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2.2 The Energy and nutrient flow ecosystem (consumers (Heterotrophs)…
2.2 The Energy and nutrient flow ecosystem
Producers (Autotrophs)
organisms that serve as primary producers in a food chain
get their energy from sunlight, heat or chemicals
They use this energy to turn inorganic molecules into organic molecules
get nutrients from the soil
consumers (Heterotrophs)
Organisms that consume other organisms in a food chain
unable to use sunlight energy to turn inorganic molecules into organic molecules
steal organic molecules from autotrophs by eating them
heterotrophs are all animals, some fungi and most bacteria
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers
Decomposers
detritus: Nutrient-rich, organic matter (leaf litter and logs).
Detritivore: organism that. feeds on detritus after it has been decomposed by decomposers
Food chain
producer
primary consumer
secondary consumer
tertiary consumer
final consumer
decomposer
Energy flows from the sun to producers to consumers to decomposers
producers perform photosynthesis
Both producers and consumers perform Cellular respiration
Energy
Gross primary productivity is the rate in which light energy is captured and converted into chemical energy by the autotrophs in an area
Net primary productivity: Focus on the energy that is locked up in actual plants matter (that is , the biomass), then you are measuring net primary productivity
Net primary productivity varies among ecosystems and depends on many factors. These include solar energy input, temperature and moisture levels, carbon dioxide levels, nutrient availability and community interactions.
Energy used for cellular respiration
Biomass: is the amount of matter that's stored in the bodies of a group of organisms
Nutrients are recycled but energy is lost
Ecological pyramids are visual representations of energy flow, biomass accumulation, and number of individuals at different trophic levels.
The transfer of energy between trophic levels is usually very inefficient
Net productivity usually drops by a factor of ten from one trophic level to the next.
On average only about 10% of the energy stored as biomass in one trophic level gets stored as biomass in the next trophic level
A lot of energy is used for cellular respiration and lost as heat
Many molecules in the bodies of organisms that do get eaten are not digestible by predators and are lost in the predactors' feces