The Living World: Energy Flow
Photosynthesis - The biological process in which light energy from the sun is captured and transformed into the chemical energy of carbohydrate molecules.
Cellular respiration - The breakdown of organic molecules in a series of steps that releases the energy found in the bonds of these molecules and stores it in the bonds of ATP molecules.
Cellular respiration - The breakdown of organic molecules in a series of steps that releases the energy found in the bonds of these molecules and stores it in the bonds of ATP molecules.
The formula for photosynthesis is as follows:
6 CO2 + 12 H2O + radiant energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O
Photosynthetic pigments give plants their green color and absorb radiant energy. Photosynthesis is a process essential for almost all of life. It gives organisms energy in carbohydrate molecules that can be transferred to other organisms. A by-product of photosynthesis is oxgen, which is required for organisms when they break down glucose to obtain energy.
6 CO2 + 12 H2O + radiant energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O
Photosynthetic pigments give plants their green color and absorb radiant energy. Photosynthesis is a process essential for almost all of life. It gives organisms energy in carbohydrate molecules that can be transferred to other organisms. A by-product of photosynthesis is oxgen, which is required for organisms when they break down glucose to obtain energy.
The formula for cellular respiration is : C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O → 6CO2 + 12H2O + Energy
Cellular respiration makes the chemical energy stored in glucose and other food available to the cell for biological work. All organisms respire to obtain energy.
Cellular respiration makes the chemical energy stored in glucose and other food available to the cell for biological work. All organisms respire to obtain energy.
Energy flow - The passage of energy in a one-way direction through an ecosystem.
Trophic level - An organism's position in a food chain, which is determined by its feeding relationships.
Food web - A representation of the interlocking food chains that connect all organisms.
Producers - Also called autotrophs, manufacture organic molecules from simple inorganic substances.
Consumers - Also called heterotrophs, are animals that use the bodies of other organisms as a source of food energy and body building materials.
Herbivores - Consumers that eat producers.
Carnivore - Both secondary and tertiary consumers that eat other animals.
Omnivores - Other consumers that eat both plant and animal.
Detritivores - Consume detritus, organic matter that includes animal carcasses, leaf litter, and feces.
Decomposers - Also called saprotrophs, are heterotrophs that break down dead organic material and use the decomposition products to supply themselves with energy.
Trophic level - An organism's position in a food chain, which is determined by its feeding relationships.
Food web - A representation of the interlocking food chains that connect all organisms.
Producers - Also called autotrophs, manufacture organic molecules from simple inorganic substances.
Consumers - Also called heterotrophs, are animals that use the bodies of other organisms as a source of food energy and body building materials.
Herbivores - Consumers that eat producers.
Carnivore - Both secondary and tertiary consumers that eat other animals.
Omnivores - Other consumers that eat both plant and animal.
Detritivores - Consume detritus, organic matter that includes animal carcasses, leaf litter, and feces.
Decomposers - Also called saprotrophs, are heterotrophs that break down dead organic material and use the decomposition products to supply themselves with energy.
- An organism is assigned a trophic level based on the number of energy transfer steps to that level.
A food chain and its trophic levels
Ecological pryamid - Grapgically represent the relative energy values of each trophic level.
Pryamid of numbers - Shows the number of organisms at each trophic level in a given ecosystem, with greater numbers illustrated by a larger area for that section of the pyramid.
Pryamid of biomass - Illustrates the total biomass at each successive trophic level.
Pryamid of energy - Illustrates the energy content, often expressed as kilocalories per square meter per year, of the biomass of each trophic level.
Pryamid of numbers - Shows the number of organisms at each trophic level in a given ecosystem, with greater numbers illustrated by a larger area for that section of the pyramid.
Pryamid of biomass - Illustrates the total biomass at each successive trophic level.
Pryamid of energy - Illustrates the energy content, often expressed as kilocalories per square meter per year, of the biomass of each trophic level.
Pryamid of numbers
The organisms at the base are the most abundant, and fewer organisms occupy each successive trophic level.
Pryamid of biomass
Pryamid of energy
These pryamids always have large energy bases and get progressively smaller through succeeding trophic levels. Most energy dissipates into the environment when going from one trophic level to the next.