Ecosystem Dynamics Study Sheet

Front

What is energy flow in ecosystems?

Back

Energy flows through ecosystems starting from the sun and moves through organisms in a food chain or web.

Front

Who are producers (autotrophs)?

Back

Organisms that capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis, such as plants and algae.

Front

Who are consumers (heterotrophs)?

Back

Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms.

Front

What are primary consumers?

Back

Herbivores that eat producers, like rabbits.

Front

What are secondary consumers?

Back

Carnivores that eat primary consumers, like snakes.

Front

What are tertiary consumers?

Back

Apex predators that eat secondary consumers, like hawks.

Front

What role do decomposers play in ecosystems?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organisms, returning nutrients to the soil, e.g., fungi and bacteria.

Front

How much energy is lost as it moves up trophic levels?

Back

Approximately 90% is lost as heat; only about 10% transfers to the next level.

Front

What is an energy pyramid?

Back

A diagram that illustrates energy loss and the decreasing biomass at higher trophic levels.

Front

What are trophic levels?

Back

Levels of a food chain or web based on an organism's role in energy transfer.