Energy Flow

Front

What is energy flow in an ecosystem?

Back

Energy flow refers to the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another in an ecosystem, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

Front

What are producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers, or autotrophs, are organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Front

What are consumers in an ecosystem?

Back

Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients from one level to the next.

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that illustrates how energy and nutrients circulate in an ecosystem.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in energy flow?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and completing the energy cycle in an ecosystem.

Front

What percentage of energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next?

Back

Typically, only about 10% of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, with the rest lost as heat.

Front

What is the significance of the 90% energy loss in ecosystems?

Back

The 90% energy loss indicates that energy diminishes at each trophic level, limiting the number of trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Front

Who are the primary consumers in a food web?

Back

Primary consumers are herbivores that eat producers (plants) and are the second trophic level in a food chain.