Energy Circulation in Ecosystem

• Life in the Earth is possible thanks to the circulation of the energy flow into the ecosystems in a cyclical way from one level to another through a cycle called food chain.

• A food chain shows how each living thing gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature. Food chains begin with plant-life, and end with animal-life. Some animals eat plants, some animals eat other animals.

• A simple food chain could start with grass, which is eaten by rabbits. Then the rabbits are eaten by foxes.

All food begins with the sun.

plants animals

seeds

• A Food Chain has levels:– The First Level there are the producers (Plants)– The second Level is for the Primary Consumers

(Herbivorous)– In the Third Level there are the Secondary Consumers

(Carnivorous)– And The Fourth Level is for the Decomposers.

Producers:Plants are called producers. This is because they produce their own food! They do this by using light energy from the Sun, carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil to produce food - in the form of glucose/sugar. The process is called photosynthesis. Click on the image below to learn about photosynthesis.

Primary Consumers: This organisms take energy from the plants they eat. A part is used to fulfill their vital functions and another part is stored in their tissues, and a little quantity is expelled to the environment as heat.

Secondary Consumer

(Predators):These organisms take energy from the tissues of other animals they eat. A part of these energy spent in their vital functions, another part is stores in their tissues, and certain quantity is expelled as heat.

Decomposers:These living organism transform dead organism or organic matter into inorganic matter or simpler parts that can be used by plants to produce their food again. Their function is very important for the balance of the ecosystem, because they recycle the vital materials to be used again.

Here we have an example of a food chain: It starts with acorns, which are eaten by mice, the mice are eaten by snakes, and then the snakes are eaten by hawks. After a hawk dies, fungi (like mushrooms) and other decomposers break down the dead hawk, and turn the remains of the hawk into nutrients, which are released into the soil. The nutrients (plus sun and water) then cause the grass to grow.It's a full circle of life and energy!!

Activity• Can you draw a food chain in a Tropical Forest?

• Can you draw a food chain in a Tropical Forest?

• You can find more information and games at:

• http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm

• http://es.scribd.com/doc/19051800/All-About-Food-Chains-for-Kids

• http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html