The Flow of Energy

Fox squirrels are common in Texas. Fox squirrels primarily eat acorns and nuts from trees but also eat insects. Some predators of fox squirrels include owls, snakes, and bobcats.

Which diagram best represents how energy would flow to and from the fox squirrel?

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The diagram below shows an energy pyramid. In a marine ecosystem, algae carry out photosynthesis. Barracuda eat snapper fish. Reef sharks eat barracuda.

Which organism would be at the top of the energy pyramid?

• algae

• reef shark

• barracuda

• snapper fish

The figure below shows a food chain that might exist in a meadow.

Which of the following best describes what the food chain represents?

• how an organism might change over time

• the movement of organisms throughout the ecosystem

• the increase in size among organisms in the ecosystem

• the path of energy transfer from producers to consumers

The food web below shows some of the feeding relationships among organisms in Arctic waters.

Which organism would be least affected by overfishing for cod in Arctic waters?

• seals

• shrimp

• baleen whales

• toothed whales

A student researching a northern forest ecosystem learns the following information about feeding relationships in the ecosystem.

Which food web best represents the flow of energy in these feeding relationships?

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What happens to MOST of the energy an organism takes in?

• It is used for life processes.

• It is lost the the environment as heat.

• It is stored in the organism's body.

• It is transferred to other organisms.

What happens during an energy transformation in a living thing?

• Energy is created.

• Energy is destroyed.

• Energy is permanently stored.

• Energy changes from one form to another.

What is the difference between a food web and an energy pyramid?

• There is no difference; food webs and energy pyramids show the same types of relationships between organisms.

• Food webs show all the feeding relationships between organisms, while energy pyramids show how energy moves from producer to consumer.

• Food webs show an animal at the top of the energy pyramid, while energy pyramids show only how producers get their energy.

• Energy pyramids show how energy flows between organisms, while food webs show only the different organisms in an ecosystem.

Organisms that make their own food

• producers

• compost

• consumers

• detritivores

material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter

• producer

• compost

• consumer

• decomposer