Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem
● Module 2, Lesson 2
Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem
This presentation discusses the flow of energy in an ecosystem,
including the models of energy flow, autotrophs and heterotrophs,
food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids. It also covers the
principles of ecology.
Energy in an Ecosystem
Models of Energy Flow
-Autotrophs and heterotrophs are involved in energy flows in ecosystems,
which include food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids.
Energy in an Ecosystem
●
Autotrophs collect energy from sunight or inorganic substances to
produce food.
● Are the foundation of ecosystems because they make energy available
for all other organisms
● Green plants and algae that produce their own food are autotrophs.
●
Autotrophs are producers.
●
●
Heterotrophs consume other organisms for energy.
Heterotrophs are consumers.
Are predators; make up remaining levels.
● Herbivores eat plants.
● Carnivores prey on other heterotrophs.
● Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
● Detritivores (decomposers) eat fragments of dead matter.
-Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste materials,
returning nutrients back into the ecosystem.
●
Models of Energy Flow
1. Food chains show how energy
flows through an ecosystem.
-Each step is called a trophic
level.
-The first trophic level in any
ecosystem is autotrophs.
-The remaining levels are
heterotrophs.
Models of Energy Flow
2. Food webs show interconnected food chains; shows pathway
of energy flow through a group of organisms.
3. Ecological Pyramids
●
●
●
Ecological pyramids show energy flow
through an ecosystem from lower to
higher trophic levels.
Shows relative amount or energy, number
of organisms or biomass (mass of living
matter) at each level.
Only 10% of energy passes from one level
to the next. At each higher step, some
energy are lost to the environment as
heat.
Thank you for your time 😊