Energy Flow in Ecosystems

1. Energy Flow in Ecosystems How does energy flow through ecosystems? What do the three types of ecological pyramids illustrate?

2. Food Chain • Food chains are steps where organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten. • Chains come in different lengths • Example:

3. Food Chain • Phytoplankton are attached to algae and exist in aquatic food chains.

4. Food Webs • In the real world food Chain relationships can be more difficult • When carnivores prey on multiple animals, or herbivores eat different types of vegetation they begin to create a food web

6. Food Webs • Decomposers convert dead material into something detritivores can eat. • Without decomposers nutrients would be locked inside dead organisms. • How many steps removed is the bird from the worm?______

7. Disturbance in the Food Web • WORK WITH A PARTNER! • If an oil spill causes a decline in the number of bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter into detritus. • What is detritus? • What effect would it have on the population of crawfish? • What effect would if have on the grass shrimp, and worms? • Would the population decline?

8. What would happen if... With your partner look at the food web, write a description about how the Leopard Seal population might be affected if the Crabeater Seal Population Increased. And what effect would that have on other animals too?

9. Trophic Levels and Ecological Pyramids • Steps in the food chain or the food web are called “Trophic Levels” • Primary Producers at the bottom. Why? • Ecological Pyramids help describe the amount of energy or matter contained in a trophic level of a food chain or web. • Shows that about 10% of energy from • each trophic level is transferred • to the next.

10. Biomass