Energy Flow

Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only

be changed (transformed).

Check In:

How does energy initially enter the

Earth’s ecosystems?

Energy flows

through ecosystems

-Energy entersthe ecosystem
from the sun

-Energy is lost to the
environment as heat

Food Chains & Food Webs

Arrows indicate the
flow of energy
from the previous
level to the next.

Autotrophs

Organisms that can make or
produce their own food using the
process of photosynthesis. Also
known as Producers.

Ex. Plants, cyanobacteria

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot make
their own food. Also known as
Consumers.

Ex. Humans, deer, cow, lions,
etc.

Herbivore

Consumers that only eat plants.
AKA: Primary Consumers

Ex. Deer, cow

Carnivore

Consumers that only eat meat.
Either Secondary or Tertiary
Consumers.

Ex. lions

Omnivore

Consumers that eat both plants
and meat. Either Primary,
Secondary, or Tertiary
Consumers.

Ex. Humans

Decomposers

Organisms that feed on
waste or dead decaying
matter. Breakdown nutrients
and return back to soil or
atmosphere to be reused.

Ex. Bacteria & Fungi

Food Chain

Food Web

Shows only one relationship flow in a ecosystem

Shows multiple relationships flows in an ecosystem

Check In:

Deer eat vegetation. Coyotes eat deer.

What role does the coyote play in this food chain?

Energy Pyramid

Arrows indicate the
flow of energy
from the previous
level to the next.

Check In:

Why do organisms not pass on all their

energy to the next trophic level?

The End