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Topic 4.1: Species --> Ecosystems, Topic 4.2: Energy flow, Topic 4.1:…
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Topic 4.2: Energy flow
Energy Source
Light is the initial energy source for almost all communities
--> Some producers derive energy from chemical processes
Light energy is converted into chemical energy (i.e. organic compounds) via the process of photosynthesis
Energy transfer
Heterotrophs obtain their chemical energy by feeding
--> The energy stored in organic molecules is released via cellular respiration (in heterotrophs and autotrophs)
Trophic levels
An organism's trophic levels refers to the position it occupies within a feeding sequence
--> Producers always occupy the first trophic level
Feeding Patterns
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Food Webs:
Food webs show interrelated feeding patterns which are mostly in species that have multiple food sources and hence will occupy muiltole trophic levels
Energy loss
Not all the stored energy is transferred upon feeding - most of the energy released via cell respiration is lost as heat
--> Organisms cannot convert heat into other energy forms and hence the heat is lost from the ecosystem
--> These energy losses restrict the length of food chains and limit the biomass of higher trophic levels
Pyramids of Energy
Pyraminds of energy are representations of the amount of energy available at each trophic level
--> Measured in energy units per area per time
--> Because energy transformations are 10% efficient
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