Ecology Booklet: 4.

2 Energy flow
Essential idea: Ecosystems require a continuous supply of energy to fuel life processes and to replace energy lost
as heat
Nature of Science: Use theories to explain natural phenomena – the concept of energy flow explains the limited
length of food chains (2.2)

U1 Most ecosystems rely on a supply of energy from sunlight

U2 Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by photosynthesis

U3 Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by means of feeding

Energy flow through food chains

Autotrophs convert light energy into chemical in the form of organic compounds. These organic compounds,
namely carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, are passed along food chains as one organism consumes, digests and
assimilates another. A series of feeding relationships is best represented by food chains. Most ecosystem comprise
interconnected food chains termed a food web. The energy passes along these food chains and within
organsims. The food chain below is from Iguazu, Brazil.

AUTOTROPH PRIMARY CONSUMER SECONDARY CONSUMER TERTIARY CONSUMER

Passion flower Heliconius butterfly. Tegu lizard Jaguar

Each organism occupies a trophic, or feeding position, level. There are rarely more than five trophic levels. This is
because only a small proportion of energy, 10-20%, passes from one trophic level to another. Pyramids of energy
clearly show how energy drops at each successive level.

U4 Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration is used in living organisms and converted
to heat
U5 Living organisms cannot convert heat to other forms of energy
U6 Heat is lost from ecosystems
U7 Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and the biomass of higher
trophic levels

Energy flow
Plants absorb light energy, and convert it to chemical energy in carbon compounds. These autotrophs are then
eaten and the chemical energy passes onto the consumers along the length of the food chain. At each level,
the chemical energy is released for use by the organism by respiration, using the energy to carry out all the
processes of life. Chemical energy may then be utilised for growth, which contributes to the biomass of each
organism. The efficiency of a food chain depends on how much of the chemical energy in the autotrophs is
passed along the food chain from organism to organism. A pyramid of energy illustrates how only 10% of the
energy present in a trophic level passes onto the next successive trophic level.

The pyramid places autotrophs at the bottom,

primary consumers next top, secondary third and
so on. The units of energy are kJm-2yr-1. This is
because it is necessary to establish an area as well
as a time frame when considering energy flow. If
drawn to scale, the bar lengths should be 10-20%
the width of the preceding bar. Biologists measure
the dry mass of a population at each trophic level
to determine the energy content.
Decomposers are present in all food chains and
are not usually represented in a pyramid of
energy.
There are many ways in which the energy is lost along the food chain at each successive trophic level:
• During respiration, organisms use chemical energy to carry out processes such as active transport or
muscle contraction. Ultimately, this energy is lost and dissipated as heat.
• Organisms in a population may die and be decomposed without ever being eaten
• Some parts of organisms may be uneaten eg shells,feather, bone, wood, fur.
• Some parts may be indigestible and be eliminated as faeces eg cellulose
• Some chemical energy is lost as urine
See summary below:

(f) Composters can generate a lot of heat. Explain where this energy comes from
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(g) Describe the ecological importance of decomposers_____________________________________________
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(h) Describe how energy may be lost in the form of waste and respiration______________________________
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S1 Quantitative representatives of energy flow using pyramids of energy
S2 Setting up sealed mesocosms to try to establish sustainability (practical 5)
Refer to the practical sheet.
1. Is your mesocosm an open or closed nutrient system?
2. Is your mesocosm an open or closed energy system?
3. Draw a diagram to explain how (a) energy and (b) organic compounds or nutrients enter, move
through and exit your mesocosm [8m]

Create questions using the data below

4.2 Energy Flow PPQs

1. The energy flow diagram below for a temperate ecosystem has been divided into two parts. One
part shows autotrophic use of energy and the other shows the heterotrophic use of energy. All
values are kJm–2 yr–1.
Autotrophs Heterotrophs

heat 14 140
heat
23 930
autotrophic heterotrophic
respiration respiration
gross
photosynthesis production net production feeding storage
43 510 X 14 690 540

storage
4 900

(a) Calculate the net production of the autotrophs.

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(b) (i) Compare the percentage of heat lost through respiration by the autotrophs with the
heterotrophs.
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 (ii) Most of the heterotrophs are animals. Suggest one reason for the difference in heat
losses between the autotrophs and animal heterotrophs.

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The heterotrophic community can be divided into food webs based upon decomposers and food
webs based upon herbivores. It has been shown that of the energy consumed by the heterotrophs,
99% is consumed by the decomposer food webs.
(c) State the importance of decomposers in an ecosystem.
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(d) Deduce the long-term effects of sustained pollution which kills decomposers on autotrophic
productivity.
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(Total 6 marks)

3. (a) Label the levels of the trophic pyramid of energy shown below.

(3)
(b) State the units used in a pyramid of energy.
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2. The food web below shows some of the feeding relationships found between the organisms living
in or near a river in England.

(a) Identify an organism in the food web that is

(i) an autotroph.

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(ii) both a secondary and tertiary consumer.

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(b) Explain how the flow of energy in the food web differs from the movement of nutrients.
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(c) Discuss reasons why the levels of a pyramid of energy differ in size.
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......................................................................................................................................(2)