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Food For Thought – Energy. Ecology. the study of the RELATIONSHIPS of living things to EACH OTHER and their ENVIRONMENT (surroundings). Ecosystems. ALL of the LIVING communities of an area together with the NON-LIVING parts of their ENVIRONMENT. Parts of an Ecosystem.
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Ecology • the study of the RELATIONSHIPS of living things to EACH OTHER and their ENVIRONMENT(surroundings)
Ecosystems • ALL of the LIVING communities of an area together withthe NON-LIVING parts of their ENVIRONMENT
Parts of an Ecosystem • LIVING community (BIOTICfactors) • ENERGY input and use • NUTRIENT cycling • NON-LIVING environment (ABIOTICfactors)
Ecology involves the study of the following things: • The interactions between members of the BIOTIC community (the living plants, animals and microbes) • The interactions between members of the BIOTIC community and the NON-LIVING environment • The interactions between the ABIOTIC environmental factors (such as light-temperature-moisture)
The Environment and Energy • Energy – the ABILITY to do WORK • All LVING ORGANISMS use energy for life processes.
Forms of Energy: • 1. Light • 2. Heat • 3. Chemical • 4. Mechanical • 5. Electrical
First Law of Thermodynamics • Energy is never CREATED nor DESTROYED but is only CHANGED from one form to another, or TRANSFERRED from one place to another.
Second Law of Thermodynamics • When ENERGY is transformed or transferred, a part of the energy is LOST in the form of HEAT.
How organisms obtain energy • ECOSYSTEMS are powered by energy from the SUN • Energy only enters living things at the PRODUCER level. • As energy is passed along the FOODchain, much of it is lost as HEAT.
How organisms obtain energy • Energy flows ONE way through the food chain, from PRODUCERS through CONSUMERS. • Each level of the food chain has LESS available energy in it.
Different organisms get energy in different ways • Autotroph • Organisms that can make their own food (green plants) • Heterotrophs • Organisms that cannot make their own food and have to feed on autotrophs or other heterotrophs (bear)
Producers • Green Plants • They capture light energy from the sun and convert it into food energy.
Consumers • are Animals that depend upon greenplants and other animals for food.
Types of Consumers • Primary Consumer • (Herbivores) – eat PLANTS to get energy • Secondary Consumers • (Carnivores, omnivores) – eat ANIMALS to get energy • Tertiary Consumers • (Scavengers, Humans) – eat ANIMALS to get energy
Decomposers • Break down and DECOMPOSE DEAD ORGANISMS getting energy and releasing nutrients back into the environment.
You Are What You Eat • Food Chains • A simple LINEAR drawing showing which organisms feed upon which others
You Are What You Eat • Food Web • A NUMBER OF INTER-CONNECTING FOOD CHAINS