Transcript Energy Flow: Autotrophs

Energy Flow:
Autotrophs
Sunlight is the main source of
energy for life on Earth.
Autotrophs (also known as
producers) have chlorophyll that
captures the energy that allows a
plant to assemble glucose.
Energy Flow:
Autotrophs
The best know autotrophs are those that use the power
of the sun to create glucose through photosynthesis.
The second type of autotrophs use chemical energy to
make carbohydrates. This is performed by several
types of bacteria.
Autotrophs are the foundation of all ecosystems
because they make energy available to all other
organisms on earth that are not capable of
photosynthesis.
Energy Flow:
Heterotrophs
Heterotrophs: (also known
as consumers) consume
other organisms for their
energy and food.
Types of Heterotrophs
Herbivores obtain energy by eating plants.
Example: Cow, rabbit, caterpillars
Carnivores eat animals.
Example: Wolves, lions, owls
Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
Example: Bears, humans, mocking birds
Don’t let the
dragon
costume fool
you, I am an
omnivore
Types of Heterotrophs
Detritivores feed on the remains of dead plants &
animals and break the remains down to simple nutrients
so that other organisms can consume them.
Example: Worms, aquatic insects
Decomposers a type of detritivores, they break down
dead remains by releasing digestive enzymes
Example: Fungi, bacteria
Feeding Relationships
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one
direction, from the sun or inorganic
compounds to autotrophs (producers) and
then to various heterotrophs (consumers).
Food Chains are a series of steps in which
organisms transfer energy by eating or
being eaten.
Food webs more complex than a food
chain, they show interactions within an
ecosystem.
Food Chain
Feeding
Relationships
Each step in a food
chain or web is called a
trophic level.
Producers make up the
first step, consumers
make up the higher
levels.
Food Chain: Arrows point toward
the consumers
What is the producer in the food
chain?
What is the primary (1st) level
consumer?
What is the secondary (2nd)
level consumer?
What is the tertiary (3rd) level
consumer?
What is the quaternary (4th)
level consumer?
Food Web
Is the frog an herbivore or
and omnivore?
Is the snake a carnivore or
an omnivore?
What trophic level is the
squirrel?
Which carnivore consumes
the mouse?
Ecological Pyramids
An ecological
pyramid is a diagram
that shows the
relationship amounts
of energy or matter
contained within
each trophic level in
a food web or food
chain.
Ecological Pyramids
Energy Pyramid only 10%
of the energy available
within one trophic level is
transferred to organisms
at the next trophic level.
Ecological Pyramids
Pyramid of Numbers
show the relative
number of organisms at
each trophic level. As
the pyramid moves up
the trophic levels the
number of organisms
decrease because
there is less energy
available to support the
organisms
Review Homework
Complete Food Chain and
Food Web Activity
Section Review 3.1
1. Sunlight is the source of energy for nearly all
ecosystems on earth. It provides the energy used by
producers to make food which in turn feeds all the
consumers.
2. There could be no sustainable life on earth without
producers. If all producers were suddenly removed
from earth consumers and decomposers would
continue to live for a short time by feeding on each
other but eventually life would cease as the available
food ran out.
Section Review 2.2
3. Herbivores only eat plants. Omnivores eat
plants and animals.
4. The crabeater seal is both predator and
prey in the food web. It eats krill and is eaten
by the leopard seals and killer whales.
Homework
On page 58 in your text
book there is a case study
“DDT in an aquatic food
chain” Read the article and
answer the following
questions:
1. Explain the process of
bioaccumulation.
2. How does the pyramid
of energy’s 10% rule relate
to bioaccumulation?
My
mom
misses
you all!