Compiled by: Ahmed Kalim Niazi

Name: ___________________________
Biology/5090
Class/Section: ________/_______
Date: ______________________
3.3 Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Food Chains and Food Webs

Energy flows through an ecosystem in a one - way stream.

We use ARROWS () to show the transfer of energy:

o The arrow always points towards the MOUTH that is eating!
o Like this: Primary Producer Consumer
o Example:
Algae is eaten by Flagfish. Flagfish are eaten by Largemouth
Bass. This is how we show it:
Algae Flagfish Largemouth Bass

FOOD CHAIN: a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy () by

eating and being eaten.

o In some aquatic food chains (those in the ocean, lakes, etc.), the
primary producers are a mixture of floating algae called
Phytoplankton.
A food chain with Phytoplankton:
Phytoplanktonsmall fishlarge fishwading birdalligator
(*note the arrow direction)

o Look at this chain:

grass grasshopper frog snake hawk
 o Now add this to the food chain above:

1) Put a CIRCLE around the primary producer.

2) Put a SQUARE around the herbivore.
3) Put a TRIANGLE around the consumer(s). (see 3.2 notes for help)

(Answer: Circle grass, square grasshopper, triangle around all the rest)

FOOD WEBS:
Most ecosystems are made up of complex feeding relationships and
interactions called food webs.

A food web is a network of all the food chains in an ecosystem.

Food Webs and Disturbance

Small disturbances to one population can affect all populations in a food

web. EXAMPLE: Background Facts:
o Zooplankton are a diverse group of small, swimming animals, such
as krill, that feeds on algae.
o Shrimp, in its third stage of growth, feeds on krill and other
zooplankton.

Now let's say that Hurricane Katrina wipes out the zooplankton and
shrimp population. What would happen?

1) Every organism that feeds on shrimp and/or zooplankton would see a

significant drop in their populations (possibly even wiped out!).

2) Algae would have a significant rise in its population because there

wouldn't be as many organisms to consume it.
 Decomposers CONVERT/recycle the dead material into usable material
(nutrients) for primary producers (plants).
Think About It!: What would happen if there were no decomposers?
Where do we find decomposers on the food web?

Trophic Levels and Ecological Pyramids

Each step in a food chain or food web is called a trophic level.

o Producers make up the first trophic level.

o Consumers make up higher trophic levels.

- Each consumer depends on the trophic level below
it for energy.

One way to draw the trophic levels found in an ecosystem is with an

Ecological Pyramids.
o These pyramids show the relative amount of energy or matter found
within each trophic level in a food chain/web.

Pyramids of Energy

Only a small portion of the energy that passes between organisms/trophic

levels is actually stored in the bodies of the eater.
This is because:
o The energy is used on life processes such as respiration, growth,
movement, metabolism.
o Energy is released as heat into the environment - a byproduct of
these above mentioned activities.
 About 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to
the next level.

Photosynthesis - Light Energy Chemosynthesis - Chemical Energy

Heat is released out into the atmosphere at each trophic level.

Pyramid of Biomass and Pyramid of Numbers

Pyramid of Biomass - The total amount of living tissue within a given

trophic level is called its BIOMASS. It is demonstrated graphically in a
pyramid.

Pyramid of Numbers - diagram that shows quantities of plants and animals

at different trophic levels. The pyramid of biomass is a more useful tool.