Flow of Energy Through The BIOSPHERE

Importance of Solar Energy

All Organisms require energy for metabolism

The original source of energy in the biosphere is the Sun

Producers

Organisms that are capable of trapping solar energy to produce food (carbohydrates)

Also called Autotrophs

Producers (cont.)

Along with producing their own food, producers are a source of food energy for all other living organisms

Consumers

Organisms that get food energy by feeding off of other organisms

Also called heterotrophs

Food Chains

As one organism feeds off of another the energy within the organism being fed on is transferred to the feeder, this is referred to as a FOOD CHAIN

Feeding Levels within a food chain

Producers 1st order consumers 2nd order consumers 3rd order consumers

Example of A Basic Food Chain

Food Webs

In an ecosystem there are many food chains

Usually the organisms found in one food chain are also a part of another food chain.

Several interconnected food chains are called Food Webs

Example of a Food Web

Energy Transfer

As energy is transferred from one organism to another in a food chain or web, a large fraction of the original energy is lost

Energy Transfer (Continued)

Only 10% of the original amount of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next

This energy loss can be represented by a Pyramid of Energy

Pyramid of Energy

Pyramid of Energy (Continued)

At each level of the pyramid the smaller space represents the lesser amount of energy

Pyramids of Numbers

Same as the pyramid of energy but represents the fact that there are fewer individuals at each successive feeding level

Pyramid of Biomass

Represent the fact that there is less total mass found in each successive level