Understanding Energy Roles in Ecosystems

1. Energy Flow through ecosystems

2. Energy Flow through ecosystems • All organisms MUST obtain and use energy…

3. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • Each organism in an ecosystem has a role or niche. • Producer’s Role –make their own food through photosynthesis, convert the Sun’s energy to make glucose, provide food for 1st and 3rd level consumers. • Examples:Any plant… Grasses, shrubs, trees, algae… etc.

4. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • 1st Level Consumer (Herbivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, ONLY CONSUME PLANTS, provide food for 2nd and 3rd level consumers. • Examples: Deer, rabbits, rodents (mice, rats, squirrels), insects, herbivorous birds, etc.

5. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • 2nd Level Consumer (Carnivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, ONLY CONSUME OTHER CONSUMERS, provide food for 3rd level consumers. • Examples: snakes, foxes, predatory birds, jellyfish etc.

6. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • 3rd Level Consumer (Omnivores and Large Carnivores) Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES OTHER CONSUMERS and/or PRODUCERS, provide food for scavengers. • Examples: Humans, lions, bears, sharks, whales.

7. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • Scavenger’s Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES DEAD ANIMAL REMAINS, provide food for other scavengers. • Examples: Hyenas, buzzards, flies, snails.

8. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • Decomposer’s Role-must consume another organism to obtain energy, BREAK DOWN DEAD PLANT AND ANIMAL REMAINS, provide food other organisms. • Examples: fungi, bacteria, earthworms,.

9. ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN ECOSYSTEMS • Bacteria:are decomposers that break down animal remains. • Fungus:are decomposers that break down plantremains. • Role for BOTH: returns materials to the soil, clean up the environment

10. ENERGY FLow • Food Chains: shows ONE possible path for the flow of energy for a particular organism in an ecosystem. • Rules: • Must start with producers to 1st level consumer to 2nd, and so on. • Must use arrows to show the direction of energy flow. Organism that is eating Organism that is eaten

11. Food chain examples

12. Energy Flow • Food Web: Many overlapping food chains in an ecosystem. • Shows relationships & dependencies to others. • Rules: • Must start with producers to 1st level consumer to 2nd, and so on. • Must use arrows to show the direction of energy flow (arrows may overlap).

14. Food web example

16. Energy Flow • Energy Pyramids: Shows the flow of energy in a food chain with LESS energy as each level goes up. • Rules: • Producers go on the bottom, 3rd level consumer on top. • Must have more producers than 1st level consumers, more 1st than 2nd , more 2ndthan 3rd, etc.

18. Energy Pyramid

20. Two Types of organisms • Autotrophs: Organisms that can make their own food. (Producers) • Heterotrophs: Organisms that cannot make their own food, they must consume. (Consumers, Scavengers, Decomposers)