Energy Flow in Ecosystems

1. Energy Flow in Ecosystems

2. Components of an Ecosystem • living and non-living things interact with each other in an ecosystem • biomass – total mass of all living matter in an area • abiotic factors – non-living things • biotic factors – living things

3. Abiotic Factors The four major abiotic components are: a. climate b. soil, dead material, and rock c. topography d. natural disturbances

4. Biotic Factors Biotic factors are anything that is living: a. plants b. animals c. microscopic organisms

5. Abiotic FactorsFind the abiotic and biotic factors

6. Biotic FactorsFind the abiotic and biotic factors

7. Energy Roles • Energy enters an ecosystem as sunlight • Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle • Each organism has a role to play in this energy flow • Producer • Consumer • Decomposer

8. ProducersAutotrophs • Producers make their own food and are the source of all the energy in an ecosystem • Autotrophs • Plants, algae, grass, trees, flowers, bacteria, plankton

9. Producers

10. ConsumersHeterotrophs • Cannot make their own food • Get their energy from consuming other organisms • Heterotrophs • herbivores • carnivores • omnivores

11. Consumer - Herbivore

12. Consumer - Carnivore

13. Consumer - Omnivore

14. Decomposers and Scavengers • Decomposers break down waste and return the raw materials into the soil • Waste and dead organisms must be removed from the environment • Bacteria • Fungi • Carrion eaters like vultures, coyotes, maggots

15. Decomposers and Scavengers

16. Food Chains • A series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy. • first organism in a food chain is always a producer • Next organisms are consumers

17. Food Chains • Decomposers can be at any level

18. Food Chain

19. Food Web • A food chain just shows one track of energy flow • A food web consists of many overlapping food chains • Organisms can play more than one role in a food web

20. Food Web

21. Food Web

22. Trophic Level • Organisms can be divided into trophic levels • producers are at the bottom • Next are primary consumers • (herbivores) • Secondary consumers (omnivores • or carnivores) • Tertiary consumers (omnivores or • carnivores)

23. Trophic Level

24. Energy Pyramids • An energy pyramid shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web • At each level upward, the amount of energy decreases due to use

25. Energy Pyramids • When an organism eats food, it obtains energy • The organism uses some of this energy for living (about 90%) • Not all of this energy is available to the next consumer in line (only 10% moves to the next level)

26. Energy Pyramids • The most energy is available at the producer level • The amount of energy at the producer level determines how many organisms an ecosystem can support • The least amount of energy is available at the third level or tertiary consumer

27. Energy Pyramids

28. Energy Pyramids

29. Cycling of Energy Once an organism dies, decomposers take over and break down the material it was made of These nutrients are put back into the soil Plants then use those nutrients along with sunlight to recycle that energy back into the food chain

30. Energy flows through an ecosystem in a cycle

31. Cycling of Energy Composting – helping the natural decomposition process break down waste Using a compost bin, we can recycle food scraps and return those nutrients to the soil

32. Click on the link to go to the vocabulary games: http://www.neok12.com/quiz/ECOSYS01 http://www.neok12.com/quiz/ECOSYS02