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Chapter 4

The document defines key terms related to food webs and food chains such as foodweb, foodchain, and trophic level. It then provides explanations for why higher trophic levels have smaller populations due to less available energy at each level. The initial energy source of a food chain is the sun. Food chains show the transfer of energy between organisms starting with a producer and ending with a top consumer. Food webs involve multiple interconnected food chains that share producers and consumers. Plants are important producers that provide energy, food, oxygen, and habitat to other organisms in a community. The length of food chains is limited because only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels.

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36 views

Chapter 4

The document defines key terms related to food webs and food chains such as foodweb, foodchain, and trophic level. It then provides explanations for why higher trophic levels have smaller populations due to less available energy at each level. The initial energy source of a food chain is the sun. Food chains show the transfer of energy between organisms starting with a producer and ending with a top consumer. Food webs involve multiple interconnected food chains that share producers and consumers. Plants are important producers that provide energy, food, oxygen, and habitat to other organisms in a community. The length of food chains is limited because only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels.

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Term Definition

Foodweb A diagram which shows the interactions between a community of species

Foodchain Shows trophic relationships, showing which organisms eats which organisms
and shows the flow of energy from producers

Trophic Level The position an organism occupies in a food chain

State one reason why the highest trophic level has a smaller population
- Highest trophic level received less energy as energy is lost at each level

State the initial energy source of a food chain


- Sun

Describe what is meant by a food chain using an example


- Food chain shows the feeding relationship between species
- Arrows show path of energy flow in an ecosystem
- Oak leaves -> Snail -> Hedgehog -> Fox

Describe what is meant by a food chain and a food web


- food chain shows transfer of nutrients
- Trophic level to the next (examples)
- Between different trophic levels
- Starting with a producer
- Followed by two levels of consumers
- Food web is the branched interaction of multiple food chains
- Using producers as a source
- Transferring nutrients to consumers from different food chains
- Same consumer could be at different trophic levels in a food web

Outline the importance of plants to population of other organisms in a


community
- Light is the initial source of energy for almost all communities
- Plants absorb light and use it in photosynthesis
- Plants produce food
- Plants are the main producers in most communities
- Energy flows along food chains
- First consumers eat producers
- Second consumer eats first consumers that have eaten producers
- Plants produce oxygen
- Oxygen is needed for cell respiration by many organisms
- Dead plants are available to saprotrophs
- Plants provide a habitat for other organisms
Outline how the energy flow through food chains limits their length
- Only 10% of energy can pass from one trophic level to the next
- Energy is released by respiration and lost as heat
- Energy losses due to uneaten parts
- Not enough energy for later stages of a food chain

Describe how energy flows through and is used by organisms in


ecosystems
- Producers obtain energy from sun
- Food contains energy
- Consumers obtain energy from other organisms
- Energy released by respiration
- ATP produced
- ATP used for movement
- Less energy available at each trophic level

Explain how energy enters and flows through ecosystems


- Light energy is the initial energy source
- Producers change light energy into chemical energy
- Producing carbohydrates
- Organic compounds used for energy
- Compounds pass as food along trophic levels
- Cellular respiration releases energy as ATP from food
- Energy is lost as heat
- Only 10% of energy is passed to the next trophic level
- Energy lost when organisms are not fully eaten by the next trophic level
- Energy lost in urine
- Decomposers remove energy from bodies
- Energy is not recycled

Explain the differences in the way energy and nutrients are transferred
within ecosystems
- Energy can enter and leave the ecosystem
- Energy is not recycled
- Energy is supplied in the form of light
- Light energy is converted into chemical energy
- Energy flows through the food chains
- Most is lost as heat
- Efficiency of conversion is typically 10%

- Nutrients are usually recycled


- Plants absorb nutrients through their roots
- Animals obtain nutrients by feeding
- Nutrients returned to environment by death
- Saprotrophs are essential in recycling
- Nutrients can be supplied by using fertilisers
Discuss reasons why the levels of a pyramid of energy differs in size
- Shows energy lost from bast to top of pyramid
- Energy released through cell respiration
- Not all tissues are eaten

Describe what is shown in pyramids of energy


- Pyramid of energy shows the flow of energy from one trophic level to the next
- Units of pyramids of energy are kJm-2yr-1
- Bar width is proportional to the energy stored in that trophic level
- The lowest trophic level is producers
- Second level is primary consumers
- Third level is secondary consumers
- Only 10% of energy is passed onto the next level
- Energy is related in all respiration
- Energy stored in the trophic level decreases as you go up each level
- Pyramid shows that there is a limit to the length of food chains


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