Cycling Energy in an Ecosystem

​The cycling of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem help to maintain their stability.

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​Without the cycling of energy and nutrients, the entire ecosystem will dissolve.

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​The energy for an ecosystem begins with radiant energy from the sun.

​Individual (single organism of a species)

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​Population (group of one species living together in a specific area)

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​Community (many populations living in a specific area, excluding abiotic factors)

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​Ecosystem (community of biotic & abiotic factors)

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​Habitat (natural environment where a species lives)

​Within an environment & community, an organism has a "niche" (a specific job or role/ location within its environment)

​Energy is transferred from radiant energy of the sun to chemical energy in plants and animals in an ecosystem.

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​Sometimes, transferred energy is lost as heat.

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​10% Rule: only 10% of the available energy is passed from one trophic level to the next; the remaining 90% is lost as heat

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​Energy flow is usually shown as a food chain. Food chains illustrate the transfer of energy (biomass) from one organism to another.

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​Food chains include the following:

​producers (autotrophs) -- plants which make food through photosynthesis

​consumers (heterotrophs) - cannot create its own food

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Consumers can be:

​primary (herbivores) - only eat plants

​secondary (carnivores = meat eaters) or omnivores (both plants & animals)

​tertiary (carnivores at the top of the food chain), eats secondary consumers

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​Decomposers are heterotrophic and decomposes organic material (bacteria & fungi).

​More realistically, energy flow is best shown using a food web (interaction of many food chains).

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​One organism always affects another!

​Nutrients are always cycled in an ecosystem.

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​Carbon, nitrogen, and water are essential to maintaining a health ecosystem.

​Includes precipitation, transpiration, evaporation, and condensation

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere and transferred among organisms.

Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

​Respiration takes oxygen and converts it to carbon dioxide.

Bring your summary to Mr. Buie to receive credit.​