Energy Flow Through Ecosystems

1. Energy Flow Through Ecosystems A look at food webs & viable ecosystems

2. The Energy Cycle – What is it? • The process of solar energy travelling down one trophic level to another and cycling back in sequence.

3. How it Works • First, the sun produces energy that protrudes through the atmosphere - an average of 30% is reflected back into space • Second, that energy is absorbed by the vegetation on Earth and made useable through photosynthesis - Roughly 70% is captured

4. Continued • Thirdly, the herbivores or the secondary consumers, eat the plants • Fourthly, the carnivores consume the herbivores • And lastly the decomposers consume the last bits of the decaying waste

5. Continued • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_RBHfjZsUQ

6. Example Up to 90% of the energy can lost in the form of heat with each transfer

7. Location • The energy cycle is located in the biosphere

8. What’s the Purpose? • Without this cycle there would be no sun • Without the energy from the sun there would be no plants • Without plants there would be no herbivores • Without herbivores there would be no carnivores • And without all of that there would be no us; no sustainable planet

9. Real World Example • An example of the passing of energy though a complex food chain and ecosystem is simply by a food web

10. Continued • Another example is a pond ecosystem • Main source is still the sun which grows water plants to feed the consumers

11. Affects on the Economy • So much of our land is devoted to agriculture • Over 40% of earths land is now agriculture  • However, our agriculture is more of a food source to live stock than humans

12. The Negative • Animals are expensive to raise and thus meat can be expensive • We give the agriculture with the most amount of energy to the livestock and by the time it gets to us the energy level is drastically reduced 

13. Potential Consequences of Interruption - Loss of keystone species - Compromised food webs - Potential source of income is lost - Source of resource and/or food is lost - Decreased viability and health of ecosystem - Loss of cultural diversity

14. How Humans Alter the Cycle - Introduction of invasive species

15. How Humans Alter the Cycle - Overexploitation of natural resources - Alteration/Degradation of Ecosystems - Removal of native species for the endangered pet trade - Extermination of keystone species - Habitat Loss/Fragmentation

16. Protecting the Cycle

17. Protecting the Cycle