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Nutrients Cycle and Energy Flows through an ecosystem.
You can trace almost any food back to plants.
Plants are able to make their own food so they are called PRODUCERS
In food webs, some animals eat only plants for food- They are HERBIVORES
Some animals eat only other animals- They are CARNIVORES.
OMNIVORES can consume both plants and animals.
DECOMPOSERS such as fungi, bacteria and invertebrates (the FBI), will break down the plants and animals that have died. Decomposition recycles some matter back into the soil helping to make a ‘nutrient cycle’.
The energy that comes from the sun doesn’t get cycled back there. Energy flows through an ecosystem~ the animals use it to breathe and move around and a lot of energy dissipates as heat~
A healthy ecosystem includes many different species that are all able to get their needs met in a complex and INTERDEPENDENT “web of life”.
Step 1: Watch this video
Step 2: Journal Entry
Develop your own model to describe how matter moves between plants, animals, decomposers, and their environment.
Draw your model in your nature journal. If you prefer to make a model out of other materials such as stuffed animals, clay, or pictures that you find in books or online please photograph your creation and then describe it in your journal.
Be sure to label all the parts of your model- including producers, several types of consumers: herbivores, carnivores or omnivores, and decomposers.
Example
Step 3: Watch this video
Step 4: Journal Entry & Discussion
Think about where your food comes from... (not the supermarket:)
Think about your favorite food and consider all the steps that it takes to get it to your table- Where does each ingredient come from? How and where was it grown? How did it became a part of your meal? Try to think of ALL the resources used including the water, land, soil, seeds, animals, and all of the energy that was needed. You can do some research and add in any steps you may not have thought of at first. Don't forget all the people who may have been involved in the different parts of making your meal. Production / Harvest / Processing / Packaging / Storage / Refrigeration / Transport…
Track all the steps of your favorite meal and document what you learned in any form that you choose. You could make a flow chart, create a comic strip, write an essay, make up song lyrics, produce a video or something else! Be creative and have fun! Share what you learn.. Discuss your findings with your family and friends.
Watch this to learn how ice cream is made
STOP the Waste! You and your family can try to REDUCE FOOD WASTE!
Remember when you waste food, all the energy and resources that go into producing it are also wasted.
Step 5: Compost!
If you do have food scraps or any waste from plant based foods, you can compost them, turning them into soil. There are many online resources that you can research for different "recipes" or ways to compost. Check out Marmot's Video on How to Compost. Some cities even offer curbside pick-up for compostable items. This effort helps to keep these resources out of the landfills.
Check out this video to learn more from Squirrel about Vermi-composting. (Vermi means worm) Some people keep red wiggler worms as pets who devour all their food scraps. You don't even need a yard for this type of composting. You can make a 'worm bin' to keep indoors.
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