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Goal #1: Feeding Relationships

I. Energy Flow)

All living things rely on plants for energy…

Q: Where do all the plants get their Energy?

The sun is the major input of energy for all life on Earth!

Without energy, living things can’t function!

The Sun!

“Self Feeders”AKA producers

Get energy from:Chemicals Sunlight

Known as:

Chemosyntheis PhotosynthesisEx: Hydrothermal Vent Ex: Green Plant

Autotrophs

“Other Feeders”AKA consumers

Definition: Organisms that must consume others to get energy.

5 types:

Heterotrophs

1. Herbivores – Eat Plants Only

2. Carnivores – Eat Animals Only

3. Omnivores – Eat Plants & Animals

4. Detritivores/ ScavengersEat dead/decaying matter & the decomposers eating it

5. DecomposersBreak down organic compounds

II. Food Chain

• A diagram that shows the one-way direction that energy flows through an ecosystem.

• Arrows are used to show which way energy is being transferred.

Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction:

Raccoon

Frog

Grasshopper

Leaf

Copy this food chain!

Rules for making a food chain:1. Must always start with a producer.

2. Arrows must point to the one that is receiving the energy.

Raccoon

Frog

Grasshopper

Leaf

Now draw the arrows in the

correct direction!

Do not write this.Raccoon

Frog

Grasshopper

Leaf

Why would you not write the food chain this way?

Rules for labeling a food chain:

1. Levels of a food chain are called Trophic Levels2. The first trophic level is always a Producer

3. The remaining trophic levels are Consumers» 1st order consumer » 2nd order consumer» 3rd order consumer

Raccoon

Frog

Grasshopper

LeafLet’s Label:

1. the producer2. The consumers

4. After labeling the order, you should also label the type of consumers.

(herbivore/carnivore/omnivore/detritovore/decomposer)

http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/videos/video-drscotttriceratops.html

Raccoon

Frog

Grasshopper

LeafLet’s Label:

3. The type of each consumer

Try This one – make & label!

Bacteria

Lion

Zebra

Grass

Analysis Questions

• How many trophic levels are in this food chain?

• Which trophic level is the lion in?• Which organism is the 1st order

consumer?• ….the 2nd order consumer?• ….the 3rd order consumer?

HW: C#1

Energy in the Ecosystem Worksheet