Energy Flow in Ecosystems Components of an Ecosystem living and non-living things interact
with each other in an ecosystem biomass total mass of all living matter in an area abiotic factors non-living things biotic factors living things
Abiotic Factors The four major abiotic components are: a. climate b. soil, dead material, and rock c. topography
d. natural disturbances Biotic Factors Biotic factors are anything that is living: a. plants
b. animals c. microscopic organisms Abiotic Factors Find the abiotic and biotic factors
Biotic Factors Find the abiotic and biotic factors Energy Roles Energy enters an ecosystem as sunlight
Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle Each organism has a role to play in this energy flow Producer Consumer
Decomposer Producers Autotrophs Producers make their own food and are the source of all the energy in an
ecosystem Autotrophs Plants, algae, grass, trees, flowers, bacteria, plankton Producers
Consumers Heterotrophs Cannot make their own food Get their energy from consuming other organisms
Heterotrophs herbivores carnivores omnivores Consumer - Herbivore
Consumer - Carnivore Consumer - Omnivore Decomposers and Scavengers
Decomposers break down waste and return the raw materials into the soil Waste and dead organisms must be removed from the environment Bacteria Fungi
Carrion eaters like vultures, coyotes, maggots Decomposers and Scavengers Food Chains
A series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy. first organism in a food chain is always a producer Next organisms are consumers
Food Chains Decomposers can be at any level Food Chain
Food Web A food chain just shows one track of energy flow A food web consists of many overlapping food chains Organisms can play more than one role
in a food web Food Web Food Web
Trophic Level Organisms can be divided into trophic levels producers are at the bottom Next are primary consumers (herbivores)
Secondary consumers (omnivores or carnivores) Tertiary consumers (omnivores or carnivores) Trophic Level
Energy Pyramids An energy pyramid shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web At each level upward, the amount of
energy decreases due to use Energy Pyramids When an organism eats food, it obtains energy The organism uses some of this energy
for living (about 90%) Not all of this energy is available to the next consumer in line (only 10% moves to the next level) Energy Pyramids
The most energy is available at the producer level The amount of energy at the producer level determines how many organisms an ecosystem can support The least amount of energy is available
at the third level or tertiary consumer Energy Pyramids Energy Pyramids
Cycling of Energy Once an organism dies, decomposers take over and break down the material it was made of These nutrients are put back into the soil
Plants then use those nutrients along with sunlight to recycle that energy back into the food chain Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle
Cycling of Energy Composting helping the natural decomposition process break down waste Using a compost bin, we can recycle
food scraps and return those nutrients to the soil Click on the link to go to the vocabulary games: http://www.neok12.com/quiz/ECOSYS01 http://www.neok12.com/quiz/ECOSYS02
