ENERGY AND NUTRIENT TRANSFER

I. ProducersII. ConsumersIII. Types of consumersIV. Discussion of the types of consumersV. OmnivoresVI. DecomposersVII. DetritivoresVIII.HumusIX. Comparision between decomposers and

dretritivoresX. Food chainsXI. Some examples on food chainsXII. Food websXIII.Some examples on food webs

The Sun is the ultimate source of energy.It supplies energy to the producers.Producers are the organisms that are able to make their own food from simple substances like CO2 and H2O.The best examples of producers are:- Plants and algaeProducers are sometimes called as autotrophs

What are consumers?Consumers are the organisms that can’t make their own food.Consumers hunt, gather and store food because they are unable to make their own.All animals are consumers, they have to eat or consume food.Organisms which obtain their food from other organisms, also called heterotrophs.

There are four types of consumers:-1.Primary consumers 4.Quaternary consumers2.Secondary consumers3.Tertiary consumers

Primary consumers:-Primary consumers are herbivores. They eat the producers – plants or bacteria.Examples:

rabbitDeer

panda

Secondary consumers:-Secondary consumers are carnivores. They eat herbivores(primary consumers).Examples:- foxladybird

Tertiary consumers:-Tertiary consumers are carnivores that eat secondary consumers. They are sometimes called top carnivores.Examples:- lion hawk

“I should point out that quaternary consumers are similar to tertiary consumers but the difference is that quaternary consumers eat tertiary consumers”.

WHAT ARE OMNIVORES?Omnivores are the organisms that eat both plants and animals.Examples:-Humans bears

What are decomposers?Decomposers are microorganisms that are able to break down large molecules into smaller parts. They return the nutrients that are in a living thing to the soil. They use waste materials as energy, carbon and nutrient sources. They carry out respiration to release CO2. Chemically breakdown (using enzymes) detritus (decaying material) to release inorganic ions (mineralization)

Detritivores:Detritivores are the detritus eating soil invertebrates. They feed on plant and animal remains and other dead matter. They rely on dead tissues for nutrients. They decrease the size of detritus particles to produce humus. They provide a larger surface area for decomposers to work on, in other words, they make the job easier for the decomposers. They enhance fertility of the soil by entering leaf surface litter (surface layer of vegetation) into the soil.Examples:- Earthworms

Spider

What is humus?The organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms. It is essential to the fertility of the earth. A dark brown or black mass of partially decomposed organic matter in the soil. It improves the fertility and water retention of the soil and is therefore important for plant growth.

Detritivores are organisms that feed on decomposing organic matter [ex: poop (fecal matter), leaf litter, detritus. Decomposers are organisms that consume ONLY dead organisms.

Detritivores v.s decomposers

FOOD CHAIN:- The process of eating and getting eaten is food

chain. Transfer of energy and nutrients from one feeding

group to another. The simple transfer of energy from one animal to

another. A simplified way to look at the energy that passes

from producers to consumers. The producers, consumers and decomposers of

each ecosystem make up a food chain. Food chains shows to whom energy is transferred.

Food Web:- A food web is made up of many food

chains. It is a combination of many food

chains collected in one place.

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