ENERGY FLOW THROUGH Science 9

ECOSYSTEMS 2019
ENERGY FLOW THROUGH ECOSYSTEMS

All organisms MUST

obtain and use
energy…
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS
 Each organism in an ecosystem has a role or niche.
 Producer’s Role – make their own food through
photosynthesis, convert the Sun’s energy to make
glucose, provide food for 1 st and 3 rd level
consumers.
 Examples: Any plant… Grasses, shrubs, trees,
algae… etc.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS
 1 st Level Consumer (Herbivores) Role-must
consume another organism to obtain energy,
ONLY CONSUME PLANTS, provide food for
2 nd and 3 rd level consumers.
 Examples: Deer, rabbits, rodents (mice,
rats, squirrels), insects, herbivorous birds,
etc.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS
 2 nd Level Consumer (Carnivores) Role-must
consume another organism to obtain energy,
ONLY CONSUME OTHER CONSUMERS,
provide food for 3 rd level consumers.
 Examples: snakes, foxes, predatory birds,
jellyfish etc.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS
 3 rd Level Consumer (Omnivores and Large
Carnivores) Role-must consume another
organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES
OTHER CONSUMERS and/or PRODUCERS,
provide food for scavengers.
 Examples: Humans, lions, bears,
sharks, whales.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS
 Scavenger’s Role-must consume another
organism to obtain energy, CONSUMES DEAD
ANIMAL REMAINS, provide food for other
scavengers.
 Examples: Hyenas, buzzards, flies, snails.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS

 Decomposer’s Role-must consume another

organism to obtain energy, BREAK DOWN
DEAD PLANT AND ANIMAL REMAINS,
provide food other organisms.
 Examples: fungi, bacteria, earthworms,.
 ENERGY ROLES (JOBS) IN
ECOSYSTEMS

Bacteria: are decomposers that

break down animal remains.
Fungus: are decomposers that break
down plant remains.
Role for BOTH: returns materials to
the soil, clean up the environment
 ENERGY FLOW

 Food Chains: shows ONE possible path for

the flow of energy for a particular
organism in an ecosystem.
 Rules:
A. Must start with producers to 1 st level
consumer to 2 nd, and so on.
B. Must use arrows to show the direction of
energy flow.

Organism that Organism that is

is eaten eating
FOOD CHAIN EXAMPLES
 ENERGY FLOW

 Food Web: Many overlapping food chains in an

ecosystem.
 Shows relationships & dependencies to others.

 Rules:
A. Must start with producers to 1 st level
consumer to 2 nd, and so on.
B. Must use arrows to show the direction of
energy flow (arrows may overlap).
FOOD
WEB
EXAMPLE
 ENERGY FLOW

 Energy Pyramids: Shows the flow of energy in a

food chain with LESS energy as each level
goes up.

 Rules:
A. Producers go on the bottom, 3 rd level
consumer on top.
B. Must have more producers than 1 st level
consumers, more 1 st than 2 nd , more 2 nd than
3 rd, etc.
ENERGY PYRAMID
 TWO T YPES OF ORGANISMS

Autotrophs: Organisms that can make their

own food. (Producers)

Heterotrophs: Organisms that cannot make

their own food, they must consume.
(Consumers, Scavengers, Decomposers)