Energy in Ecosystems

Energy in Ecosystems Mrs. Pittaluga 8th Grade Science

I can… • Identify food chains within food webs and label the trophic levels to which each organism belongs. • NC Essential Standard – 8.L.3.3: Explain how the flow of energy within food webs is interconnected with the cycling of matter (including water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen)

producers • An organism that makes its own food through a chemical reaction – photosynthesis or chemosynthesis • Also called autotrophs

consumers • An organism that consumes other organisms for food • Heterotrophs • Herbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores

decomposer Organisms that break down the remains of dead organisms and other organic waste

Food Chain • Diagram that shows how matter and energy move through an ecosystem • Grass  Rabbit  Snake  Hawk • Arrows show direction the energy is moving • Food chains always start with a plant • Usually have only 3-5 levels • Energy is lost when moving up the food chain. • Trophic Levels: • The level an organism belongs to is determined by its distance from the producer • 1st Trophic Level – Producers • 2nd Trophic Level – Primary consumers • 3rd Trophic Level – Secondary consumers • 4th Trophic Level – Tertiary consumers

Food Web • More complex than a food chain • Shows all the possible feeding relationships at each trophic level in a community • More realistic than a food chain • Most heterotrophs depend on more than one species for food or energy.

I can… • Interpret an energy pyramid to determine what happens (and why it happens) to the amount of energy as you move up the trophic levels.

The Energy Pyramid • The energy pyramid is a visual representation of the flow of energy within a community. • It is designed to show the amount of biomass at each trophic level. • Biomass is the amount of living or organic matter within an organism

10% Rule of Ecology An average of only 10% of the energy in one trophic level is passed to the next trophic level.

Energy Pyramid Foldable

Energy in Ecosystems