(1) Ecosystem

• Environment and all living things it supports

• A system of matter and energy cycling.

• Components:– Sun Original Energy Source– Biotic Factors--Living Parts– Abiotic Factors--Nonliving Parts

(2) Abiotic Factors

• Nonliving (Never Living) parts of Ecosystem

• Physical:– Temperature– Sunlight– Quantity of nutrients

• Chemical:– Types of nutrients– pH of water – Salinity of water

(3) Biotic Factors

• Living (Once Capable of Living) parts of Ecosystem

• All organisms = Biotic Factors– Rely on BOTH biotic and abiotic factors!

(4) Autotrophs & Heterotrophs

Autotroph Heterotroph• Also called Producer

• Convert Un-usable Light or Chemical Energy Usable Chemical Potential Energy

• Example: Plants & Bacteria

• Also called Consumer

• Rely on Autotrophs & Other Heterotrophs

• Example: Animals

(5) Types of Heterotrophs

• Herbivore: A heterotroph which consumes mostly photosynthetic organisms.

• Carnivore: A heterotroph which consumes mostly other heterotrophs (animals).

• Omnivore: A heterotroph which consumes both photosynthetic organisms AND heterotrophs (animals)

• Decomposer / Detrivore: A heterotroph which consumes “dead” remains, releasing the compounds back into ecosystem.

(6) Food Chains & Food Webs

Food Chain Food Web• Diagram that shows energy + matter transfer.

• Includes just a few organisms and feeding relationships.

• Diagram that shows energy + matter transfer.

• Includes ALL organisms and feeding relationships.

• Contains multiple food chains.

(7) The Arrows

• Arrows show movement / flow of energy and matter.

• Point in direction of transfer:– Food to Eater– Producer / Consumer Consumer– Cheeseburger Marquis

Energy is moving from Sun to

Autotrophs/Producers (the plants)

Energy is moving from Autotrophs/Producers

to a Consumer

Energy is moving from one consumer to

another consumer…

(8) Food / Energy Pyramid

• Shows amount of energy transferred and lost as “food” moves throughout an ecosystem.

• Moves bottom up– Bottom = Producers = Most Energy– Energy lost as heat– Top = Consumers = Least Energy

• Trophic Levels:– Refers to the “Energy Level” an organism is at.– 1st = Producer, 2nd = Next Consumer, 3rd…4th…

•Why is there less kcal of energy?!

•What happens to it??

Where do we have the most usable energy?

Where do we have the least usable energy?

1st Trophic Level

2nd Trophic Level

3rd Trophic Level

4th Trophic Level

You get the picture…

We learned about these

levels last week…

We can also use this to show

trophic levels…