There are 3 types of ecological pyramids:There are 3 types of ecological pyramids:

Pyramid of EnergyPyramid of Energy

Pyramid of BiomassPyramid of Biomass

Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers

Shows total amount of incoming energy at each trophic level

The 10% rule predicts that only 10% of the energy in one trophic level is available to the next level

Shows total mass of living tissue at each levelShows total mass of living tissue at each level

Shows the total number of organisms at each Shows the total number of organisms at each trophic leveltrophic level

Species organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Population A group of the same species living in an area

Community different populations interacting in an area

Ecosystem Community interacting with its environment