Energy—The ability to cause change.
 Ultimate source of all energy is from the sun.
 Autotrophs
 A.K.A--Producers
 Uses light energy to make food
 Examples: trees, plants, grass, green algae
 Heterotrophs
 A.K.A—Consumers
 Can’t produce own food
 Obtain nutrients by eating other organisms
 Decomposers— obtain energy from breaking down dead
organisms.
 Herbivore
 Feeds only on plants
 Carnivores
 Feeds on other heterotrophs
 Scavengers
 Feed on animals that are already dead
 Omnivores
 Feed on both plants and animals
 Decomposers
 Break down complex substances of dead organisms
 Simple model that shows how matter/energy moves
through an ecosystem.
 Moves from autotrophs to heterotrophs to
decomposers
 Amount of energy in the final transfer is only a portion
of the starting amount
 A portion of energy is given off as heat at each transfer
Energy given off as heat
Arrow Points To
Where The Energy
Is Going
Berries
Energy given off as heat
Mice
Black Bear
 More complex than a food chain
 Show multiple food chains
 Shows all possible feeding relationships
 A feeding step
3rd
Carnivore
Carnivore
Herbivore
Producers
Order
Heterotroph
Lions
2st Order Heterotroph
Wolves
1st Order Heterotroph
Rabbits
Autotroph
Grass
Quaternary Consumer
Top Carnivore
Tertiary/Third-order
Consumers
Secondary/secondorder consumers
Primary/first order consumers
Producers
Color the arrows from each
of the following to the next
level:
Producers – green
Primary – yellow
Secondary – red
Tertiary- blue
Quaternary- orange
Decomposers -
brown
• Can Show Biomass (total weight of living matter) at each level.
• It also show the amount
that the level above it needs
to consume to meet its
needs.
• Each
level decreases by
10%
10% rule!
• The energy is lost in
the form of heat at each
level.