Living Things Need Living Things Need EnergyEnergy

EnergyEnergySunlight is the Sunlight is the

source of source of energy for energy for almost all almost all living things.living things.

•Begins with the SUN as the source of energy for all living things

•Photosynthesis occurs because of the sun

6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 + 6O2

ProducersProducersOrganisms Organisms

that use that use sunlight to sunlight to make foodmake food

ConsumersConsumersOrganisms Organisms

that get that get energy from energy from eating other eating other organismsorganisms

HerbivoreHerbivore Organisms that Organisms that

eats plants eats plants (gophers, (gophers, grasshoppers)grasshoppers)

PRIMARY PRIMARY CONSUMERSCONSUMERS

CarnivoreCarnivore Organisms that eat Organisms that eat

other animals other animals (wolf, coyotes, (wolf, coyotes, owls)owls)

OmnivoreOmnivore Organisms that eats Organisms that eats

both plants and both plants and animals (bears, animals (bears, humans)humans)

SECONDARY/TERTIARY SECONDARY/TERTIARY CONSUMERSCONSUMERS

ScavengersScavengers

They eat dead thingsThey eat dead things CoyotesCoyotes VulturesVultures

DecomposersDecomposers

Break down the remains of other Break down the remains of other organisms (recycles)organisms (recycles)

Consumer LevelsConsumer Levels

Primary Consumers (1Primary Consumers (1stst level) – get their level) – get their energy from plants HERBIVORESenergy from plants HERBIVORES

Secondary Consumers (2Secondary Consumers (2ndnd level) – get level) – get their energy from other organisms – their energy from other organisms – CARNIVORES/OMNIVORESCARNIVORES/OMNIVORES

Tertiary Consumers (3Tertiary Consumers (3rdrd level) – get their level) – get their energy from other organisms –energy from other organisms –CARNIVORES/OMNIVORES/SCAVENGERSCARNIVORES/OMNIVORES/SCAVENGERS

Food ChainFood Chain

Shows the Shows the transfer of transfer of energy in energy in one pathwayone pathway

Food WebFood Web

Shows many Shows many energy energy pathways in pathways in an an ecosystemecosystem

Another way of showing the Another way of showing the transfer of energy in an transfer of energy in an

ecosystem is theecosystem is theENERGY PYRAMIDENERGY PYRAMID..

Energy Pyramid InteractiveEnergy Pyramid Interactive

WebpageWebpage

Energy pyramids show Energy pyramids show Trophic level indicates Trophic level indicates

an organism’s position an organism’s position in a food chain.in a food chain.

The number of The number of consumers in a level consumers in a level will will decreasedecrease as the as the trophic levels get trophic levels get higher because they higher because they have to eat more have to eat more organisms to stay organisms to stay alivealive

Not all energy is used by producers Not all energy is used by producers 10% 10% of the energy stored of the energy stored can be passed on can be passed on to to organisms that cannot make their own food.organisms that cannot make their own food.

90% of the energy is used for everyday life 90% of the energy is used for everyday life processes (breathing, moving, digestion, etc…)processes (breathing, moving, digestion, etc…)

Some energy is lost as heat.Some energy is lost as heat.

Energy

Closer look at food Closer look at food webswebs

Food Web - MenuFood Web - Menu