Sunlight and Ecosystems
-Most organisms rely on a supply of energy form sunlight
-Producers (plants, eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria) directly use sunlight to obtain energy through photosynthesis
-Heterotrophs (consumers, satotrophs, and detrivores) intake carbon compounds for energy. They indirectly rely on sunlight energy because almost all carbon compounds will contain energy originally produced by producers.
-The amount of sunlight energy produced varies on the intensity of the sun rays and the amount of producers that can harvest this energy through photosynthesis
-Most organisms rely on a supply of energy form sunlight
-Producers (plants, eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria) directly use sunlight to obtain energy through photosynthesis
-Heterotrophs (consumers, satotrophs, and detrivores) intake carbon compounds for energy. They indirectly rely on sunlight energy because almost all carbon compounds will contain energy originally produced by producers.
-The amount of sunlight energy produced varies on the intensity of the sun rays and the amount of producers that can harvest this energy through photosynthesis
Energy Conservation
-Light Energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by photosynthesis
-This chemical energy is used to create carbon compounds such as carbohydrates and lipids
-These producers release energy from their carbon compounds by cell respiration, the rest stays in their cells and tissues to provide it to the heterotrophs
-Light Energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by photosynthesis
-This chemical energy is used to create carbon compounds such as carbohydrates and lipids
-These producers release energy from their carbon compounds by cell respiration, the rest stays in their cells and tissues to provide it to the heterotrophs
Energy in Food Chains
-Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by means of feeding
-Producers are the first organisms in a food chain since they obtain energy from sunlight instead of other organisms
-Organisms that feed on producers and obtain energy from them are primary consumers in the food chain
-Organisms that feed on primary consumers are secondary consumers
-Organisms that feed on secondary consumers are tertiary consumers (and so on)
-The arrows on a food chain show the transportation of energy, which is why an arrow flows from the first organisms (producers/primary consumers) to the last (secondary/tertiary consumers)
-Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by means of feeding
-Producers are the first organisms in a food chain since they obtain energy from sunlight instead of other organisms
-Organisms that feed on producers and obtain energy from them are primary consumers in the food chain
-Organisms that feed on primary consumers are secondary consumers
-Organisms that feed on secondary consumers are tertiary consumers (and so on)
-The arrows on a food chain show the transportation of energy, which is why an arrow flows from the first organisms (producers/primary consumers) to the last (secondary/tertiary consumers)
Respiration and Energy Release
-Energy released by respiration is used in living organisms and converted into heat
-ATP supplies energy to cells in order to synthesise large molecules, transporting molecules through active transport, and moving material around the cell
-Cells crate ATP through cell respiration: When carbon compounds are oxidised, the energy released by the exothermic reaction is used in endothermic reactions to create ATP (Chemical energy to ATP)
-The energy that is not converted to ATP is converted into heat
-When molecules are digested or used for activities they also release heat energy
-Energy released by respiration is used in living organisms and converted into heat
-ATP supplies energy to cells in order to synthesise large molecules, transporting molecules through active transport, and moving material around the cell
-Cells crate ATP through cell respiration: When carbon compounds are oxidised, the energy released by the exothermic reaction is used in endothermic reactions to create ATP (Chemical energy to ATP)
-The energy that is not converted to ATP is converted into heat
-When molecules are digested or used for activities they also release heat energy
Heat Energy in Ecosystems
-Living organisms cannot convert heat into other forms of energy
-However, they can convert light energy to chemical through photosynthesis
-Chemical energy to kinetic in muscle contraction
-Chemical energy to electric in nerve cells
-Chemical energy to heat in heat-generating adipose tissue
-Living organisms cannot convert heat into other forms of energy
-However, they can convert light energy to chemical through photosynthesis
-Chemical energy to kinetic in muscle contraction
-Chemical energy to electric in nerve cells
-Chemical energy to heat in heat-generating adipose tissue
Heat Losses from Ecosystems
-Heat is lost from ecosystem -The heat produced by respiration makes organisms warmer -The heat that we produce is lost to the abiotic environment since heat goes from hot to cold -For example, the heat that is radiated by the sun to the atmosphere is lost because of the heat dispersion to cool environments |
Energy Losses and Ecosystems
-Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and the biomass of higher trophic levels
-Biomasses have energy because of the chemical energy in the carbon compounds that these organisms are made of
-The higher in the trophic level, the less energy is passed on, which is why there is a smaller amount of organisms in the secondary and tertiary trophic levels than the producers and primary levels
Energy Pyramids
The loss of energy through the trophic levels can graphically be demonstrated in a stepped pyramid in which the producer is the bottom block, the primary consumer the second, and so on. The amount of energy passed on to each organism is shown in per unit area per year. The organisms are counted, and the amount of organisms determines the amount of energy in that specific specie.
-Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and the biomass of higher trophic levels
-Biomasses have energy because of the chemical energy in the carbon compounds that these organisms are made of
-The higher in the trophic level, the less energy is passed on, which is why there is a smaller amount of organisms in the secondary and tertiary trophic levels than the producers and primary levels
- The energy in the carbon compounds that organisms intake is mostly loss through respiration (since it is used for cell activities and released as heat), the only energy left for the next trophic level is the chemical energy in the carbon compounds
- The energy in the parts of the body (such as bone and hair) that other animals don't eat is decomposed and passed on to detrivores, meaning, less energy for the next trophic level
- When an organism is being eaten, not all of the mass is digested and absorbed because it is indigestible, so it is released as excrement
Energy Pyramids
The loss of energy through the trophic levels can graphically be demonstrated in a stepped pyramid in which the producer is the bottom block, the primary consumer the second, and so on. The amount of energy passed on to each organism is shown in per unit area per year. The organisms are counted, and the amount of organisms determines the amount of energy in that specific specie.