Energy Flow

Energy flows
through an
ecosystem in
one direction
from the sun or
chemical
compounds to
autotrophs
(producers) and
then to various
heterotrophs
(consumers).

Food
chains

show how matter
and energy move
through ecosystem
in a series of steps
showing which
organisms transfer
energy by eating
and being eaten.

Each organism in a
food chain represents
a feeding step, or
trophic level, in the
transfer of matter and
energy.

Food
chains

Models that show all possible feeding
relationships at each trophic level in a
community; links all food chains in an
ecosystem together.

Food
webs

Diagram that shows
amounts of energy
or matter at each
trophic level; three
different types:

Biological
pyramid

Snake
10 kcal

Mice

100 kcal

Insects

1000 kcal

Producers
10, 000 kcal

ENERGY PYRAMID

Fox
(10)

Birds
(25)

Grasshoppers

(250)

Grasses
(3000)

PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

80 g

Human

800 g

Chicken

8000 g
Grain

BIOMASS PYRAMID