1.1 Ecosystem Energy Flow

Ecology

• The study of the relationships between organisms and their environment, and the balance among these relationships.

• The study of the physical structure of the Earth and its atmosphere.

• The study of the interactions between different species in a community.

• The study of the chemical processes within and relating to living organisms.

Trophic level

• A trophic level is a measure of an organism's size in a food chain.

• A trophic level is each step in a food chain where organisms share the same function.

• A trophic level refers to the energy produced by plants in an ecosystem.

• A trophic level is the total number of species in a habitat.

Energy Transfer Efficiency

• Approximately 5% of energy is passed to the next trophic level.

• Approximately 10% of energy is passed to the next trophic level.

• Approximately 15% of energy is passed to the next trophic level.

• Approximately 20% of energy is passed to the next trophic level.

Secondary consumer

• An animal that eats plants, e.g., cows that eat grass.

• An animal that eats plant-eating animals, e.g., birds that eat grasshoppers.

• An animal that decomposes organic material, e.g., fungi.

• An animal that primarily eats other carnivores, e.g., lions.

Tertiary consumer

• An animal that eats primary consumers, e.g., rabbits eating grass.

• An animal that eats secondary consumers, e.g., owls eating snakes.

• An animal that is at the top of the food chain, e.g., lions.

• An animal that eats producers, e.g., cows eating grass.

Energy flows through an ecosystem (a section of the biosphere) in ____ direction.

• In multiple directions

• In a circular direction

• In one direction: from the sun to producers and then to consumers

• In a random direction

Carnivore

• Eats only animals

• Eats only plants

• Eats both plants and animals

• Does not eat at all

Examples of producers

• Fungi and bacteria

• Plants and algae, such as seaweed and kelp

• Animals like lions and tigers

• Minerals and rocks

Primary consumer

• An animal that eats plants or other producers (herbivore), e.g., grasshoppers, deer, and cows.

• An animal that primarily eats other animals (carnivore), e.g., lions and tigers.

• An organism that breaks down dead organic material (decomposer), e.g., fungi and bacteria.

• A plant that produces energy through photosynthesis, e.g., trees and shrubs.

Biosphere

• The living globe that includes all areas of land, air, and water where life exists.

• A layer of the Earth's atmosphere that contains all weather phenomena.

• The part of the Earth that is inhabited by living organisms.

• A scientific term for the study of ecosystems.