Energy Flow in

Ecosystems

Food chains: show the path of energy through trophic

(feeding) levels Energy come from the Energy is not recycled – it decreases and

is “lost” (made unavailable in the form of heat)

Level 1 - Producers Undergo

photosynthesis (plants, algae, some bacteria)

Use energy from the sun to make food (glucose)

Level 2 - Primary (1) Consumers Herbivores – eat plants

Level 3 – Secondary (2) Consumers Carnivores – eat meat Omnivores – eat

both meat and plants

Pygmy

Golden Headed Lion Tamarin

Margay

Detritivores - obtain energy from dead organisms at all trophic levels Decomposers –

cause decay Bacteria, fungi,

worms Rabbit

Scavengers – feed on the remains of dead organisms

snails, crabs, worms, raccoons, maggots, vultures, hyenas

Gecko

Review

PRACTICE!!! Producer Fourth order

(quaternary) consumer Second order

(secondary) consumer First order (primary)

consumer Third order (tertiary)

consumer

Food Web vs. Food Chain

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

Energy flow through ecosystems can be represented using a pyramid - why? 10% of the energy at each level is passed on to the next

level, 90% is used by heat and metabolism. Energy decreases as you move through trophic levels! It takes a lot of vegetation to support higher trophic

levels.