Energy Flow Through Ecosystems

• Producer - organisms that make their own food.

  • They are also called autotrophs.

• Consumer - organisms that obtains energy from eating other organisms.

  • They are also called heterotrophs.

Producers and Consumers

Photosynthesis - process of plants using solar energy to produce their food.

Photosynthesis

• Food chain - models energy flow through an ecosystem.

• Shows feeding relationships.

• Producers - plants and algae that perform photosynthesis.

• Primary consumers - eats producers; also called herbivores.

Food Chains

• Secondary Consumers - eats primary consumers; also known as carnivores.

• Tertiary Consumers - eats secondary consumers.

• Decomposers - breaks down the remains of plants and animals

Food Chains

Ecological Pyramid - models that show the flow of energy through trophic levels and feeding relationships in an ecosystem.

Ecological Pyramid

• Energy Pyramid - shows the total amount of energy stored in organisms.

• Not all energy stored in producers is passed on to the next trophic level.

• Only 10% of the matter and energy and energy in the organisms of each trophic level transfers to the next level.

Energy Pyramid