Energy Transformation

1. Energy Transformation in an Ecosystem

2. Ecology • The study of the interactions between living and non-living things. • All living things rely on other things to survive.

3. Review-Levels of Organization Organism=individual living thing Population=group of the same species that lives in one area Community=group of different species that live together in one area Ecosystem=all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil, water, rocks, and other nonliving things in a given area. Ecosystems can vary in size. Biome=major regional or global community of organisms

4. Energy in Ecosystems • All organisms must have a source of energy to survive. • Must have food! • Energy is transferred between organisms in food webs from producers to consumers. • The energy is used by organisms to carry out complex tasks.

5. Where does the energy come from? • Producers (autotrophs): make their own food • Consumers (heterotrophs): obtain energy by eating other living or dead organisms • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Detritivores • Decomposers

6. Producers (Autotrophs) • Make their own food • Converts the energy absorbed from the sun into chemical energy through photosynthesis

7. Herbivores • Organisms that eat only plants • Primary consumers-eat producers

8. Carnivores • Organisms that eat only animals • Secondary consumers-eat primary consumers

9. Omnivores • Organisms that eat both plants and animals • Tertiary consumer-eat secondary consumer

10. Detritivores Organisms that eat detritus, or dead organic matter

11. Decomposers Detritivores that break down organic matter into simpler compounds

12. Showing Transformation of Energy • Food Chains • Food Webs • Energy Pyramids

13. Trophic Levels • Levels of nourishment in a food chain or energy pyramid. • Energy flows up the food chain/energy pyramid from the lowest trophic level to the highest. • 10% of total energy is transferred to the next level

14. Food Chain • Diagram that follows just one path as animals find food • Arrows are used to show the direction of energy movement

17. Food Webs • Diagram used to show how plants and animals are connected in many ways to help them all survive • Shows what-eats-what • Arrows are used to show the direction of energy movement

21. Energy Pyramids • Diagram that illustrates how available energy is distributed among trophic levels in an ecosystem. • As you move up an energy pyramid: • Amount of energy being transferred decreases • Population size also decreases

23. Energy Pyramid 3rdTrophic Level Energy is transferred up…from the grass, to the rabbit, and then to the hawk. 2ndTrophic Level 1stTrophic Level

24. Energy Pyramid