Energy Flow

Energy transfers through an ecosystem from one organism to another when they are consumed.

Energy Niche is the way an organism obtains its energy/food from the environment.

Energy Niches

These are organism that make their OWN food.

Producer-an organism that can photosynthesize.

1. Ex: plants, algae, phytoplankton
2. Producers are at the base of every food chain
3. Producers occupy a trophic level 1 position

These are organisms that eat DIFFERENT organisms for food.

Consumer an organism that obtains energy by eating or consuming other organisms.

Primary consumers-the 1st consumer...the ones that eat the plants
Secondary consumers-the 2nd consumer...the ones that eat the plant-eaters
Apex Predators-the top predator in the ecosystem. These predators are usually very important in maintaining the population numbers of lower trophic-level organisms

Decomposer-a special kind of consumer that eats dead biotic matter and returns the nutrients back to the soil to be used by producers.

Example: Earthworms, bacteria, fungi

Decomposer-a special kind of consumer that eats dead biotic matter and returns the nutrients back to the soil to be used by producers.
Producer (aka Autotroph)-an organism that can photosynthesize.
Herbivores-these organisms only eat plants
Omnivores-these organisms eat plants and meat.
Carnivores-these organisms eat only meat.
Apex Predators-the top predator in the ecosystem. These predators are usually very important in maintaining the population numbers of lower trophic-level organisms

Trophic Level-the position an organism has on the food chain

Trophic Level 1=producers
Trophic Level 2=primary consumers (herbivores, omnivores, decomposers) Anything that eats a producer
Trophic Level 3=secondary consumers (omnivores, carnivores, decomposers) Anything that eats a primary consumer

Energy pyramid-shows the energy flow in an ecosystem.

● The amount of energy that moves from one trophic level to another in an energy pyramid is not the same.

● Energy availability decreases as it moves up the energy pyramid. The most energy is available at the producer level of the pyramid.

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