Mrs. Kooiman
La Serna High School
Everything organisms Everything organisms do in ecosystems do in ecosystems
(running, breathing, (running, breathing, burrowing, growing)burrowing, growing)
Requires Requires ENERGY!!!!ENERGY!!!!
The rate at which organic material is produced by photosynthetic organisms in an ecosystem.
Examples of photosynthetic organisms…..
Producers: Organisms that first capture energy (photosynthetic) from the sun.
Consumers: Organisms that consume plants or other organisms to obtain the energy necessary to build their molecules.
Trophic Level: A group of organisms that have the same source of energy; a step in the food chain.
Energy Producer Primary Secondary
Consumer Consumer
Top Carnivores
0.1% Energy
Producers
100% Energy
Herbivores
10% Energy
Carnivores
1% Energy
The lowest trophic level of an energy pyramid is composed of producersproducers..› Examples: grass, leaves, algae, flowers, phytoplankton
The next trophic level in the pyramid is composed of primary consumers or herbivoresprimary consumers or herbivores.› Examples: insects, rabbits, cows, zooplankton
The third trophic level of an energy pyramid is composed of secondary consumerssecondary consumers or carnivorescarnivores.› Examples: mice, small fish, anything that eats meat
The top trophic level of an energy pyramid is composed of top carnivorestop carnivores or top predatorstop predators.› Examples: snakes, sharks, bears, people
Top Carnivores
0.1% Energy
Producers
100% Energy
Herbivores
10% Energy
Carnivores
1% Energy
10% of energy is PASSED ON at each trophic level.
So…90% of energy is LOST at each level
Organisms use energy and it is eventually lost as HEAT!!