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Energy in Ecosystems

Food Chains, Food Webs and Energy Pyramids. Energy in Ecosystems. Courtesy: www.lab-initio.com. Producers ( Autotrophs ). Photosynthetic organisms Capture energy from sunlight, CO 2 and H 2 O Most producers are photosynthetic Chemosynthetic organisms

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Energy in Ecosystems

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  1. Food Chains, Food Webs and Energy Pyramids Energy in Ecosystems Courtesy: www.lab-initio.com

  2. Producers (Autotrophs) • Photosynthetic organisms • Capture energy from sunlight, CO2 and H2O • Most producers are photosynthetic • Chemosynthetic organisms • Capture energy from chemical compounds in the surroundings

  3. Consumers (Heterotrophs) • Herbivores • Eat only plants and fungi • Omnivores • Eat both plants/fungi and animals • Carnivores • Eat only animals • Detrivores • Eat dead organic matter • Decomposers • Break down organic matter into simpler compounds

  4. Movement of Energy • Trophic Structures • Manner in which energy moves through an ecosystem • Each ecosystem has its own unique trophic structure

  5. Biotic Energy Movement • Producers • Autotrophs (Photosynthesizers, Chemosynthetic organisms) • Primary consumers • Herbivores and omnivores that eat producers • Secondary consumers • Carnivores and omnivores that eat herbivores • Tertiary consumers • Carnivore eats another carnivore • Decomposers and Detrivores • Consume decaying producers and consumers

  6. Food Chain • Energy is lost in each step up a food chain • Only 10 percent of the energy from one level on the food chain is available to the next level

  7. Food Webs • Many consumers and decomposers have more than one food source • Movement of energy occurs in complex webs rather than in simple chains

  8. Arctic Marine Food Web

  9. A Simplified Food Web?

  10. Energy Pyramids • Energy pyramids show the reduction of available energy at each higher trophic level

  11. Biomass Distribution

  12. Why a Pyramid? • Producers must comprise most of the mass of the biotic part of an ecosystem • This is the ONLY place where energy (solar) enters the ecosystem • Energy is always lost in the form of heat, so energy transfers are no more than 10% efficient • Each trophic level must be supported by a 10/1 energy ratio below it

  13. The 10% Rule

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