Levels of Organization & Energy Flow

1
Levels of Organization Energy Flow
2
The BiosphereBiosphere 2

• Oikos house
• this is the root word for ecologyso the living
  world is like a house with the organisms playing
  different roles.

3

• Define ecology
• study of the interactions between an organism
  and their environment.

4
Largest level of organization is the Biosphere
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Smallest level of organization is the individual
Species
Individual
5

• Biosphere the thin zone of the earth that
  supports all life.
• Biomes area with the same climate and similar
  dominant communities

made up of
made up of
6

• Ecosystems all living (biotic factors) and
  nonliving (abiotic factors) parts of an
  environment
• Communities all the organisms living in a
  certain area

made up of
made up of
7

• Populations all the organisms of the same
  species living in the same area
• Species groups of organisms so similar they can
  breed and produce fertile offspring.
• Individuals

made up of
made up of
8
II. Interactions Among Organisms (Energy Flow)

• Sunlight is the main source of energy in most
  ecosystems.

9

• What is energy needed for?
• To power life processes
• Ex metabolism, respiration, digestion,
  circulation

10

• Rule of 10
• a. 10 of energy is transferred b/w trophic
  levels.
• b. So if the sun gives 100 what percent does the
  cow, who is a second level consumer get?

11

• What is another source for energy?
• Inorganic chemical compounds
• Thermal vents bacteria

12

• Producers/ Autotrophs plants, algae, some
  bacteria that make their own food (photosynthesis
  or chemosynthesis).

13

• 1. What is another source for energy?
• Chemosynthesis
• Thermal vents bacteria

14

• B. Consumers/ Heterotrophs organisms that obtain
  their food by eating other organisms.
• 1. 1st order (primary) consumers eat plants
  (herbivores)

15

• 2. 2nd (secondary) order consumes C1
  (Herbivores). Carnivores

16

• 3. 3rd level consumer (top-level carnivores
  (C2)) eat C1 ( 1st level carnivores)

17

• Omnivores eat both plants and animals
• Detrivores feed on plant animal remains
  other dead matter.

18

• C. Decomposers feed on dead organism, breaking
  down dead plants and animals and returning
  nutrients to the soil.

19

• 4. Many organisms feed at more than one level.
• 5. Omnivores consumers who feed off plants and
  animals

20

• Energy flows through an ecosystem in one
  direction, from the sun
• or inorganic compounds
• to autotrophs (producers)
• and then to various
• heterotrophs (consumers).