Energy in Ecosystems

Energy in Ecosystems

Pages 14 and 15 in your Ecosystems LearnEd Notebook

Open Ended

When we say " living things need energy to live" what exactly is energy?

★ Energy allows ecosystems to function on

many levels

○ From the smallest plankton to the largest

mammal, all organisms in an ecosystem
need energy

Poll

Which animal would you assume needs more energy to live?

• Plankton

• Blue Whale

• Cheeta

• Sloth

★ How is energy obtained?

○ The original source is the sun
○ Organisms that can make their own food

(producers)
■ Use sunlight (or chemicals) to make

food, which is then transformed into
chemical energy
● Photosynthesis & Respiration

Open Ended

Where are Producers found in food chains

★ Photosynthesis: sunlight, carbon dioxide and

water are converted into sugar (used as food)
and oxygen, which is released into the
atmosphere

○ Plants, phytoplankton, algae
○ These organisms are autotrophs

(producers)
■ Bottom of the food chain
■ Also important for making our oxygen

Multiple Choice

Can consumers use Photosynthesis?

• Yes

• No

★ Respiration & Metabolism: occur when

organisms use food to produce cellular energy
( used to grow and live)

○ Chemical reactions that use oxygen to

break down sugars (from food) to make
energy and release carbon dioxide

Open Ended

How do consumers get Oxygen for chemical reactions?

★ These organisms are heterotrophs

(consumers)

○ May also occur without oxygen

■ Anaerobic Bacteria

Open Ended

How to heterotrophs, consumers get their energy?

★ The processes required to make and obtain

energy allow energy to be passed through
ecosystems

○ This happens along food chains & food

webs
■ Can be shown in energy pyramids

★ Energy pyramids show how energy is

transferred from producers to consumers to
decomposers

Draw

Draw an aquatic food chain

Draw

Draw a Food WEB

Draw

Draw an energy pyramid (any ecosystem)

Producers (autotrophs)

Consumers
(heterotrophs)

Decomposers

Process

Photosynthesis

Respiration

Decomposition

Description

Makes energy from
sunlight/ chemicals

Obtains energy from
food

Obtains energy from
dead matter

What is Used

Sunlight Energy, Water,
Carbon Dioxide

Sugar (food),
Oxygen

Nutrients (dead plant or
animal matter/waste)

What is Made

Sugar (food), oxygen

Energy, Carbon dioxide,
water, waste

Energy

Importance

Allows energy from the
sun to transfer through
all levels

Allows organisms to
use energy to survive
and thrive

Recycles all nutrients in
an ecosystem

Examples

Plants, algae, some
bacteria

Animals, humans

Bacteria, Fungi

★ Energy pyramids: show total amount of Energy

Available

★ Number Pyramids: show total amount of

Organisms in population

★ Biomass pyramids: show total amount of biomass

(living matter)

★ Transfer of Matter (cycles through ecosystems)

○ Oxygen, Carbon, Water, Nitrogen

★ Atoms that make up all living things are also

recycled in ecosystems