Energy Transfer in Ecological Relationships

1. Energy Transfer in Ecological Relationships

2. IntroductionEnergy transfers in an ecosystemCycles of matter and energy transfer in an ecosystem

3. Producers • Autotrophs – use the sun’s energy to photosynthesize.

4. Producers • Examples: Plants, bacteria, some algae • Some autotrophs can use thermo and chemical energy (chemosynthesis) • Example: Bacteria that lives on the bottom of the ocean

5. Consumers • Heterotrophs – eat other organisms or biological waste to obtain 1. Energy released through cell respiration

6. Consumers 2. Carbon (building element for other life molecules)

7. Levels of Consumers • 1. Primary Consumers – Herbivores • Eat Producers (plants) • Examples: Insects, deer, cows, zooplankton (feeds on phytoplankton) • 2. Secondary Consumers • Carnivores – eat mainly primary consumers • Examples: Jackrabbit, raven • Omnivores – eat producers and consumers • Examples: Bear, Humans • 3. Tertiary Consumers • Large Carnivores that eat only secondary consumers • Examples: Mountain Lion, Coyote

8. ConsumersContinued … • Detrivores • Consume waste materials including dead organisms, plant debris and animals feces (detritus) • Examples: Bark beetles, carpenter ants, earthworms • Decomposers • Special type of consumer that breads down complex molecules into simpler molecules • “Recyclers” • Examples: bacteria and fungi BIODEGRADATION:The process of decomposers recycling dead/waste matter into useable nutrients.

9. Predators & Prey • Predation:A relationship in which one organism (predator) consumes all or some of another organism (prey).

10. Energy Flow • A constant flow of energy is required to sustain the biosphere

11. Energy Flow • In a community/ecosystem, nutrients can be recycled by biodegradation but energy moves in only one direction and requires a continuous supply from the sun. • Through each consumer level, energy is lost to the environment and between transfers (consumption). ENERGY

12. Energy Transfer

13. Where does the energy go?Lost through heat, waste, growth and metabolism

14. Trophic Levels • A trophic level describes the relative position of a particular organism in relation to the nutrients and energy transfers within an ecosystem. 4th Trophic Level (Tertiary Consumers and Decomposers) 2nd Trophic Level (Primary Consumers and Decomposers) 1st Trophic Level (Producers and Decomposers)

15. Food Chains • A pathway of nutrients and energy transfers between species • Producers through to Consumers • Example: • Phytoplankton → Zooplankton → Shrimp → Salmon → Bear • Species at the top of a food chain have no natural predators and are at the highest trophic level.

16. Food Chain What limits the length of a food chain?

17. Detritus Food Chain • The chain of decomposers recycling nutrients. Dead Things Bacteria Grass Leatherjacket Mole

18. Food Webs • Multiple cross-linked food chains arranged by trophic levels • Note: The arrows are always pointing in the consumer’s direction

19. Give two food chains that exist within this food web

20. Energy Pyramid • Shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level • On average, only approx. 10% of the energy at one level is available to the level above • The remaining 90% is used in life processes (movement, reproduction, etc.) or heat loss • Each loss of energy limits the number of trophic levels